Isita made it out of intensive care on Tuesday, and has been getting better every day. They have taken down some of the antibiotics and tomorrow they will stop the extra oxygen she has been getting through a small nose tube.

Jamie has spent most of half term with his grandmother Coucou, uncle Robert and Tante Joosje. Coucou brought him back last night. He slept in bed with me at home. In the middle of the night he rolled over, threw an arm over me and said “hug”, without even waking up. It was better than being kicked, which is the usual.

I woke early to work, then took him to the Bank of England to change some old fivers from his and Isita’s piggy banks. They wouldn’t take our old pound coins. The guard at the door suggested I take them to Tescos.  No comment.

It was bliss to see him and Isita together in the hospital. She had been enjoying a stream of visitors all day, Aude and Olympie, her school teacher who brought the class mascot, and then her former nanny Michelle. Social girl that she is, company brings out the best in her. 

She has been struggling with intense stomach pain since coming back to the ward, but seeing old friends made her forget it for a bit. The alternative is frequent pushes of fentanyl, an excellent painkiller, but no joke. It is what Prince was taking.

We have also had constant delegations of nurses – old friends – from down the corridor in Elephant Ward. They also came every day to see Isita in intensive care. We feel very loved.