Aaagghhh we have now said goodbye to everyone from the doctors to the hospital porters at least twice and guess what Rose is STILL there...! Nurses go off duty, say their goodbyes AGAIN and there we are the following morning - surprise! - it's getting embarrassing and we are going to have to start paying rent on the room and getting our post redirected. Brass bands, 21 gun salutes and Red Arrows cancelled, banners wilting and at this rate I might open the pink champagne Simon's put in the fridge and drink the lot standing up in the kitchen while waiting for her temperature to stay down and the new lot of antibiotics to run their course. Bor-ing. We've done the thank you chocolates, the commemorative photos and farewell tour of the ward and the party is definitely over but Rose hasn't quite caught on yet and is going to have to be forked out of her temperature/infection/antibiotic lifestyle... Little does she know there's a different hospital bed with her name on it in Stanmore from 9am Monday morning so we are going to have to cram a whole lot of excitement into about 36 hours maximum at this rate. And we now know that 'tomorrow' may well mean the middle of next week. Or tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
She has got to hurry up though as this weekend is a big one all in her honour and it's frankly rude of her to miss all the fun. More than one stall is being run in her name at her school Christmas fair on Saturday, staffed by a rota of hapless victims who have been making decorations and icing gingerbread men all week and will be gift wrapping and selling Christmas cards all day tomorrow to raise money for the BCRT. And on Sunday - it's finally rolled round boys there's no escape! - Calvin and Tayo are skydiving from 12,000 feet and if either of their faces vaguely resembles Brian Paddick's before he jumped last weekend I need to be there... They are bold and brave and fabulous - and I hear absolutely petrified so if you happen to be anywhere near Headcorn Parachute Club in Kent on Sunday morning come and support them and if not - guess what's coming - please support them instead online at www.justgiving.com/roseallocca.
Rose is taking a relaxed approach to all the fuss - so relaxed that she can't be bothered to come home - but the rest of us are very, very excited and if I haven't said it before a million times - we think you're both marvellous. All our love and luck, happy jumping, and safe landings.
