Among the items I keep in my red emergency bag is an information sheet for my support workers describing what to do when I’m having a ‘ticcing fit’. Much of it’s about what they need to do to keep themselves safe rather than me. For example, first on the list is ‘Remove any jewellery, sharp or breakable objects from your person.’

Leftwing Idiot’s familiar with all this sage advice, but despite carefully removing his glasses to help me with a fit just now, he still ended up with a nasty injury.

As often happens I found myself locked up and rigid, on the floor in the castle. Leftwing Idiot was holding my head with one hand and reaching for a cushion to wedge under it with the other. Out of the blue my arm shot out and punched him hard in the balls! It’s happened before, but not for a long time.

After I hit him there was a pause, followed by a wince and then a sigh of pain. I was still stiff as a plank but even so Leftwing Idiot could tell I was laughing. But as soon as I was able to speak again, I promised him that I was only laughing out of nerves, not because I thought it was extremely funny.