The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

savingqueen

Afternoon everyone,

AOT - hope your 1st day in your new voluntary role goes well.

FairyP, hope your headache has gone.

Princess - sorry to hear of your toothache and awful weekend. 3 weeks without medication is totally unacceptable. I went to pick up DH's prescription for painkillers one morning the other day to be told it wasn't ready as doc had been on holiday. By early afternoon receptionist had collared doc and got the prescription for me to collect.

To speak to you the way your GP did is again completely unacceptable, how DARE he speak to you like that. I am fuming on your behalf and if it were me I would report him (easier said than done though if you have depression or feel unwell I know)

Jem, good news about DS9's school place and well done kez's DS getting ready for school. Good luck to all the children and parents/carers with back to school/college/uni and auditions etc. Well done to the buyers and menders of school uniform and kit.

I have everything bought/revamped and washed and mostly labelled, some hemming done, rest will finish this week. Need to wipe out new lunch bags, clean DS6's school shoes and stick some protector on DS9's and mend the pockets on DS9's bag. Then other than baths for them later and sort out packed lunches ... we are done!

Had a nice couple of hours out this morning in town, lovely sunshine with a gentle breeze (my perfect weather ). Took boys in for "proper" hairstyles. I have been doing them myself for a long while now but felt both could do with a restyle, DS9 has thick wavy hair that was sticking out at the back (t'was not a good look) and DS6 has an akward to manage double crown. Found some hairstyles in old mags to show the barber and lo and behold they now sport the best haircuts they have ever had, look so different and even more handsome. I can't stop looking at them both! Also this was the first visit DS9 was as good as gold, they both were so treated them to a cake in the bakers.

Feeling a bit guilty I cancelled my friend's visit but since we got back, I feel really tired and yucky again and I want things to be calm and organised for school tomorrow as both prone to anxiety starting back.

DH informed me this morn that the kettle has packed up :eek:,
luckily I had a replacement ready and waiting. I bought one in a sale ages ago and hid it under the bed with a plethora of other stashed items. One less thing to clutter up the place .

sq:)

savingqueen

Fuddle, I can't use aerosol or plug-in type air freshners, make me sneeze and cough. Also don't like the idea of the chemicals. I have a natural one somebody bought me for a gift ages ago and it is running out.

I found this on-line and intend to try it when the current one is finished (need the empty spray bottle!) I love lavender so mine might be a lavender and something one.

Recipe for homemade natural air freshening spray:
3 cups of water
1 cup of vinegar
30 drops of pure essential oils

sq:)

alltrustgone

Had an email from My Supermarket this morning to say that they've added Aldi to their comparison site. Will be good to have Aldi prices readily available to compare with the big boys. Could get very interesting.

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/

ATG

notjustlaura

mardatha wrote: »

I need some advice please Toughies.
First - bread making. I have a Panny and a Cookworks breadmakers and neither of them turn out nice bread, they make lopsided bricks. We tried making it by hand and it was a symmetrical brick. Is there a foolproof amazingly good breadmaker on the market, does anybody know?

I'm on my second BM (wore the first one out!) and haven't had many disasters although the bread is heavier than shop-bought - I think that's just the nature of the beast. However, if you're looking for something dead easy why not try:

http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/07/02/airy-fairy-easy-peasy-soda-bread/

I made the garlic variant this afternoon while I was busy being p*ssed off and it couldn't be easier and is very, very tasty. In fact ... maybe one more slice?

FairyPrincessk

Headache has mostly gone, but not quite.

Princess, hugs. What an abominable way to be treated! Do report it. Might it also not be time to look into a different surgery? I know there is a website where you can find all of the surgeries in your local area and read reviews of them. When we chose our current one, we decided to go with one that was slightly further away because it had much better reviews. As someone who is very nervous about going to the GP it was important to me. Sorry, I can't remember the website.


Jem and Kez, good luck to the little ones at school!

Fuddle, I put a few drops of essential oil on our vac bag when i change it. Smells nice each time we vac, even when the bag has been in for several weeks. Not sure how this would work if your vac isn't a dinosaur and doesn't take bags:o I've also seen various recipes on pinterest for things you simmer on the hob...lemon, rosemary, vanilla seems to be one I remember. For christmas, maybe make pomanders with the girls? I made one last year and it really stunk up the whole room ( I'm not fond of cloves, no idea why I made it:rotfl:)

SQ, nice job on the packed up kettle! I always feel so smug when something like that happens and I'm able to whip out a new one!

Popperwell

I have two electric kettles in the cupboard and one that works on a cooker/camping stove...:rotfl:

Hard_Up_Hester

My previous Dr dismissed everything as down to me being too old and too fat, this included a perforated eardrum. Fortunately my new Dr is brilliant.
Hester

fuddle

Thank you for your feedback on the air freshening scents

Doctors have said pretty much the same thing to me when assessing depression - Do I work? Would I like to? Have I/do I have money troubles? etc etc but there's ways and means of discussing it and have never felt looked down on because of the answers. I wonder if the GP was going through the motions as he should but maybe didn't execute the words correctly. I feel for you. It is hard enough going into the room and talking about it without feeling anything extra.

Again I have to say that the magnesium and B-vitamins are keeping me in a good place. After all the positive results to our health over these last few months over supplements etc I'm convinced (not wholly - I needed the anti-d's a few years back and I'm very thankful I had them) that diet/deficiencies have an effect on our well being too.

Boo to the dud GP's of the world but a big up for all the brilliant ones. The pressure in correctly dealing with patients on not very much info must be awfully stressful.

Harry Potter and Spiderwick Chronicles books picked up at library for DD - bedtime reading. Computer chair here and pleased with it. About to cut out squares now

Survived the visit. It went 100% how I expected. I shut up, nodded and put up with everything - just got it over with. They've left and I'm fine. I did quote my signature at them at one point though. It needed saying. She's told me they can afford their mortgage up to 10% interest rate. She's sure it won't rise that high. I said nothing. I wanted to scream "but if you just got the 3 bedroomed smaller house that you need you could afford the rate rise of upto17%" but who am I eh?

Right, chair cover squares.

bunbun2

sorry i haven't been around for a while, been a bit down and not really had much to say.

I have read a bit and would like to send hugs to those who need them. princess that is awful treatment from the GP and I would definately complain

my OH's contract ended on 31 August but he cant sign up with the supply agencies till all is signed with the solicitors so that means no money:( things are very tense here at the moment.

my boys go back to school on Wednesday. i am having trouble finding white shirts in age 13-14. at this rate ds2 will have to wear last year's shirts until I can find some bigger ones. All I have bought is shirts and trousers and they are so expensive. I am not looking forward to them going back to school:(

Pinkdebster

Hi everyone

Again, another one who's had a rough few weeks and has laid low but have still kept up with all your news.

I had the Drs today for the results of all my blood tests and was told that, despite the tube feed, I am still suffering from malnutrition. My blood sugars are also all over the place and this together is why I am so tired.

We had a long chat about it all and his only advice was to kick up a fuss with the Hospital and dietician as he believes the tube feeds are not working well enough. However, he also added, (and you'll love this!!!) that he thinks my depression is related to my weight - I'm simply too thin!

His recommendation? Put on a stone and increase my BMI by 3 points and the depression will vanish. Now for someone who is tube fed, gaining weight is almost impossible. A stone would be like a normal person having to suddenly put on 20 stone! He just doesn't get it.

I'm sick of the whole da*n medical profession if I'm honest. One tells me one thing, another tells me another. And I definitely think they are too quick to throw a diagnosis of depression into the pot, whatever the circumstances are. I am not depressed - I'm just exhausted!!!

On a lighter note, I've finished my final essay for my current module and am now on official countdown to my holiday on Saturday.

Hugs to all xxx