As readers of this blog will know Richard had been struggling for the last few months with a succession of infections - mostly affecting his lungs. He had always had a weakness in his lungs and a tendency towards bronchitis. In early June he contracted bronchial pneumonia, sadly this was one infection too many.
Although we are deeply saddened by Richard's passing, we are grateful for the five years from diagnosis, which he lived to the full. This is in no small part due to the fantastic teams at Derriford and Kings College Hospital and the support of the MDS UK patients support group.
In particular, the clinical staff at Derriford did a magnificent job of getting all the transplant related problems under control and Richard was looking forward to building his strength up again. He had even bought a new tractor, was planning a family holiday, and was looking forward to meeting his new grandson.
Thanks to the hard work of these dedicated people, Richard was able to see one son married and build an award winning dream home with his wife. He celebrated his grandson passing his first GCSE and his granddaughter passing yet another ballet exam. He visited his other son in Iceland and Estonia where he drank vodka with his son's partner's family. He was able to share his childhood haunts in the Peak District with his family, grandchildren, and extended family and win several more sheep show championships with his wife. Most importantly he was able to see his daughter conquer the same condition and, now healthy, return to teaching. Nearly five years past her own transplant date and three years in remission, she has four hundred budding artists to inspire and is thoroughly enjoying the challenge!
Richard's unflagging determination, positivity, optimism, and hope made all of these treasured moments possible. We had a beautiful service where many friends, colleagues, and family gathered to celebrate his life. We will all miss him dearly.
Life goes on. Richard was a keen supporter of the Barn Owl Trust and he would have been thrilled to discover that five new owlets are flourishing in one of the barns on the farm.
Thank you for reading and good luck in your own journey, Richard's family.
No comments:
Post a Comment