MEDICAL MATTERS

[PanBiker]

We both slept a lot better last night and are feeling more or less back to normal.

[Stanley]

Good. Peter is right, be kind to yourselves and each other and take it easy. There can still be repercussions. My daughter Susan has proved that with her sarcoidosis. (The latest news on that is that it 'may' gradually recede over time but there is no effective treatment other than massive doses of steroids if it gets a lot worse. You don't want to get anywhere near that!)

[Tizer]

I've mentioned before that I have a cousin, in her 80s, whose daughter and her family live near us. She lived in her own flat and daughter provided for any of her needs. Then she she began to have some bouts of mental illness and had to move to an Extra Care Housing Scheme (`Self-contained accommodation which enable tenants to live independently, but with the security and peace of mind that there are staff available 24hrs a day in the event they are needed') and have carers coming in every day. Now the illness has progressed to the point where she has hallucinations (people standing in the corner of the room etc).

On Sunday her daughter told us the latest problem - the doctor says mum should go into hospital for observation but that's not as easy as it sounds. The care company won't let mum be taken without her own agreement even though daughter has power of attorney because they say mum still `has capacity' to make her own decisions'. Yet in practice she's not capable of making any decisions. Catch 22! We ran into problems like this with our own parents when they were in care. There are too many different `agencies' involved. The NHS, the care company, the local social services, the accommodation company etc and they seem to be incapable of communicating with each other were necessary.

There has been more stress for daughter because mum's flat has to be sold to pay for her care. It was put on the market a year ago, eventually got a buyer but that fell through because the buyer decided (late on in the process) that the leasehold was too short. Daughter paid to have it extended, which took time. Then there was a buyer but she pulled out too. She wanted to see a copy of the accounts of the leaseholder because the lease was bought out a few years ago by the residents (and she just happened to be a solicitor!). The leaseholder committee replied to say they don't keep accounts (can you believe that!). She dropped out and the flat went back on the market. I think there's another buyer now.

On top of all this another problem has arisen. Daughter has an older brother `up north' and he's suddenly decided to come down here and take mum back with him! Daughter can't get him to accept how serious mum's condition is and that his action would cause her distress. We await further news.

[plaques]

Stanley has mentioned many time the dire position that the NHS is in as a result of underfunding I think this Link sys it all. Its all summed up in this chart.

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NHS Spending. 1 .jpg

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Ken, never seen it laid out so clearly. What an indictment of Cameron, Osborne and Austerity. Grounds for prosecution I reckon....
Pater I recognise the element in your story about the flat, the leasehold and the difficulties that can cause. We are in the middle (or perhaps near the end now.) of just such a process in regards to my brother's flat. Would you believe the London solicitors came up with a 90 year increase of the lease for £xthousand and our trustee (who is brilliant) got an offer from the leaseholder of a 900 year extension for half the price.... Jarndyce and Jarndyce has nothing on these sharks!
That's my main reason for staying alive. If I die the legacy dies with me even though I have added a deed of variation to the will and the money goes straight to my daughters. There are some callous buggers out there....

[PanBiker]

I reckon that chart should be shown on every publicly available display board until folk get the message.

[PanBiker]

We have both come down with one of the heavy cold variants. Sally has a hacking cough and mine is more of an occasional involuntary wheezy type. We both did Lateral Flow tests yesterday which came out negative so that's a bonus.

I have sent our apologies for the all members meeting of the CLP tonight which we would normally attend. We have also cancelled a planned games night tomorrow night with a couple of bubble friends, wouldn't want to pass this on.

[Stanley]

Hard luck both of you.... You do right, stay at home and eat good grub!
Remember what your mother said.... "Feed a cold and starve a fever".

[Stanley]

See THIS article setting out some of the statistics behind the current move in the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade which was the ruling that allowed abortion in America.

[Tizer]

`Trigger of rare blood clots with AstraZeneca jab found by scientists' LINK
An important point made in this article: A spokeswoman for AstraZeneca stressed that clots were more likely to occur because of a Covid infection than the vaccine...

[Tripps]

A spokeswoman for AstraZeneca stressed

Forgive a touch of doubt here - I really don't know what is actually the truth, but - the AZ 'vaccine' is no longer being used at all in this country despite it being easier to manage and cheaper. AZ ultra rare side effect

"AstraZeneca scientists also took part in the research".

The words and the actions don't quite seem to match.

[Stanley]

Funny you should say that David but I get the impression that AZ is only being used as an El Cheapo that doesn't need anything beyond normal refrigeration and is therefore being used in the 'Third World'. (What a horrible phrase that is....)
"A spokesperson for the company told the BBC: “Although the research is not definitive, it offers interesting insights and AstraZeneca is exploring ways to leverage these findings as part of our efforts to remove this extremely rare side effect.”"
Is that management speak for 'we have sod all of interest to say'?

[Stanley]

I heard Jeremy Hunt calling for an investigation into the funding models used bye hedge fund owners of social care homes who make sure that profits from the operation are soaked up in excessive interest charges on large loans, the payment of the interest going overseas. This is the same model used by many foreign owners of British businesses and yes it need investigating as it is a way of making the businesses 'Tax efficient'.

[Big Kev]

I reckon this should be in the Shed Matters thread really as it was pretty much designed and put together in one
https://www.freethink.com/health/this-a ... diyscience

[Whyperion]

I reckon this should be in the Shed Matters thread really as it was pretty much designed and put together in one
https://www.freethink.com/health/this-a ... diyscience

I await Stanley's next project

[Big Kev]

I reckon this should be in the Shed Matters thread really as it was pretty much designed and put together in one
https://www.freethink.com/health/this-a ... diyscience

I await Stanley's next project

[Stanley]

A bit beyond my plumbing skills lads!

[Cathy]

I have been laid low for a few days, hopefully it’s just the flu (have felt shocking).
Tomorrow I will get my doctor on the phone to refer me for an at-home Covid test.

[Stanley]

Whatever, as long as you are getting over it Cathy. Lots to be said actually for having a mild case of Covid.....
Look after yourself.

[Wendyf]

Hope you feel better soon Cathy.

[Big Kev]

Get well soon Cathy.

[Tizer]

Cathy, can you get free covid lateral flow tests from the chemist's shop like we can here? I hope you're beginning to feel better!

[PanBiker]

All the best Cathy for a speedy recovery whatever it is.

[Cathy]

Thank you all for your concern.
Home testing kits , to my knowledge No.
Some interstates might. I did scroll a gov. health site for here, then asked the question and was told ‘no results found’. But cases are rising quickly here after the borders were re-opened, a few weeks ago. God help us by the end of January, I predict a Lock-Down.
I imagine we (SA) will hear about them soon.

I can actually swallow today... yippee

[Stanley]

Sounds as though you are mending a little Cathy. Good! Throats love gargling with salt water.... but you knew that didn't you.