For most people 21st October 2011 probably wasn’t especially memorable, but on that day something life-changing happened to me without any warning or fanfare. The sudden episodes of intense debilitating tics I’d been experiencing periodically for several years suddenly started happening every few hours. I came to describe these as ‘ticcing fits’, and out of the 916 days since they started, the number when I haven’t had a fit at all has only just moved into double digits.

Regular readers will know these days are rewarded with ‘pigs’ – highly decorated rubber dog toys – which I’m given to celebrate these rare occasions. But I’ve never managed to score two consecutive days without a fit – until now.

Today completed the first ever double-pig day. The Pig Fairy will be cursing because it adds two more to the four pigs already on the waiting-list. I’d like these two new pigs to be a well-known pair like Mario and Luigi, Thelma and Louise or Laurel and Hardy. Exactly what pair is appropriate for such a momentous occasion I’ll leave in the hands of the Fairy.

I’m hoping that double-pig-days will become a regular occurrence. Now I’m going for the hat trick!