From the horses mouth

(Written yesterday)
Good afternoon, friends. This is the real-life RP speaking, from the Bedford-Fenwick ward of St Bartholomew's Hospital. I'm currently on day 19 of what was supposed to be a 14-day stay, and I've just been given the news that I need yet another operation, albeit not major surgery.

I'm sure you've all been following Catherine's regular and admirable updates, but just to summarise:-
- initial madibulectomy and free-flap reconstruction on 21 June seemed to go well, until;
- we discovered on about 30 June that the flap had died, so I went in for a second op, taking skin from my chest to serve as the flap at the back of my throat;
- a few days later, the plastic surgeons noticed that a couple of stitches had worked loose, so it was back to theatre to fix them;
- it now seems that further stitching is required, so I'll be returning for more surgery next week.

So this represents another setback, and another delay, and whilst it's a disappointment it's not a disaster. I'm longing to be away from this confounded place, and have an extreme craving for - believe it or not- a cold glass of water (nil by mouth for the last 3 weeks!). But these wishes will be fulfilled soon. Chin up, cheer up!

Here are ten songs about life's propensity for going wrong.

1 Why do I keep f***ing up - Neil Young and Crazy Horse
2 Looks like I'm up s**t creek again - Tom Waits
3 Life gets tee-jiss - Tex Williams
4 I can't stand up for falling down - Sam and Dave
5 It's the end of the world as we know it - REM
6 Many rivers to cross - Jimmy Cliff
7 The sound of crying - Prefab Sprout
8 I'll never get out of this world alive - Hank Williams
9 Heaven knows I'm miserable now - The Smiths
10 Easy's gettin' harder every day - Iris De Ment

C'est la vie
RP