Work had become important in my ability to keep some sanity. Walking the dogs was my only other enjoyment. When the opportunity to do my intensive care certificate presented I only momentarily hesitated; I wanted to do it despite the increased angst I knew it would create in my private life.

For the first time in many years I made friends with some of the girls also doing the course. It was different to those friends I had at work where quick quips were the only option as one stayed solely beside their ventilated critically ill charge often skipping meals. The course allowed plenty of time for chatting and developing friendships. I felt happy as I hadn’t done in years. I dreaded going home of a night and looked forward to the days. The study was hard but it was worth it.

With some support of the girls, I made the effort to leave. He promised to change and I returned just in time to see the kittens at a very young age. Snuffles gave birth first, followed a few days later by Kimberly. They were good mothers and carried their babies from where they had given birth into the garage where they hid them behind the fish tanks. As they grew older they started to venture outside to play.

And too soon it was time to find homes for them. Snuffles’ kittens were easy to find homes for. Being a Burmese with beautiful gold colouring she had given birth to ginger cats. The two males were fully ginger and two females were ginger and white.

Kimberley’s kittens were not so unusual and were all a smoky grey in colour. She had given birth to five but one had died early in the piece. Eventually they too found homes.