Freddie Wills

I started writing this blog back in spring of this year when I was ill and off work and almost unable to get out of bed with all my chest problems . I was there for what seemed like weeks and had no idea how it was all going to turn out . ( Transpired I was probably reacting to Topimirate , an epilepsy drug I was taking , and the coughing I did resulted in me having broken 4 ribs hence the extreme pain in my chest , difficulty ,moving comfortably etc ) .

I read a letter in The Times from Tim Wills about blogging and the fact that he was blogging about his baby son Fred who was in hospital in Bristol with leukaemia . Like many others I logged onto the blog and was hooked . In fact reading Tim s daily life gave mine a focus and I was even brave enough to leave a comment at one stage , and delighted to receive an e mail back from Tim .

Tim was basically telling Fred's story until ( and a little beyond) May , including telling us all the heartbreaking news that Fred wasn't going to get better . Like many others I followed the blog until Tim stopped writing and it was this which inspired me to write my own blog .

Today Ive heard the news that Tim is abseiling in Dec to raise money for Clic Sargent ,and in Fred s memory , the organisation that offered Tim and Rachel accommodation during the time they were at Bristol hospital and away from their home . Clic Sargent was mentioned often in Tim s blog and coincidentally a good friend of mine Ali has recently started to work for them , working directly with children with cancer .

Justgiving - Tim's fund raising page
I'm including a link to Tim 's fundraising page if anyone wants to make a donation .
I only have to look over the side of a building or say the word abseil to go weak at the knees so Tim has my great admiration , as ever .

early start

An early start today . I was excited about the Stephen Poliakoff drama on bbc 2 last night but the start of a migraine meant I took off to bed at 7 30 hoping some pills would fix me up for 9pm . I did come down and sit propped in front of it for about ten minutes but after realising I was staring at a woman in a posh Poliakoff house with three large dalmatians who was monologuing at me and that I really had no clue what she was on about , I took myself back to bed and blissful sleep .
I hate having migraines but sometimes when youve taken the pills and your bed is warm and full of soft furry cats and you have no real responsibilities and there is someone there who knows how to operate the video recorder ( Ive never learned with our latest model ) , then it can be a delight just to succumb and accept you have to do this as you sink in and the cats start up their purring .

So 4 am I was awake and worried that Alice may need to be out . She is scared of the dark and makes a brief foray into the yard when commanded but she really has no intention of taking a chance and squatting in case a bogeyman jumps out at her . I make tea and collect a wholemeal bran biscuit with lemon curd and start back upstairs to Mr Golightley . Im taking ages to read this , I think Ive worked out who he is now , one of those vooks you have to savour .

Then 6 45 and up again to take Alice to the park . She is out for a run when Holly and Polly two large black creatures intercept her run and she scarpers in terror . Always though she escapes the pursuers ( she has so far out run every dog ) then she comes back to look for us . I guess it helps that upon every return she gets a biscuit .

I do catcalls and wonders , little Amber has returned and is safely inside and has eaten two pouches . Then , back to bed with the papers before another walk to the Priory at twelve .

Alice is much calmer this her second weekend with us .
The cats are still considering their verdict .