After spending months in Australian hospitals, British man John Andrews may soon be able to fly home.
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Mr Andrews and his wife Jacqueline arrived in November, ready to visit relatives at Goobarragandra, but within 48 hours he suffered massive heart problems.
He was rushed to Wagga Base Hospital and later transferred to Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital.
At one point, the retired RAF wing commander's condition was so serious, his family were told to say their goodbyes. The Andrews have been married for 25 years and have seven children between them.
Despite the seriousness of his condition, Mr Andrews began to recover and was eventually able to be transferred back to Wagga.
But while her husband was in St Vincent's, Mrs Andrews also became seriously ill and was diagnosed with embolisms on her lungs.
"So they moved John into a different room and put me in a bed beside him," Mrs Andrews said.
"But he was so sick, he didn't even realise I was a patient too. He thought I was just there with him."
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The couple, aged in their 80s, have faced other challenges along the way.
As they had planned to be home in Britain in time for Christmas, they left behind a freezer full of food, presents and a tree waiting to be decorated.
Their tourist visas have expired and they have had to arrange for bridging visas.
Mrs Andrews had nowhere to stay, but has found a 'home' and support at Lilier Lodge, which provides accommodation for people undergoing medical treatments.
Despite the difficulties of this trip, the Andrews have been able to look on the bright side. They travelled to Australia just weeks after a visit to the USA, where they would have faced massive medical bills had Mr Andrews become ill there.
Australia and Britain have reciprocal arrangements in place to meet citizens' medical needs.
"We are very lucky this didn't happen in the US," Mr Andrews said.
Having seen very little apart from hospital rooms since November, Mr Andrews has this week been taken out on car trips around Wagga, organised by Lilier Lodge.
He is hoping that a return to the UK is not far away.
The couple will be accompanied by a nurse on their long-haul flight and Mr Andrews will be admitted to hospital in Lincoln when he arrives back in Britain.
But, says Mrs Andrews, at least that will be only half an hour's drive from their home.
"I'll need to get home and sort out all the post," she joked.
"It has been piling up since before Christmas."