Will Self

We're so entranced by each other to pay much attention to other people.

We're one of those awful couples.

We find each other completely exciting and entrancing.

And having been through really severe illness, and if I can come, you know, it may be small comfort to people.

Because I think one of the saddest things that you face when your body won't behave anymore is to be with somebody who, you know, you may have...

still have animal proper with in that way.

And my wife and I are long past that point.

We love each other totally.

And we were even able to use the fact when she had to care for my body as part of our love.

And that is, you know, so for example, the effect of the stem cell transplant is that you get something called graft versus host disease.

So your whole skin becomes not infected, but irritated to the point of raising up in lumps.

And you have to rub steroid cream over your entire body three times a day, which burns incredibly and attacks the GVHD.

My wife had to do that three times a day for months.

We called it creaming, the creaming ritual.

I was emaciated, bald, hairless, like a concentration camp victim.

And she would have to rub every inch of my body with this cream.

I was too weak to do it myself.

Now that's love.

Okay.

That is love.