.......if you see me this week. Why? Well, today I have started my patch-testing sessions at the dermatology unit. My back is awash with micropore holding down swathes of allergen-coated metal discs. I am not allowed to have a shower till at least Friday night and with the weather being as seasonal as it is I'm going to stink to high heaven by then. Hence the need for a clothes peg for your nose if you have the dubious pleasure of being in the same postcode as me.
Also I'm not allowed to do anything which may cause me to sweat - which rules out pretty much everything whilst it's this warm! I can't do anything which would involve lifting or twisting the back so that I don't dislodge the micropore and introduce air/moisture to the patches. It's a good job my kids are domesticated. K made a delicious curry for tea tonight. All that was needed was for A to show her how to do rice when we got back from the hospital.
I caused great anarchy at the hospital. In my defence it was a case of left hand not talking to right hand. I had told the head derm that the sunlight causes a fair number of skin reactions with suncreams and perfumes, so I would have thought that someone would have picked up on the fact that photo patch-testing would also be required. This IS the NHS so, of course, no-one had. Fortunately the ladies who run the light treatment room remembered me and, after asking how I was doing after my sessions in February/March, bent over backwards to fit me in.
One stayed later this afternoon for my test session. It being a hot day I had gone in in t-shirt and capri pants with sandals. So this nice nurse fetched a pair of blue scrubs and a large roll of elastoplast and, along with a couple of towels and blankets, proceeded to mummify me - apart from my face (protected by UV goggles and a clear welders mask) and a small spot on my right buttock that got zapped by the UVA. I was a little put out to hear I was going to be zapped for 7 minutes! I'm not claustrophobic as such but do prefer not to be enclosed for that sort of length of time, especially in a mummy outfit - BTW, my arms were inside the scrubs top as there was no real way of covering them up. Somehow I made it through and became a bit sweaty, which isn't allowed is it?! Then tomorrow I get to go back (12 noon) and have some allergens applied to an arm, and then be zapped again (legngth and strength of zap to be determined by how today's test session reacts) for up to 7 minutes.
On Wednesday I go back at 3pm to have all the micropore bits taken off and my back decorated with indelible marker - to mark where the patches are so that reactions can be seen. I hope it doesn't take as long as today as I'd really like to be out before rush-hour kicks in. You see, on Wednesday Bon Jovi are playing at St Mary's football stadium which is less than a mile from the hospital (no, I'm not going, it's too expensive), AND Hampshire have their first 20-20 cricket match at the Rose Bowl that same evening. Some genius somewhere deserves a medal - NOT! The most popular junctions of the M27 for St Mary's are 5, 7 & 8, whilst the Rose Bowl is smack against junction 7 and it's Park & Ride scheme is at junction 8. Total gridlock will be the most likely outcome, so I am planning to return home via Fair Oak and Wickham.
I get a hospital day-off on Thursday (so far!) but D has his last GCSE paper in Portsmouth in the afternoon. I think we'll use the train.
On Friday it's back to the derm people at 3pm so they can assess what has caused a reaction. Hopefully they will tell me all about it at the same time. It'd be just my luck for them to say "We'll send for you in a couple of months when we've analysed all this". That'll be another summer down the pan, not knowing what suncreams I could try.
Then it's a nice long shower and hairwash, followed by taking D to sea scouts to see if he likes it. Seeing as the leader has told me to make sure he wears old clothes that can get wet and to take some spares I think D will be getting out on the water.
Anyone want to trade places this week?
Monday, 9 June 2008
Sunday, 1 June 2008
More Labour absurdity
Did you know that if you are receiving NHS treatment for a medical condition and you decide you would like to privately purchase some medication not available on the NHS to improve your chances, you would then be unable to access ANY treatment for that condition on the NHS?
Scandalous, isn't it?!
This is becoming a big issue in the treatment of cancer. If you hear of a drug that may prolong your life, but NICE (National Institute for Clincial Excellence - what a misnomer!) decide that the costs outweigh the benefit and don't approve it for the NHS to use, you would then have to decide whether to forgo this drug and keep all the other NHS treaments and drugs; OR you could scrape together enough money to supply this drug and find that the NHS will no longer provide you with any treatment related to your condition.
Labour do not want to create a two-tier health system. Someone should tell them that there has been a many-tiered health system in this country for years. Private healthcare has always been around, even before the NHS came along. And on the NHS you have the postcode lottery - where you live decides what treatments you get for various conditions. Even when NICE give the go-ahead to the NHS to use certain drugs, not every PCT (Primary Care Trust) will prescribe them (usually citing cost).
So you get into the ludicrous situation of one PCT willing to prescribe drugs for Alzheimer's but not drugs that would greatly improve a terminal cancer patient's life expectancy, and another that would do just the opposite. Neither condition, Alzheimer's or terminal cancer, will be cured by the treatment. The drugs are just for palliative care, to make life more comfortable for the sufferer and their loved ones as they would all have more time together.
A group of NHS doctors are preparing to take on the Department of Health over this. Have a look at their website http://www.doctorsforreform.com/.
There isn't enough money in the NHS to pay for all the new drugs that are available, especially with all the managers and admin staff they're having to employ to monitor the PCTs compliance with all Labour's targets. Co-pay, as part-NHS and part-private treament is called, will soon be the only way forward. France operates their health-care in this way. The patient pays the bill in full and is then reimbursed, receiving somewhere around 70% of the cost. The French also pay about 20% (in some cases more), which is taken from their gross salary in much the same way as we pay National Insurance (NI), that goes into the pot to pay this 70%.
The French system is not perfect, especially seeing as it is about 6 billion euros in debt, but I don't think any health-care system is. The NHS can no longer afford to treat everyone for every illness. We are either going to have to pay more NI or contribute towards our treament as and when we need it.
Scandalous, isn't it?!
This is becoming a big issue in the treatment of cancer. If you hear of a drug that may prolong your life, but NICE (National Institute for Clincial Excellence - what a misnomer!) decide that the costs outweigh the benefit and don't approve it for the NHS to use, you would then have to decide whether to forgo this drug and keep all the other NHS treaments and drugs; OR you could scrape together enough money to supply this drug and find that the NHS will no longer provide you with any treatment related to your condition.
Labour do not want to create a two-tier health system. Someone should tell them that there has been a many-tiered health system in this country for years. Private healthcare has always been around, even before the NHS came along. And on the NHS you have the postcode lottery - where you live decides what treatments you get for various conditions. Even when NICE give the go-ahead to the NHS to use certain drugs, not every PCT (Primary Care Trust) will prescribe them (usually citing cost).
So you get into the ludicrous situation of one PCT willing to prescribe drugs for Alzheimer's but not drugs that would greatly improve a terminal cancer patient's life expectancy, and another that would do just the opposite. Neither condition, Alzheimer's or terminal cancer, will be cured by the treatment. The drugs are just for palliative care, to make life more comfortable for the sufferer and their loved ones as they would all have more time together.
A group of NHS doctors are preparing to take on the Department of Health over this. Have a look at their website http://www.doctorsforreform.com/.
There isn't enough money in the NHS to pay for all the new drugs that are available, especially with all the managers and admin staff they're having to employ to monitor the PCTs compliance with all Labour's targets. Co-pay, as part-NHS and part-private treament is called, will soon be the only way forward. France operates their health-care in this way. The patient pays the bill in full and is then reimbursed, receiving somewhere around 70% of the cost. The French also pay about 20% (in some cases more), which is taken from their gross salary in much the same way as we pay National Insurance (NI), that goes into the pot to pay this 70%.
The French system is not perfect, especially seeing as it is about 6 billion euros in debt, but I don't think any health-care system is. The NHS can no longer afford to treat everyone for every illness. We are either going to have to pay more NI or contribute towards our treament as and when we need it.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
A sign I'm getting older
For some time now I have noticed that my vision gets a bit blurred when I'm tired. Last Thursday I went for a 3 mile or so walk with a friend and we 'accidentally' finished it off in the pub. I was 6 feet away from the wine bottles and I couldn't make out the grape varieties on the labels! (And this was before I'd been served, let alone drank a couple of glasses).
So, today I went to the opticians at Tesco as they had an immediate appointment. I am now £149 lighter but have 2 pairs of glasses with anti-glare tint. They'll be ready sometime in the next couple of weeks. I have to use them for close-work - like being on here, or reading - but not for day-to-day activities (though I suppose that will come eventually).
So, today I went to the opticians at Tesco as they had an immediate appointment. I am now £149 lighter but have 2 pairs of glasses with anti-glare tint. They'll be ready sometime in the next couple of weeks. I have to use them for close-work - like being on here, or reading - but not for day-to-day activities (though I suppose that will come eventually).
Monday, 26 May 2008
Slugs and snails
We've all been busy in the garden.
D likes to grow tomatoes but gets annoyed when the slugs eat the plants. This year he's planted some tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets to try to beat them, along with planting some French marigold to dissuade the aphids. He also found some hanging basket strawberries - now all he has to do is work out how to keep the birds off his fruit (when we get some).
I've planted some herbs in my new border. A word of warning here - the Curry plant is rather pungent and the smell clings to you, even after a nanosecond of contact. My car smells like last night's take-away. They're all in the border now so we'll see if the slugs leave me any.
I don't enjoy planting things only for pests to destroy them. Because of Scooby I can't use slug pellets. I've tried saucers of beer but they seem to prefer my green offerings instead. Why can't they munch their way through weeds instead, there's plenty of ivy that could do with eating up!
D likes to grow tomatoes but gets annoyed when the slugs eat the plants. This year he's planted some tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets to try to beat them, along with planting some French marigold to dissuade the aphids. He also found some hanging basket strawberries - now all he has to do is work out how to keep the birds off his fruit (when we get some).
I've planted some herbs in my new border. A word of warning here - the Curry plant is rather pungent and the smell clings to you, even after a nanosecond of contact. My car smells like last night's take-away. They're all in the border now so we'll see if the slugs leave me any.
I don't enjoy planting things only for pests to destroy them. Because of Scooby I can't use slug pellets. I've tried saucers of beer but they seem to prefer my green offerings instead. Why can't they munch their way through weeds instead, there's plenty of ivy that could do with eating up!
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Noooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It had to happen, but it's still not fair. My darling daughter is now taller than me! I haven't been the shortest in the house for over 16 years - and it doesn't really count when it's just you and your hubby so that would really be 19 years.
Sigh!
Sigh!
Monday, 19 May 2008
Big changes are afoot
I went to the big Sainsbury's at Hedge End today. I used a small trolley, not much bigger than a basket. It was beginning to overflow by the time I got the checkout. Imagine the shock when the bill came to just a smidge over £77!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was no alcohol in that and it wasn't even a full week's shopping. If food prices keep climbing like this the obesity epidemic will be over fast - no-one will be able to afford to eat!
Petrol is now £1.14 + per litre and that's at the supermarkets, traditionally the cheapest place to fill up. We haven't been hard-up since before the kids were born but we're certainly feeling the pinch now. And of course the odd unexpected expense keeps happening. A's car needs two new tires, Scooby goes to see a physio tomorrow, I really need to see the osteopath (next week now), etc, you get the picture?!
So A has decided that if I could get a job he would appreciate it. I've offered before, many times, but he's always said that it wasn't necessary. Now it would come in handy. He's going to ask around at his place to see what clerical/admin jobs are going. I'd prefer part-time for a start as K will still be home educated for another year, but she's big enough to be left and can do basic housework - no, she won't be doing all of it, she needs to study more than I need a housekeeper.
I have enjoyed being a stay-at-home-mum and full-time housewife. We are such rarities these days. However, duty calls.
Petrol is now £1.14 + per litre and that's at the supermarkets, traditionally the cheapest place to fill up. We haven't been hard-up since before the kids were born but we're certainly feeling the pinch now. And of course the odd unexpected expense keeps happening. A's car needs two new tires, Scooby goes to see a physio tomorrow, I really need to see the osteopath (next week now), etc, you get the picture?!
So A has decided that if I could get a job he would appreciate it. I've offered before, many times, but he's always said that it wasn't necessary. Now it would come in handy. He's going to ask around at his place to see what clerical/admin jobs are going. I'd prefer part-time for a start as K will still be home educated for another year, but she's big enough to be left and can do basic housework - no, she won't be doing all of it, she needs to study more than I need a housekeeper.
I have enjoyed being a stay-at-home-mum and full-time housewife. We are such rarities these days. However, duty calls.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Change of plans
Tomorrow I should be going up to Nottingham for the 25th anniversary of leaving school. A was going to take the kids to Bristol for their English exam. Instead I'll be doing Bristol and not going to the party.
Why? Well I'll have to take Scooby with me and although he travels well he doesn't like staying away overnight. In fact he's ready to come home half an hour after we get there. It doesn't take long for him to stop eating properly. As most of his pills need food/are served with food, he needs to eat. Also the cost of petrol these days is getting silly. And K is sitting her first proper exam tomorrow and is quite likely to need lots of emotional support. A can do it but he's not as intuitive. So, my job is to be here.
Why? Well I'll have to take Scooby with me and although he travels well he doesn't like staying away overnight. In fact he's ready to come home half an hour after we get there. It doesn't take long for him to stop eating properly. As most of his pills need food/are served with food, he needs to eat. Also the cost of petrol these days is getting silly. And K is sitting her first proper exam tomorrow and is quite likely to need lots of emotional support. A can do it but he's not as intuitive. So, my job is to be here.
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