07 May 2005: Breakwater Marina, Townsville

This diary is in danger of becoming an ongoing medical report, but since Lyndall's health problems are determining the outcomes of our cruising lifestyle and occupy much of our time this is how it is these days. She returned back to illywhacker today after an 8-day stay in hospital. She had picked up a minor infection in her toe but her immune system is so compromised she was unable to fight it and required surgery and intravenous antibiotics. Our Haematologist tells us this is the result of her bone marrow problem and will be the pattern from now on. We must be very vigilant against cuts and scratches and airborne infections - it's a hard call living in a marina. On the brighter side we are having a beautiful winter with sunny skies and fair winds. Our many friends living aboard are paying frequent visits for a chat to the patient who lounges in the cockpit like Cleopatra as the "boatboy" busily keeps house and serves the tea! I was once the Captain ... what happened?