Just six days ago my darling gave up her fight and surrendered to the cancer on Tuesday October 9 at 10.50pm.I have been doing a lot of thinking since then and feel that it was the continous and continuing UTI’s that really finished her off.  They were of course part of the problem in that her lowered resistance to infection and her weakened condition allowed them to stay around. Her weakened condition, partly also from long hours in bed did not help.

What was fantastic was, as I said last week, the way that the medical team and our wonderful family swung into action and provided comfort and support for both of us. Because of them Elaine passed quietly and peacefully at home with me, and Toni, at her side. She is now at last at peace and probably by now comuning with her parents, my mum, Todd and Gina, I miss them all terribly.

The Chevra Chadisha swung into action that night and together with the Chippers (now Purslowe Chippers) arranged the funeral on Wednesday which was well organised and professional and a fitting tribute to my lady. There were about fifty people in attendance and a similar number here for the minyan that night. My brother Tony and his wife Louise arrived here on Tuesday morning and together with our family, particularly Toni, and friends were a great support.

I miss her lots and lots and am in awe of her strength, physical and mental, in fighting this bastard of a disease for so long - more than two years longer than our doctors predicted. I like to think that I assisted in that fight in a psotive way and again I miss her.