Family Matters

[Cathy]

Not good Liz, hopefully the nurses and staff will have stories to inspire her to get up each day and walk.

[Tizer]

Sorry to hear that Liz, I hope she does the exercises. I should have mentioned earlier that Mrs Tiz's mum is now back in the nursing home in more peaceful and familiar surroundings.

[LizG]

Sorry to hear about your Mum Liz. How is your Dad coping with it all?

Dad seems to be OK at the moment, but really tired. He thought she would die during the operation and the relief is really obvious.

He's being sensible and managing visiting in short bursts; problem here is the cost of the parking. If he goes twice a day for about an hour per time it costs$15 a day. A lot per week out of the pension. We are driving him as often as possible but he still needs/wants to be independent.

We will have to make sure he paces himself because she'll be weeks in hospital and they've already said the next step is a rehabilitation hospital. Long haul ahead.

[Stanley]

Parking costs at hospitals are iniquitous. Same over here as well. They should all be free. They even charge the staff for parking as well!

[Tizer]

Our local, small community hospitals have free parking but the powers that be seem to want to close them down.

[Sue]

Claire had to rush little Erin to hospital last Thursday. She was very poorly. When Claire got to North Manchester hospital she had no money for parking. She just left her car and ran! I would have had do something to say if there had been repercussions regarding not paying!

[Stanley]

Most important, is Erin all right?

[Sue]

Erin has had the all clear and went back to nursery later this week. It was an acute viral Infection that blocked the bronchioles making it impossible for her to breathe. Oxygen levels fell and heart rate soared. It was a serious situation. She was put on a nebuliser twice and monitored daily at home by the children's community nurse. Thank you NHS who responded quickly and efficiently as well as maintaining care at home until the all clear on Monday afternoon.

[Stanley]

It tends to bring us arrogant humans down to size when we realise that a tiny thing like a rogue virus can overcome our defences. It reinforces my belief that the most effective way to health is to maintain our immune system by proper diet and a healthy life-style. After all, it's been in training for millennia learning how to deal with the little buggers! Glad Erin is OK.....

[Sue]

It's a killer for babies Stanley as they cannot breathe through their noses. The bronchioles become blocked with mucus . Adults can cough and clear the tubes more easily. Apparently most children have had the virus by the time they are three, 10 % end up hospitalised.

[Cathy]

Oh Sue so glad Erin is OK, what a frightening thing to happen for everyone.

[Sue]

Sorry should have said and at his Young age can't breathe through their mouthes. Also can't eat as can't breathe . They nearly put her on a drip to give her food.

[Stanley]

Nothing worse than not being able to draw breath easily. I remember once being on the verge of pneumonia and I was like that. Frightening even for an adult, must be far worse for a child.

[Sue]

Yes apparently it was a pneumonia type virus

[Stanley]

There's a one-time vaccination for us oldies, is it available for children as well?

[Tizer]

NHS web site:
Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?
There are three groups of people who need to be vaccinated against pneumococcal infections:
babies
people aged 65 and over
anyone between the ages of two and 65 with a long term health condition

Babies and the pneumococcal vaccine
Babies are routinely vaccinated with the a type of pneumo jab known as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) as part of their childhood vaccination programme. They have three injections usually given at:
two months old
four months old
13 months old
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinatio ... eeded.aspx

[Sue]

Erin will have had this vaccine.

She had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

[Stanley]

Just goes to show how clever the little buggers are!

[Tizer]

RSV is probably one of those infections that the drug companies consider to be too low on the radar to justify expending their money on research for a vaccine. Ebola was another one and look where we are now.

[Stanley]

I often think that if I knew what bugs I was exposed to and what I already had in my system I'd get the shock of my life! The immune system and the body's natural defences are still our best and safest defence....

[Sue]

You don't want to know about some of them, all those little nematode worms . yuk!

[Stanley]

I remember being told once that if you soak cod in salt water overnight the worms come out of it.... Never tried it because I like cod!

[Sue]

I remember being told that if you removed all the structures in the world they would still be there formed by nematode worms!

[Stanley]

I can remember having an episode of thread worms when I was very young and being fascinated by the fact they were living inside me. I was told that they were spread by picking my nose and scratching my bottom.... Scary stuff!

[Stanley]

My daughter Janet and her husband fly in for Xmas on December 15th. There will be a complete house inspection..... Should I put a clean shirt on and vacuum? The jury is out at the moment but daughter Susan in Earby thinks I should because if there are any shortcomings she will get the flak.....