The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

moneyistooshorttomention

Quick google later - ah - pertussis = whooping cough and duly in the entry saying "highly contagious".

I can sympathise there with both sides - the intention not to have one's own child vaccinated (to protect them from possible side-effects) and, at the same time, the wish for other people to have their child vaccinated. That phrase "Between the devil and the deep blue sea" coming to mind and I'll admit that, if I were a parent there, mine probably wouldnt be done and I would be keeping quiet about it.

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

I won't get into it about vaccines and mammograms except to say that it is wonderful that we can prevent so many deaths, that it is tragic that so much misinformation has resulted in people rejecting these options. I do agree that if men had to go for smear tests and mammograms they would definitely have thought up a different means of doing it by now. I'm not a fan of them (I often pass out), but it took years of campaigning to get smear tests for women and prior to that cervical cancer was far more prevalent and deadly. Mammograms aren't perfect, but they are the best we've got for now. Not only that, but having lived without healthcare at one point in my life and for a very long time in several countries where many, many people didn't have access to it I know what a privilege it is not to have to worry about if I can attend screening checks. I have also lived in a place where it was routine to continue testing for things until they found something wrong with you because it was great for profits and that model is also terrible. Here? I turn up when invited for things, bring a coke if I think I might faint, and then try to do something indulgent afterwards.

NurseMaggie The rain was predicted for overnight/today although I believe that has now changed. Hopefully you managed to get your towels dry. When I lived in a flat with limited drying space most of us just carried a clothes horse out and set it up next to the washing line. No one seemed to mind and as long as you put plenty of clothes on it you didn't have to worry about it blowing away, although I did sometimes use pegs on the clothes horse for smaller/lighter items.

Mrs LW, sage advice as always! I do own a LBD that gets pulled out regularly along with several different colors of pashminas and shoes, but it isn't in the running for this. The bride was very recently bereaved (while away on her honeymoon, the reception is a month later) so I think black is out for that reason. Monna I think I've found a solution in a cotton sun dress which should be ok next to those who have gone more cocktail and next to those who clamored to have the dress code toned down so that they could wear jeans. However, I don't think my unicorn dress would suit either of your events. I'd originally been sewing something to wear but abandoned it when I thought I needed a cocktail dress which I already had. I've told OH that sorting out the present is his job, the lucky man can wear the same thing just adding or losing a tie and jacket.

Mila Those tacos sound fab! I may have to add them to the menu plan if my courgettes ever decide they might like to reproduce.

Hard_Up_Hester

Nurse Maggie, this is my holiday, I'm only doing what I'm doing and not trying to work as well, lol.

I was advised against the whooping cough vaccination in 1977 for my son as he was premature, he caught it when he was 18 months old from his cousins who were unvaccinated by choice.
My DD had to have a top up of various vaccinations when she became a foster carer, polio was one of them I think.

Re the bowel screening, I had a rather heated discussion with my beloved when he realised I had thrown my bowel screening kit in the bin. I then asked him, 'why exactly to you think I've had all the tests at hospital recently?' it hadn't dawned on him that I was being screened for bowel cancer because of symptoms I had.

I too have a LBD, it's 15 years old and was given to my by my DD when she stopped wearing it for work as her uniform colour changed, I recently found a jacket in a charity shop that is a beautiful lilac with purple embroidery on it and goes great with my LBD.

ancientofdays

My son had the routine vaccinations but still caught mumps as an older child and the doctor commented that it was getting easier to catch as so many parents had chosen not to vaccinate. I can sort of follow the logic.

I have always gone for my mammograms, painful though they are. I am glad that I have, even though the lump that was found and excised was not cancerous, it could have been. The painful process is worth it to me. I'm 65 though do possibly won't be called again. I am not sure but believe there may be regional variations in the stopping age.
And I do that bowel cancer test, although I don't like the lit hanging about, partly used, for th 3 dsy period.
I know the tests will never detect everything but at least there is a reasonable chance of detection.

Floss

My mum ensured that me & my 3 brothers (born between 1959 & 1971) had every vaccination available as the second eldest was very ill with measles in early 1963. I was the same with my boys (1986/88) they had everything, including MMR and meningitis jabs despite both not being nationally available at the time.

greenbee

I was vaccinated. My brother wasn't due to an IT failure back in the early 70s - they didn't know what he'd had so couldn't risk giving him a double dose. He got everything (except german measles and chicken pox, which I got, as vaccines for those weren't available the - rubella was at 10 for girls). Whooping cough, mumps and measles were all life-threatening for him. I also have a friend who had polio as a child.

It's a pity that there are still so many victims of Andrew Wakefield who are missing out on the benefits of mass vaccination.

I've been having mammograms since my mid-30s. I've been lucky so far (unlike a friend who has just had a double mastectomy in her 40s, and also considers herself lucky) - but they have helped by eliminating the need for more invasive investigations (I have also had ultrasound and needle biopsies), and I am incredibly grateful for the proactive monitoring I'm getting to manage the heightened risk that results from life-saving treatment i have for another condition. Mammograms may be unpleasant (and cervical smears) and they may not be foolproof, but for the majority of us the benefits outweigh the risks.

Everyone has to make up their own minds on these things, but it's important that they do so based on accurate information. The case of Andrew Wakefield above illustrates what happens when what looks like a credible source of information is fraudulent. Unfortunately it is very difficult to distinguish reliable and good quality research from misinformed opinion and speculation, and the internet is part of the problem as well as the solution.

*gets off soapbox*

ivyleaf

candlelight_2013 wrote: »

Floss I have always said that, men would find a less painful way of looking at their "bits".

My tumour was only discovered by having a routine mammogram, even the surgeon couldn't feel it. Yes it is painful, but a small price to pay to discover you may have a life threatening disease.

I am 71 now, evidently I am due to have my last mammogram when I am 73, but I can always ask my GP to refer me. Having not been able to feel the tumour, it is reassuring for someone else to check me.

Candlelightx

A friend of mine nearly didn't bother to go for her routine mammogram. I will only say that she is extremely glad that she made the effort.

We have just been invited to a wedding in October :j I couldn't think what to wear, but I have two pairs of smart trousers, and have just remembered a coral-pink edge-to-edge jacket which I haven't worn for five years (I bought it for another wedding, then soon after that I wore it again to MIL's funeral as she hadn't wanted us to wear black) - it's been hanging on the coat rack in a cover since then! So I'll have it cleaned, and meanwhile look out for a nice top to go under it. I Kondo'ed the one I wore with it before - it was pretty and looked nice on me, but wasn't particularly comfortable! So it went to the hospice shop.

I must try on the jacket in the near future though, in case I need to make an effort to lose weight - at least I have a good incentive now

cbrown372

Have to agree with you greenbee re information on the Internet so much wrong self diagnosis going on. Doc once gave me a website and said if you are going to look on the Internet use this one!

As regards mammogram uncomfortable but for how long, 15 minutes at the most for something that could save your life.

silvasava

Just to add to the comments I've had ops on both breasts at different times - one for a suspicious lump on my chest wall and the other for BC. Ive also had a cone biopsy for cancerous cells and ALL have been picked up on screening. So grateful to our NHS that their early intervention means I'm still here boring all of you lol!

monnagran

When you think of the dangerous medical conditions that have been almost eliminated by the use of vaccination and immunisation programmes it amazes me that anyone would not take advantage of what is on offer.
I had whooping cough at 6 years old, 71 years ago and I remember the distress I was in as if it was yesterday. My baby brother caught it from me and my mother was told that it was usually fatal in babies under 12 months, he was 5 months. Fortunately we both survived but I was so thankful that the vaccine was available by the time i had my own children.

Having said that, the blighters refused to get any of the other childhood illnesses not covered at that time by immunisation. They both had chicken pox in their twenties and were very, very ill. Neither of them have had mumps and, being in their forties keep their fingers crossed!

The mention of cervical smears always makes me grin.
Our family doctor was an excellent doctor but had no bedside manner or 'people skills.' Think Doc Martin. He had an Anglepoise lamp over the couch in his surgery, for shining a light into dark places. Essential when doing cervical smears!
This lamp was broken so when having a smear done the unfortunate patient had to prop the lamp up with their foot. Talk about undignified. The hot topic of conversation among my friends when the time for a smear approached was, "Has that ****** lamp been mended yet?" I never heard that it had.

Seems that this is the last fine day for a bit. Better make the most of it.

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