When dad’s health began to fail mum took care of him until sadly he passed away in 2004. Mum lost not only her husband but her best friend. I didn’t realise just how hard it hit her at the time because she was trying so hard to be brave and carry on for me. This was probably the worst time in her life, matched only by the loss of my Nan.  She carried on looking after me, going out on the train most days as before but now on her own and caring for her beloved garden. The garden always looked lovely and was full of colourful flowering tubs. We spent as much time as we could together and often went to garden centres. She never complained, not even when we had to spend a lot of time at home after I became ill. She said she did not mind as long as we were together.