The year is 2000, a new Millennium. Life has a comfortable feeling about it.August arrives, just five more weeks and Val and I are off to Jersey for a well-earned holiday. Starting to have a few sleepless nights, must be overworking, and keep getting small bouts of cramp in my legs, better get it checked at the doctor's.

Appointment made and told to go to hospital to have a blood test. Arrangements made to be a bit late at work, to go for tests on Thursday 31st August. Thursday is here, not a bad day, warm enough for shorts, go to the shop and head for Buckland Hospital. Turn left into Coombe Valley Road. What is happening to my head? It is full of pain and floating about! Must get to the car park. Through the traffic lights. I'm losing control. I am in the car park by the back fence, engine stopped, handbrake on, must have done that by instinct.

What is happening? I need help! Can't undo seatbelt, can't open door, can't move, must tell Val. Phone box up the road, I must be able to get to it, but I can't move. I only have to go over the bank and I'll be home, but I can't move. Help! Cars are parking both sides of me, people walking by, surely someone must see me and realise that I need help. Wrong. I need to go to the toilet - too late, no control of anything. It has become very dark and quiet.

What about my dog Max? He is in the passenger seat. He's a good dog - he won't leave me! I feel sick and I'm choking. It is dark and quiet again. (My black dog Max, was put down in March suffering with cancer. The only thing in the passenger seat was my black holdall for work. Hallucinating?)

Meanwhile at work they were wondering where I had got to. Being reliable and never ill, it was out of character for me not to turn up. They had to wait till late afternoon to contact Val but as far as she was concerned I was at work. Had I gone to see my son in Canterbury without telling her? Doubtful. 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 7 o'clock - still no sign of me, something must be wrong! Val is starting to worry. A neighbour went to the local police station but nothing had been reported. They suggested looking for me where I was last known to be. My stepdaughter and son, Tanya and John, made their way to the Buckland Hospital to start a search.