MEDICAL MATTERS

[Moh]

At least it made me laugh - maybe I should try it!!

[Stanley]

Moh, laughing is so good for you! Do you remember the cancer therapy that included laughter as one of the treatments? They recorded some very impressive results. I suppose it's something to do with a positive attitude because you can't laugh if you're feeling negative. Dave Allen videos for your leg?

[Stanley]

They may be right about novovirus, amazing how many people I know who have had it. I am relying on my regime of bleach, clean towels and dish cloths and the antibodies I carry from the time 56 years ago when I survived botulism.....

[EileenDavid]

Not seen anything of our neighbours for a couple of days. Had a phone call to say they think one of them has Novovirus so they were keeping away. Eileen

[Stanley]

How sensible!

[Marilyn]

I haven't been at all well these past few days...swollen glands in my neck that are so painful I can't get my head off the pillow to sit up in the mornings. Aches and pains in my spine and kidney area. Shooting pains in my legs, plus terribly sore knee joints and toe joints. Think I am over the worst of it now as I am able to lengthen the time between doses of paracetamol. Sweated buckets last night. Bed and pillows were wet through. Don't know what it was but BOY it has been nasty.
( I have this theory that children are germ factories and I'm sure I picked it up when hubby dragged me shopping to a crowded mall before Christmas. School holidays I generally avoid such places as shopping malls and cinemas.)

I await Febby coming down with it. I haven't been 'allowed' to stop and feel sorry for myself and I am determined that be reciprocated if he falls victim to it!

[Stanley]

Sounds very much like old-fashioned flu Maz. Be kind to yourself and Febby if he gets it. It can be dangerous if you don't look after yourself.

[Marilyn]

The headache that has accompanied all this has been a beast too...I keep examining my extremities for purple spots in case it is meningococcal.

No...blow him, Stanley. If he gets crook he can keep going. I can't count the number of times he has seen me have trouble walking these past few days and he says 'are you still crook?'. Yesterday, my hands were so sore I couldn't get the screw top lid off my water bottle!

[EileenDavid]

Maz sorry to hear you are ill. I am with you my old mam used to say if a woman was up and walking men folk never thought there was anything wrong with them but Man Flu that is so serious, having said that Dave I must admit is good in that field it's me thats short on patience. Eileen

[Marilyn]

Oh yes, Eileen, "man flu"....terribly serious. ( wouldn't mind swapping this for Man Flu!)

My hubby has many strong points. Accepting illness in his wife is not one of them. Luckily he has never experienced me suffering anything serious. He was hopeless when I broke my arm in four places a few years back. I have been secretly wishing him a similar injury ( oh aren't I awful?) , but it hasn't happened. I will do what he did and park about a mile from the Emergency department and make him walk to treatment. I shall enjoy making fun of all the agonising noises he may make along the way, just as he did with me.

A small flaw though. He is otherwise perfect...

[Moh]

Poor Maz - definitely sounds like 'flu.

[Tizer]

You have my sympathy Maz, I got a nasty sore throat in the middle of last week and then on Monday started sneezing and it just went downhill from there. Not bad enough to be flu but it stopped me decorating the house (paint, not Xmas trimmings) and my head was throbbing. Probably got it from the builders who had been working in our house. Mrs Tiz has managed to avoid it - fingers crossed she stays that way.

The claimed difference between the response of men and women to infections such as flu is interesting. Some say it's because women evolved to be more resilient because they have to care for the young. That may be so but another possibility is that men evolved to be more incapacitated by infection so it would stop them going out to kill mammoths while they were functioning below par (and would have been more likely to get eaten than to have killed the mammoth)!

[Marilyn]

I acknowledge those differences regarding the killing of the mammoths, Tiz.
And I do truly appreciate the huge hairy beasts being laid, trophy-like, at my feet week after week.
But men have to realise that their women are not always up to skinning, gutting, carving and cooking the mammoths, or clearing up after the feast and wrapping the remains in cling film to pop it in the fridge!

Had a better night's sleep, so hopefully now on the mend...though I pray the master doesn't go hunting today and is happy to eat the scraps I sweep from the floor of our cave.
It wouldn't hurt for him to rinse his own loin cloths for a day or two either...

[Cathy]

Marilyn maybe you could get him to stay home and sharpen a few spear heads, then when he irritates or frustrates you, you would have something to use against him (

[Marilyn]

Do you think it is wise to let him handle sharp objects?

[Marilyn]

Still fighting this bug.
Glands still throbbing. Yesterday my left ankle and left hand were swollen and painful, today it is my right knee.
Feel a bit better in myself, but would be happier if the glands in the neck would go down because they are extremely tender.

But I am sure I will live. Unfortunately, Febby shows no signs of succumbing. That is probably a good thing, as I don't really fancy driving the tin tent home tomorrow.

[Tizer]

...I don't really fancy driving the tin tent home tomorrow.

Have I missed something here (not unusual)? Are you having to live in the tin tent as well as suffering all these aches and pains?

[Tardis]

‘But the earlier version’s most controversial privatisation proposal concerned the health service: “It is therefore worth considering aiming over a period to end the state provision of healthcare for the bulk of the population, so that medical facilities would be privately owned and run, and those seeking healthcare would be required to pay for it.

‘”Those who could not afford to pay would then have their charges met by the state, via some form of rebating or reimbursement.”

‘The only exceptions might be the long-term institutional care of the “mentally handicapped, elderly” who “clearly could not afford to pay’

worth noting here is just what is still covered; the proposal is clear that the state will still pick up for the tab for those who can’t afford to pay. Those who could afford to pay would be doing so not through taxation but from their own income, presumably via various insurance schemes

[Tripps]

I thought I was the latest Norovirus victim this morning. Nausea, and giddiness on wakening. Still managed to get the PC on, and catch up with the overnight wisdom on here though. Felt like I might be the next in line for the Obituary thread. Pleased to say now though, that I think I will survive.

[Marilyn]

We hope you survive, Trippy. ( maybe you were just 'tripping out'?) Maybe you have a problem in your ears..

Tiz...yes...have been on a five day, 1,300km trek in the van. Have just arrived home ( I love going away but love coming home too).
I was crook before we went, and still am. Can't wait to sleep in my proper bed tonight. The van is very comfy, but there is nothing like the extra space at home.
I think I have soldiered on rather valiantly...have even managed several bike rides whilst away. The master cannot complain I mooched about and spoiled the trip.

Might mooch a bit now though!

[Stanley]

That was puzzling me as well but I thought I'd better keep quiet!

[Marilyn]

You should have said something....

[Tizer]

Onwards and upwards Tripps, we much prefer you here than in the Obituary thread! There seem to be many people suffering colds, sore throats and coughs at the moment. When I took my dad to see his GP we had to sit in a corner of the surgery as far away as possible from all the other folk who were coughing and spluttering - you go to the doc with one ailment and are likely to come away with another one!

[Stanley]

Lots to be said for the solitary life! Mind you, according to some sources dogs are walking sources of human ailments. Can't say I have ever noticed it. Jack and I are probably used to each other's germs.

[EileenDavid]

Touch wood kept colds at bay. Back to the hospital tomorrow for a check on the eye to see if I need more surgery. Apparantly the surgery I had for the torn retina can cause cataracts. Watch this space. Eileen