Dear Mark,

I am flying to Dublin at 7.30 on the morning of Oct 7th. My trial is scheduled at 11.30. I hope to get the flight back at 6.30. Two friends are coming with me. Luckily I have 6 first cousins in the Dublin area and they wll do the necessary transportation around Dublin. I could not face a train journey up and down as I could not sit for 2.5 hours each way. I hope I will manage the trip home o.k. Mark, do you have any advice for me in this regard? Unfortunately the flight service between Cork and Dublin ends on Oct 31st. The last time I travelled in June there were so few passangers on the flight that we had to be seated so as to have balanced weight at the front, middle and back of the plane.

I was a golf addict before chronic pain forced me to give it up. That was nearly 2.5 years ago. I still miss it dearly. It is my golf friends who have disappointed me the most. One day in January 2010 I needed a lift home from the hospital following radiofrequency lesioning. Most of my friends work and so could not help but when I asked my best golf buddy if she could collect me, she said that she could not obilige as she was playing golf. I knew then where her priorities lay. I could not and would not leave a friend in the lurch like that. I had to hire a taxi to get me home. Illness is a true test of friendship. True friends are there for you through thick and thin.

Through my pain I have met some wonderful friends. They are always there for me and help me out in many practical ways.

My uncle. Mam's brother, is gravely ill. At this stage we hope that the Lord will take him home soon. He has cancer of the Lymph Glands.

Best wishes,
Patricia