You need an operation on your neck, Mrs Smith,” I told the god-fearing 66-year-old lady after conducting a detailed evaluation in her hospital room. The medicine cabinet next to her bed had three different-sized photo frames of Christ, two rosaries, and the Bible. The window sill was lined with a picture of The Last Supper, and next to it were a couple of wooden crosses. There was gentle ‘Praise the Lord’ music playing on her husband’s phone. I felt as though I had just walked into the kingdom of heaven.

Over the past year Joanne Smith had started to complain of a difficulty walking on uneven surfaces. She had tripped over and fallen a few times. She found it hard to cook, as vegetables and utensils kept slipping out of her hands. As a well-built lady, she was used to a large amount of physical labour, but most of her activities had been curbed owing to her ailment.