2018 has proved to be yet another memorable year as we come to the end of a very busy political year particularly focussing on our departure from the European Union.  It feels like little else has been happening but of course it has been.  In addition to a number of issues happening in the constituency like the pressure on the natural environment with proposed substations near Friston or trying to improve the quality of education like getting leadership change at Felixstowe Academy and other schools, actually this year has been a particularly special year for me which sadly was due to my extended experience of the NHS.  Celebrating its 70th anniversary it turns out it was bad luck that I experienced it quite so much and really value the treatment and care that I received as a patient in May and June earlier this year.

At the time I didn't want to broadcast what went wrong until I knew in more detail about what happened and why it happened.  What happened is that an ear infection went disastrously wrong and instead of the infection being dealt with in a particular way it ended up on the side of my brain.  That led to an emergency operation once this was diagnosed and I was in hospital for nearly a month and then received after care at home for some time afterwards.   I really want to thank not only the NHS staff who cared for me in London but also the staff from Ipswich hospital and the community health group who actually taught me how to self-administer an intravenous injection.  Not only was that reducing pressure on NHS nursing resources, it actually liberated me and I was able to share some of these experiences with health ministers.

Looking forward to 2019 it is going to be another memorable year as Parliament and the Government work together to try and make sure we leave the European Union in the best way possible.  I also want to thank constituents who have been very kind to me, including local councillors who have acted to help on certain constituency matters and also to my Parliamentary team who kept the show running for that couple of months when I was away from Parliament.  I will never know the reason why I got that illness but I am really looking forward to this Christmas to be spending it with my family and friends.  I want to wish all readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.