‘It’s clearly a rare complication,’ the doctor agreed. ‘The KL553 respiratory modification is now on the approved list of mods and can legally be given to severe asthma sufferers. It’s hard to say what is causing your problems. It may be an infection that reacted badly with the modified lung tissue. Or an environmental factor, such as an allergy to something in your diet or workplace.’

‘Will reversing the mod help?’

‘It may stop things getting worse, Harry. But a proportion of your lungs is clogged and spongy already. Altering your genes won’t make dead lung tissue grow back. In the long term, the only solution may be a double lung transplant, using a donor lung or synthetically grown lungs.’

‘That sounds expensive,’ Harry said warily.

‘Donor lungs rely on the tiny number of people who die with young, healthy lungs. Primarily accident victims. Synthetically grown organs are a new technology. It’s extremely expensive and with current techniques adult-sized lungs take four years to grow.’

Harry drummed anxiously on the arm of his chair. ‘So, in the long term, this doesn’t look good?’

‘I won’t pretend that it’s great, but there are options. Reversing your respiratory modification will hopefully stop new tissue damage. If it’s an allergy, we may be able to identify the trigger. Possibly a dust mite in your home, or one of the fertilisers in your polytunnels. Then we could consider surgery to remove the most damaged areas of your lungs. Of course, your lung capacity will be reduced.’

‘By how much?’

‘It would be proportional to the amount of lung tissue removed. You wouldn’t be running marathons, but I’ve seen cancer patients who’ve had an entire lung removed who manage to live relatively normal lives.’

‘I don’t know what we can afford. Ed’s medical bills are already killing us.’

‘You’d be entitled to free medical treatment if you returned to the UK,’ Dr Harkom noted. ‘Though the system is under strain and you’d probably find yourself at the end of a long waiting list.’

‘Something to consider, I guess,’ Harry said, tipping his head back and feeling angry with himself for getting modded.

But would I be here with Charlie if I was still pale and spotty?

‘I’m still talking over your options with a couple of colleagues,’ the doctor said. ‘We can decide how to progress when I see you in two weeks’ time.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ Harry said. ‘One other thing. Charlie’s got a ton of other stuff to worry about. If she comes in to see you with Ed, I’d prefer you didn’t mention this.’

As Harry ended the call, he could hear Vern finishing off the door in the kitchen, while Ed horsed around with Patrick in the hallway. Harry sat still in the armchair, holding the phone and scared of the gunk that rattled his chest every time he breathed.