It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

[Deleted User]

have a look at the inside of your lower eyelid first Jilld. They should be bright pink and if pale then see a doctor as anaemia can be caused by an inbalance of B vitamins not just iron

marybishop

JillD wrote: »

Bella and ceridwen. thanks so much for your replies.

I'll try really hard to take one day and one step at a time.
I have felt really run down and ill - cough, sore throat, generally shattered - for 6 weeks now. I've made a GP appointment for Thursday to see if there is anything else wrong, a bit anaemic or something. If they say there is nothing they can do I think I will cry!!!! But am feeling pleased that I made the appointment anyway.

JillD - you sound like me 16 years ago after having twins! Seven years down the line of sore throats, feeling tired all the time, low mood, IBS, etc, etc, I was finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (I could have told them that!). Try to take things a little easier (easy to say I know) and if you need to rest then do so. My mum swore by Metatone (with iron) after being very poorly but obviously see your GP and see what he/she has to say. Good luck.

Rummer

The chat in work today was all about grocery spending and I was surprised at how much people were spending every week! All my time spent on here gathering and implementing advice has clearly worked well as I spend far less than half the amount most of the other people were spending! Now I need to tighten the belt even more so that I can clear my debt and start saving. Thank you all for your fabulous advice!

mardatha

Kittie, keeping the shields up is a must - its easy to get pulled down by watching too much news. Once a week or more often if I'm not good , I switch my head off and do some cloud watching & listen to the birds. You can get overdose on reality eh !

Patchwork_Quilt

Sometimes, it can be easier to listen to the news. I make myself put it on in the car whilst I travel to work - but that's only three days a week. The rest of the time, I'm in my own little bubble

ceridwen

Personally - I do listen to/watch what is happening around me - as I feel that with knowledge comes power - ie as much power over my own life as I can manage. I find it helps at a practical level to ensure that I organise my life to be as protected as possible from the "fallout" of whats happening because of so-called experts on the one hand and the just plain "Greedy Guts" people on the other hand. But thats my temperament - I've always been inclined to say "prove it!" whenever someone has made out that they are better-informed/more intelligent/more "powerful" than me - a bit of cynicism that serves me well methinks:D

Not much chance of me "living in my own bubble" - it would get punctured at regular intervals because of my involvement in the Transition Town Movement - being just one of the many thousands of people who are now saying "WE are going to see for ourselves and decide for ourselves how our future will be - we're getting ready to adapt - and not just survive but thrive". To me - it helps to feel that I am taking some control over my own life - rather than just passively sitting back and waiting to see what comes my way...and gives me hope that there are a lot of likeminded people out there also determined that WE will run our own lives - and not those who have so patently proved incapable of it.

But I do take mini-breaks for a bit of getting out into Nature and my music is a regular mainstay of my "personal support system".

[Deleted User]

the news on 1 is on now and we watch the news at 6 and that is it for the day. The 7 am news goes round and round in a loop and must get ingrained in a lot of people. I wonder how many are having sleepless nights since the doom and gloom started as it is being constantly rubbed in?

re power: I feel that we have micro power ie re some things around us. We can shut ourselves off provided we pay our essential bills. The main feeling over the past 3 years is that we are being swept along and that alone brings a feeling of powerlessness to many. I personally feel as though my roots (feet) are well grounded but my body (stem) and psyche have been blown backwards and forwards by a massive wind. I am still intact but little bits (branches and twigs) have been blown away and hence my going back a step to a simpler life

We all hate the fact that evil seems to triumph and brings its own reward, while those of us who try to do good and be good, are struggling to stay above the parapet. I hang onto the fact that I believe karma will prevail

madame_cholet

Hi everyone - I've been a lurker for some time, but what Ceridwen said has encourgaed me to contribute. I'm convinced that the only way out of the mess that we all seem to be in at the moment (credit, environment, political apathy) is through local likeminded groups doing what they think is right. Taking responsibility for themselves and doing their own positive thing. We're well ahead of the politicians on this one!

JillD_2

Just a quick update to say I've been to the doctor, she thinks I might have a sinus infection that is causing them to go into mucus overproduction which is then trickling down my throat (nice) giving me the cough and sore throat. it kind of makes sens as I have had a lot of headaches and a couple of days with sinus type pain that I had forgotten about ..... Anyway she has prescribed me an antibiotic and a nasal spray thing. She also wants me to have a blood test next week for thyroid and iron levels, and then she wants to see me back in two weeks. She was really sympathetic and seems to really want to help me start feeling brighter. I am so glad I went.

I cant quite remember how I came to be posting all this on here but thankyou all for listening!

Money wise we are going to be okay this month mainly thanks to the grocery challenge. I really thought after doing a downshift challenge a couple of years ago that I couldnt reduce the food bill any more, but having really focused on it this month I've realised I had been buying far too much and had upshifted (as it were) on quite a lot of things.
So now I am being much more strict and am buying alot more Smart Price stuff again which is saving me a fortune. My new favourite meal is smart price noodles (10p!!!) with a handful of smart Price frsh stir fry mix (which I freeze and use straight from the freezer, massive bag is 98p and does us about 8 noodle meals. And I got 2 bags today at 68p each!) Lunch for 20p - bargain.
I've also been a bit more cautious with the amount of cereal and milk I was giving the kids - half of it seemed to end up in the bin so I have been giving them less and then they can have a little more if they finish it. I'm amazed how much less milk we seem to get through, never thought this would make a difference.

I've been really strict with myself on use of the mobile and havent topped up all month. In Feb I bought a texts extra 150 texts for £8 ie 5p each or thereabouts, and I was so good not using them that they expired :mad::mad: How annoying. But in the long run I've seen I dont have to text as much.

Now its coming into brighter weather we are planning lots of picnics and nice days out. We have lots of parks nearby and we have National Trust membership (Xmas pressie from Mum and Dad - fantastic gift - about £80 for the whole family for the year, highly recommend it).

Thats about it for me today. I need to get a load of surface level housework done in the next 45 minutes, got a load of friends (antenatal group from first time round 6 years ago !!!!!) coming round after school and the house is a tip!!!

kidcat

JillD good to hear you had a good visirt with your doctor, half the battle is finding a doctor that listens and is sympathetic,
Well done on cutting your spending I always feel really good after I have saved money, theres a pride thing I have going now. We also have a National Trust member card and its great, havent used much in last few months but now the eves are getting lighter I enjoy a short trip after school with the kids to one of the localish trust houses and grounds.