Kay's page

I am the long-suffering wife of Gordon Johnson, and not just because we have been married for  40 years! My husband regards me as an expert on the British royal family, probably because I often point out to him all the errors in royalty books.

For years I thought I had M.E., but a sudden turn for the worse revealed that I was suffering from hydrocephalus - basically "water on the brain". Everyone's brain is bathed in a fluid, which is normally drained continually and automatically replaced, but in hydrocephalus the drain gets blocked, and the pressure increases inside your head, causing problems for your brain. In my case, loss of balance, memory problems, and unconsciousness at the worst point. I was flown by air ambulance 200 miles to the nearest hospital with a suitable neurosurgery unit, where they operated and installed a drainage shunt in my head.

Six weeks later, I had a relapse, and had another minor op, and was o.k. for quite while. Then I had a recurrence of the original symptoms, and was again flown to hospital, where they did many tests, eventually concluding that the shunt was defective.

They operated once more, removing the shunt from one side of my head, and installing a new one on the other side of my head!

So far, so good, but instead of recovering in a fortnight, I took three months to recover full consciousness, and another couple of months to recover sufficiently to be allowed home in a wheelchair. I am now walking and driving again, with less balance problems and no longer needing two sticks for walking any distance.

My interests are many, as a result of being a former professional librarian, but apart from royalty I have a strong interest in Christian religious matters, am in the Wick Choral Society, a handbell ringer (learning) and am active in our local Liberal Democrat branch. I also help out twice a week at the local Blythswood Care charity shop.

• Our daughter, Zak's, page (and we christened her Alexandra!)
• Our one and only grandson's page

e-mail: kay@kinhelp.co.uk