Thursday 2nd May 2019:

It’s only now that I’m beginning to realise the impact my health scare has had on my children.

Ever since I left hospital Huey-Jay has left me a different cuddly toy beside my bed each night “to look after you and keep you safe”, he says.

Dakota-Skye had to prepare a “show and tell” for school, exhibiting something to her peers that was important to her. My incredible eight-year-old didn’t just go into her room and fish out any old tat she could lay her hands on, no she actually crafted something…a book with four chapters, no less, entitled “Mummy’s Big Heart”, telling the story of my attack and time spent in hospital. “Everyone asked me lots of questions,” she told me afterwards. My personal favourite: “Did she die?” Kids…adorable creatures.

Something that really impressed me…and I’ll try to make this sound as un-middle class as I possibly can…was DS’s purchase in a National Trust shop on Sunday. There were the usual rubber eggs(?), sticky slugs and binoculars…but my girl bought a first aid kit. “I want to be prepared, just in case,” she said. Sure enough when HJ took a tumble while playing basketball on the driveway a few days later, she was first on the scene with antiseptic wipes and plasters.

She wants to be a vet but perhaps I can convince her to look after humans instead. In fact, I’ve decided I’d quite like to do a bit of that too.

All being well I hope I can volunteer at Yeovil Heartbeat once I stop being a patient. I’m northern, so make a decent brew. I can bake….as they’ve discovered over the past few weeks…and I reckon my experience could prove helpful to other young cardiac patients. It will also enable me to remain within the club I’ve grown quite fond of.

Nothing quite beats last week when Piers, who started on the same day as me, wore a vest top with a fella’s six-pack on it. As if that wasn’t enough to raise a few titters he then threatened to wear the “matching shorts” this week.

They haven’t yet materialised and I’m not entirely sure whether I’m relieved or disappointed.