I'm home - thank you one and all

As most of you know, I have spent the last week in hospital after being taken so ill on the way home from visiting my mother that I had to check in to a motel overnight on Thursday, being unable to drive any further. I got home early on Friday but my GP sent me straight to hospital, where I was diagnosed with two different infections, which were fighting each other and causing very high fevers and wildly fluctuating temperatures. I was also severely dehydrated, and being diabetic and having been unable to eat, also had to have insulin.

It's been a pretty rotten few days, and I couldn't have got through it without the wonderful support of my husband Mark. As well as his regular hospital visits, he has kept as many people as possible informed of the situation, which has resulted in an absolute torrent of get well wishes, every single one of which has helped to boost my strength and make me look forward even more to getting home and being in touch with you all again.

Now the problem I face is thanking you all. I've had literally hundreds of cards, emails, blog comments, tweets, LCC messages, Chatterbox messages and Facebook posts. It would take me weeks on end to reply individually to each one, so I'm going to post this message everywhere I can and also use it as a generic reply to all the lovely emails. I'm sorry not to send something more personal and home that this time you will forgive me! I'm very glad to be home, but still weak and recovering, and of course a long way behind with things.

My current hope, as long as I have no relapses, is to get Grape Vine in the post next Tuesday, so it will be less than a week late. Thanks to all the subscribers for their patience

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible

Jane XXX