An appeal was originally started when I came home from a 3-month hospital stay that, to be blunt, I should never have left alive.

Thank you just doesn't seem enough .. here is a little update.

To recap, I was originally admitted because the bone metastasis broke my left femur as I stood up, consequently I had an emergency rod and screw/plate fitted while they also removed any cancer they could access. Five days following that surgery, rolling in bed as required by the physio's my right leg/hip snapped, so once again off to surgery to have a full hip transplant and tumour removal. As you can imagine this was all very delicate highly skilled surgery but also extremely traumatic as a patient.

Recovery from surgery was going to plan until I became critically ill with sepsis, it's only the skill of one young junior doctor who saved my life by his speedy thinking and treatment. Three more operations were performed on the septic leg. 7 months later and I am still reliant on very strong antibiotics to keep me alive. Since then I have undergone gruelling radiotherapy on the legs/pelvic area and my sternum, resulting in all the associated side-effects.

Currently I am housebound, even though I can 'potter' around on the ground floor of my home with a walking frame it is impossible to get out due to a significant number of steps. Living half way up a cliff didn't seem a problem when I could walk! So I only go out when I must visit the hospital for treatment, appointments or scans. I am reliant on ambulance transport to get me safely up or down the 70+ steps to the ambulance.

As you can imagine it's not an ideal way to live but I have my 'view' and that is what kept me fighting to get home. The plan was to remove the lounge windows and fit French doors and build a decking area so I can get outdoors in my wheelchair and soak up the view.

Quality of life is all that I have, and I have little control over that now. Quantity is down to fate. During our last appeal we were overwhelmed at the response, the generosity of donations and the love and concern shown. We managed to get the French doors installed and a very narrow decking area but unfortunately money is a challenge once more.

Due to the aforementioned cliff, the front garden is on a steep incline so the decking really needs to continue further out to allow enough space for the wheelchair to fit through both doors and leave enough space to get by without having to rely on someone to open/close one for me before I can manoeuvre. I really need a little more space for a table, umbrella/shade so I can sit and read or use my laptop to do my blogging/reviewing, despite the weather. At other times, I can absorb the tranquillity, the sights, sounds and sea breeze which is so important for my emotional well being, inner peace and harmony and thought processes.

I know it is a lot to ask and I absolutely hate doing it, but I have been reassured by so many people who say they wish they could help me in some way. With limited time remaining, this is all I really need. Material things become irrelevant, it's the knowledge that so many friends and sometimes complete strangers care, it restores faith in humanity.

Lots of love, Ali xxx