Weird...But In A Good Way » Health

Merry Christmas

Steph — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:56:26 +0000

Maybe you are my friend, or maybe we’ve never met before.
Maybe we speak to each other daily, or maybe we’ve never so much as passed on the street.
Maybe I know you virtually in my on-line world of Twitter, of flickr, of moblog or facebook.
Maybe I know you in the real world and every so often we’ll see each other in the pub or you come to my house and we laugh and joke the night away…
…but but however we may, or may not, know each other friend, family, acquaintance or stranger may I wish you the best for this festive season and a very prosperous new year…..

Merry Christmas.
Steph
xxx

#welovethenhs

Steph — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:52:24 +0000

The #welovethenhs twitter hashtag was started to help defend the National Health Service from attacks that are being launched on it by some of the opposition in the USA. President Obama has made health care reform a hot topic in the states by trying to approach the subject of re-balancing the inequalities they have there, mainly a health care system which penalises the most needy and rewards the most privileged.

Personally, I have many reasons to moan about the NHS, but I also have many reasons that make me thankful for them, So when people start debating their own flawed medical systems by jumping all over our established system they have, in all likeliness, no first hand experience of so cannot put forward a balanced debate, then I feel compelled to defend.

In the US without decent health insurance (and in some cases with it) if I were in an accident or if I, or TBK fell ill. I would have to choose my/his/our treatment based on what I could afford, not on what would be best for us. At least with the NHS our options are sorted, I wouldn’t have to choose between paying for mine or TBK health care if I couldn’t afford both. I don’t have to worry about any unforeseen accidents or illnesses, I know that if and when we fall ill or accidents happen we would be dealt with in a fair, non for profit system.

Now I know the NHS isn’t perfect, the waiting list for basic medical care (I’m thinking about my 6 months wait for physiotherapy here) for example is atrocious, I know it has boundaries, we’ve read enough negative headlines about post code lotteries and NICE withholding medicines because of costs to know it’s not perfect but it’s what we have and in my opinion it’s a whole lot better than the alternatives.

For every 2 or 3 horror stories you hear there are 2 – 3 HUNDRED maybe THOUSAND successes. It was NHS surgeons who operated on both my mother and grandmother who without surgery would have both succumbed to different forms of cancer long ago. When I was younger and had to have operations to correct my sight, it was NHS surgeons who treated me and made sure that I can see well enough to be sitting here writing this blog today and when I was in labour with TBK and he was lying the wrong way around, stuck and going nowhere fast it was the NHS midwives and doctors who helped me deliver him with not a second glance towards my paperwork to check which painkillers my policies covered.

The US is a deeply divided nation on health as in many other policy areas – it is simultaneously home to some of the planet’s best hospitals, the best research in medical advances and the best healthcare practioners – and also home to some of the worst poverty and barriers to healthcare, the worst developed-world child mortality rates.

Alex Foster , LDV

I know people personally who will argue back at me that our system is flawed, and from their experience they think the whole system needs to be altered, but to them I say this;

Fall down the stairs, be hit by a car, suffer a brain hemorrhage, develop cancer, suffer from MS, ME, asthma, eczema, give birth, twist your ankle, be the wealthiest or the neediest person in the UK, it doesn’t matter because when you need it the NHS will be there. You will be treated the same as the next person regardless of your economic standing, and you will be treated for free, So UK doubters and the US critics, give the NHS a break no system is perfect and where ever there is something to be paid for there will be restrictions but if it wasn’t for the NHS and what they do, I along with countless others wouldn’t be here today.

Education….Education…Education….

Steph — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:30:46 +0000

I’m going on Holiday in October Term time AND taking my 9 year old son with me. I take him out of school every year for a holiday and for other activity days, as was agreed with his school that I be allowed to do so in advance of enrolling him.

Flexi Schooling is the correct term for it.

I take my responsibility as a parent very seriously and TBK consistently scores in the top percentile in his class and receives glowing praise every year from his teachers, he has friends in school who come home to play (please read create havoc), and is fully integrated into society, he is bright and articulate, and as bias as I may be as his mother I do have the school reports to back this up, His education and social skills are not suffering because of it, if anything they are prospering.

YET the local paper is yet again reporting on an increase of “Truancy Fines” and while the article itself didn’t really rub me up the wrong way. As, I will never have to pay a truancy fine for my son as we’ve the proper protocol in place for our educational choices, But taking out holiday leave from the debate, it still leaves the question unanswered of WHY these young people feel the need to play truant in the first place?*, What really wound me up was the ignorance of some of the commentators who posted both before and after me.

These trips or in some peoples eyes “absenses” provide an education kids just can’t get when in school and also teaching shouldn’t just happen, and in our life DOESN’T, just happen from 9am – 3pm in the classroom!

On our holiday, just like last year, we will be teaching TBK Maths (currency conversion), Geography (he knows where we are going and surrounding countries) History, (we often like to visit cultural and historical monuments while away and actively encourage TBK to involve himself in the culture). R.E. (Turkey (this years destination) is a predominantly a Muslim country) and much more, all on a one to one basis for periods of time he would never get in the classroom.

Previously he’s also been out of school to have the opportunity to attend HESFES, (the home educators seaside festival) where he has taken part in wood work and metal work excersizes, fabric painting and labyrinth building amongst other things, using skills he’d have never developed sat behind a desk.

We’ve taken him out of school to have a hands on learning experience as a zoo keeper for the day. He’s had time off to go to an archery day, and to attend other exhibitions and events. Once, when he was in reception class, I even kept him off school on a Monday JUST so he could have a day off, As over the weekend he had participated in clay building with us, visited a monkey sanctuary, spent an afternoon playing drums and for a child of only 6 this was a lot, he needed the rest!

So how about we stop stereotyping parents who take their kids out of the classroom for any period of time as losers (as one commentator metioned) or selfish (as another did) and look at the beneifts these extra curricular activities can and do provide!

The real time and effort should be concentrated on dealing with the parents who’s children aren’t getting any education through truancy because the parents just don’t care!

* Yes I played truant as a teen, and I was duely punished for it by my mother, But I know why I did it. I hated my English teacher and she hated me, proven fact as she marked all my work down and told me , and my mom, I woudln’t get higher than a D, myc oursework was sent to the invigulator and came back marked higher and I left school with a B (lit) and a C(lan) Take that Mrs Smith!

Maybe if I’d have been listened to as a teen and moved to another class I’d have attended those sessions I missed and maybe that tis the answer now, listening to what our young people want!

Sausage Lips.

Steph — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:42:25 +0000

For the last week or so I’ve been battling a cold which at 4:30am Tuesday morning it finally broke. I know it was 4:30 as that was the time the clock told me it was when I woke up unable to breathe through my nose, a pounding headache due to the blocked sinuses and shivering.

A duvet day was in order. A day off work recovering. A day on the sofa with nothing but a cup of tea in one hand and medicine within easy reach…

No such luck!

Tuesday was the day I had booked off work to take TBK to his zoo keeper experience over at Dudley Zoo (post with pictures to follow).

So diligently, like every good (yet reluctant) parent would, I lay awake unil 7:30am, when I dragged my sorry ass out of bed to wrap myself up, grab my camera and haul myself into Dudley and around the zoo.

We had a lovely day, but we got caught in multiple showers and by the time we got home I was exhausted, I knew there was no way I was going anywhere for the next 24 hours at least, the cold coupled with a day in the rain had taken me with a left hook and knocked me off my feet.

I spent the next morning in bed recovering and come dinner time felt well enough to venture down stairs, I spent a hour or so at my computer before heading with with my blanket to the sofa, where I fell asleep.

I awoke a few hours later and immediately knew something was wrong, My mouth felt fuzzy and my lips were stuck together and hurt, my nose was still blocked and I was having difficulty breathing. I went to the mirror I was confronted with something that looked like this….

This photo was taken 24 hours after my “outbreak” so the rawness had gone out of it and some of the localised swelling has gone down.

My bottom lip had swollen to nearly twice it’s normal size and all over the centre of the lip were lots of pin head size ulcers that had merged into one giant mass, and was so painful I can not describe!

A quick query with NHS direct and I discovered that this particular complaint was “Herpetiform Ulcers” my immune system had taken a knock and this was the result. Swelling, Pain and the sexiest smile in the world. Nice isn’t it? And the only thing I can do is treat it with Bongela, wear a paper bag over my head when leaving the house and rest up to give my immune system chance to recover.

One the plus side though, Who needs collogen? Leslie Ash paid good money to get a look like this and I got it completely free!

A thank you

Steph — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:39:12 +0000

To the girl on the top deck of the 559 bus travelling from Wolverhampton towards Wednesfield at approximately 5:30pm last night.

I was the girl sitting in front of you wearing the black coat. You were the girl sitting behind me in the atrocious yellow jumper, purple skirt and black tight combination, complaining like an ungrateful bitch to the long suffering friend on the other end of your phone call, that “like my mom and Dad have only got me a laptop for Christmas yeah, and I like sooo wanted a laptop last year but not now!!” and coughing every two minutes without a thought of placing at the very least your hand in front of you hole you were hacking out of.

Thank you,

Thank you for coughing down the back of my neck and sharing your germs. I really loved waking this morning with the start of a cough of my very own and a heavy head, It was so much fun to know that this festive season people were so into the whole sharing thing they’ve extended it to strangers on buses even if it wasn’t required or even really wanted.

I’m going to really enjoy spending the first Christmas in 5 years I’ll actually be at home with my son instead of stuck in work, feeling like shit, wrapped up with an hot water bottle and having to watch the festivities go on around me as the flu you shared has sapped me of all energy. Thanks a whole lot!

To anyone who knows this caring sharing person, The one with an annoying habit of holding conversations at the phone at the top of her voice over the phone while on the bus, please pass on my gratitude, and if you know her parents may I suggest that you go and offer them an alternative to the laptop they were going to buy for her that she blatantly isn’t bothered about getting …

…ask them to buy her some fucking tissues!!

Make a Promise : Deliver a Dream

Steph — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:54:22 +0000

If someone offered you £4022 ($6000) worth of computer equipment what would you do with it? That’s what HP are offering, in conjunction with 50 bloggers from across the world in their Magic giveaway.

Each blogger has been given $6000 (£4022) worth of HP equipment and they get to give it away to whomever they choose, and they get to set their own rules!

I first read about it over on Moosh in Indy who’s only stipulation to enter is “you have to share” and have since then been thinking what would I do with it? What would I do with all that “stuff”? Could I be selfless enough to give it all away, keeping nothing for myself?

As much as I’d like to think I could in this particular instance I know I couldn’t, I mean, Hey, how could I give the HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One printer away after I’ve been coveting a new photo printer for months and then of course the HP 564 Photo Value Pack would have to stay with it.

Naturally I’d have to have something to process all those lovely photos on as my my desktop just about crashes every time I turn it on hanging 9 times out of 10 on the start up screen until I hit restart and begin all over again. Once it’s switched on it screams blue murder if I open anything intensive i.e photoshop and if I try to do something clever like, oh I dont know check my email and open a word document at the same time the computer says no and the whole thing freezes, so that’s why I’d keep this for myself too. The HP TouchSmart IQ816 PC.

But then what would I do with the rest of the booty? The HP HDX 18 series Premium Notebook PC, The • HP MediaSmart Connect, and the HP Pavilion dv4 series Entertainment Notebook PC (with Windows Live) oh and not forgetting the HP Mini 1000 (with XP) all loaded with either Windows Vista or XP depending on their spec.

Who would be deserving of it? Who would make the most of it? Was there anyone person that would benefit more than anyone else? Could I get away with keeping it all myself (only kidding as tempting as it may be).

I work for a non for profit organisation, could they make use of it?

I used to work for a Youth Club could they use?

My family and friends would they want it?

Of course they all would but none of these people NEEDED it. Work has, as hard as it is to come by sometimes, funding from different arts councils and organisations for IT equipment relevant to the different projects we run. The youth club has a computer suite for the young people to use, they may WANT upgrades but they don’t NEED them. Then my family and friends who I’m sure would all love me if I started handing out computers like Santa does presents at Christmas don’t really need them either, they’ve all in some capacity have computers which are fit for purpose.

So I thought further, what would do if I received all that beautiful booty? I couldn’t decide and as the spirit of the giveaway was to share i thought about not entering.

Then I remembered, It IS nearly Christmas and the season of goodwill to all men and lets face it is all about the children. What if I could help children who really deserved the help and put a smile on someone face, someone who is facing hard times that I can only imagine as an adult, let alone face them as a child. And then I realised the answer was with me all along….

Promise Dreams, This local charity launched in 2001. They “raise money for children who are seriously or terminally ill and provide treatment, help and support for both them and their families. Whether the child would like a holiday, a toy, medical treatment or equipment, or even the chance to meet their favourite celebrity, Promise Dreams is dedicated and committed to help.”

The charity is run by 4 people in an office in Wolverhampton town centre and rely soley on fund raising and donations to help make these children’s worlds a nicer place. They hold events in the building I work in, so I have seen how much work they do and one of my friends sisters received a new motorized wheelchair through them so I’ve seen first hand what a difference it makes to the people they help.

Thats who the rest of the booty could go to, Someone I think truly deserving.

So now I’m cutting it fine, I have no idea when the deadline is in relation to where I am in the world, I just know its in the next day or two so I’m rushing to finish this post and get it in one time. Maybe It’ll be me that’s picked, maybe it wont but at least I tried!!

Not on a “school” night!

Steph — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:34:41 +0000

I am the April fool.

I wasn’t tricked into believing the ipod mind control accessory actually existed or that Google and Virgin were to join forces and launch “Virgle” and start a “permanent human colony” on Mars. I didn’t believe it when I heard that that to try and increase the popularity of greyhound racing there was to be a trail run of “Dog Racing On Ice” or that there is a new breed of penguins that can actually fly – (actually I was momentarily taken in by that one, the “footage” the BBC had was AWESOME – the wonders of C.G.I but that isn’t why I am the fool.)

I am the worst kind of fool – I should know better and I know I’m old enough to look after myself. I ask for no sympathy but please also don’t judge me I am already in a place of self inflicted purgatory. I feel terrible, my head is fuzzy and I’m tired no not just tired exhausted and it is all my own fault.

I think I did myself the worst kind of damage last night. I attempting to fit myself nicely into the Guiness Book of records, Right into section for idiotic people, somewhere in between the the women who thought it would be a good idea to live in a staple diet of salmonella and the man who juggles hand grenades.

My record attempt was to drink my body weight in vodka.

Ok so that maybe a small lie, just a little exaggeration, I didn’t drink THAT much. I did however drink enough to stumble home at a little before 2am wearing a manic grin that only a person who’s blood alcohol level is actually greater than their red cell count could sport and tell the long suffering James (who in all his brilliance had the foresight to wait up for me as I’d forgotten my keys – again) just how wonderful my night had been (I’d gone out with a school friend I hadn’t seen for the last 12 years) three times over!!

I woke this morning after just under 5 hours sleep feeling surprisingly sprightly. When I sat up and the room didn’t spin I thought I’d got away with it, and when I went to the bathroom and the pain I was expecting to find in there (and have found on other unfortunate mornings) with the bright morning light reflected and amplified by the white walls didn’t materialise I knew I got away with it.

How easily fooled I am.

I bent over to brush my teeth and right there with water swirling before my eyes a foamy mouth and minty fresh breathe it hit me, yup I felt fine, yes there was definitely no hangover, BUT (and there was going to be a but wasn’t there) it is actually quite hard to feel the effects of a hangover while you’re still pissed!!

I did the only thing I could in situations like that I went and collapsed back into bed where I tried to map out my day in the least painful way as possible to aide my sobering up/recovery process

It didn’t take me long to figure not only could I not spend the day in bed wrapped in the comfort of my duvet as I’d have liked, I’d made arrangements to go into Birmingham with the blonde kid and “Nanny Lesley” to see Deep Sea 3D at the Imax, which can be motion sickness inducing at the best of times but was going to be so much worse in my current “state”.

It never even crossed my mind to cancel, they weren’t going to miss out because I have no self control. So I went and I spent my day circumnavigating the hubbub of New Street station and Birmingham City centre and generally having as much fun as you can while waiting for the tipsy light-headedness to wear off and the sick queasiness to begin.

I’ve been lucky despite nearly falling to sleep in the cinema (twice), and the nauseating sweet smell of whatever tooth rotting bag of sugar Jordan had bought while we were in Selfridges wafting across to me periodically I lasted until I returned home again until the “I want to be sick and then curl up and sleep forever” feeling kicked in.

At points this evening the immortal words of many a recovered alcoholic have threatened to pass my lips “Never again!” but I know I’d be fooling no one but myself with false promises . I KNOW have no one to blame but myself so as I sit here pouring self pitying drivel in the keyboard I ask for nothing but maybe a wry smile as I know you’ve all been here, maybe a kind offer to hold back my hair should the sickly feeling progress into something much worse and for someone to pass me a dictionary.

I’m going to bed just as soon as I’ve looked up the meaning of “Moderation”