Preparing for Winter

carolt2

Hi ,sorry to interupt(sp?).
My mother is diabetic and has been for some time, she suffers from poor circulation and has to be careful on what she puts on her feet. You can actually get special socks that wont harm the circulation. But TBH my mother likes to wear thick thermal walking socks, as long as they dont have lycra/elastic in they are ok.
Diabetic socks here.....
http://www.smoothtoe.co.uk/?gclid=CO3Fn_C4-pUCFQs4Qgod0VXzFg

Morrisons used to sell thick thermal socks about £4 for 3 pairs and they suit her fine

HTH

sb44

BigMummaF wrote: »

When we were little, I remember clothes getting put under the mattress so they would be free from room chills the next morning...wonder if that would work with towels too--obviously dry ones.

I've struck gold--more cream-coloured --as I was talking to me muvva the other day...she found a goodly stockpile of curtain linings she had kept over the years :j so I'm going to be busy sorting out which ones will fit with the least amount of effort on my part re:alterations

Yep, but in those days we weren't aware of dust mites, bed bugs etc.

I certainly wouldn't want to put anything I was going to wear under my mattress and that gets hoovered on a regular basis.

anguk

toottifrootti wrote: »

Thanks skint_catt - yes was told of the circulation problems and have had all the tests but no-one mentioned hot water bottles - glad I spotted your post! Thank you very very much for the info.:A

TF

You are also not meant to use those foot spa things and check your bath water before you step into it. Diabetics do have to be veeeery careful with their feet, over time you can get circulation and nerve problems and end up with very little feeling in them. I speak from experience, my OH has been diabetic for over 20 years and 4 years ago had his leg amputated below the knee. He stood on a plug cable and got a tiny-weeny blood blister on the bottom of his foot and it got infected, over the space of one weekend 1 toe went black, 2 toes were grey and the skin on the top of his foot started to break down with gangrene. He was admitted to hospital on the Monday, had tests on the Tuesday and his leg was off on the Wednesday! :eek: We also had a bit of a scare last month when he got a mysterious cut on a toe on his other foot and overnight it became infected. He was admitted to hospital straight away and spent a week on IV antibiotics and he has to continue taking them for 3 months but luckily they managed to save his foot/leg.

I don't mean to scare anyone and I'm sorry if I have but I'm just trying to stress how important it is for diabetics to be careful with their feet.

sammyjig

anguk wrote: »

You are also not meant to use those foot spa things and check your bath water before you step into it. Diabetics do have to be veeeery careful with their feet, over time you can get circulation and nerve problems and end up with very little feeling in them. I speak from experience, my OH has been diabetic for over 20 years and 4 years ago had his leg amputated below the knee. He stood on a plug cable and got a tiny-weeny blood blister on the bottom of his foot and it got infected, over the space of one weekend 1 toe went black, 2 toes were grey and the skin on the top of his foot started to break down with gangrene. He was admitted to hospital on the Monday, had tests on the Tuesday and his leg was off on the Wednesday! :eek: We also had a bit of a scare last month when he got a mysterious cut on a toe on his other foot and overnight it became infected. He was admitted to hospital straight away and spent a week on IV antibiotics and he has to continue taking them for 3 months but luckily they managed to save his foot/leg.

I don't mean to scare anyone and I'm sorry if I have but I'm just trying to stress how important it is for diabetics to be careful with their feet.

I agree. My grandad had type 2 diabetes. He cut his foot while cutting his toe nails and didn't tell anyone. He ended up having his lag amputated. My mum now has type 2 diabetes and she cannot feel her feet at all. She lives alone and has regular chiropodist (sp) appointments and also I check the soles of her feet just to make sure there is nothing untoward. I must admit I didn't know about the hot water bottle thing but I did buy my mum some of those feet duvets from lidl.

BigMummaF

BallandChain wrote: »

With electric running through our homes and work places I am not going to worry about my electric blanket. I'm more concerned with the heating bill! Just thought someone who hasn't heard of the heated throws would like to know they are out there. I love my electric blanket and wouldn't be without it and came across the heated throws when thinking of ways to keep warm without having to jump into bed, lol.

I've seen the Asda fleeces and they look thin and cheap. I'm sure I read that if you want to keep warm a good quality throw is best. I've got an old fashioned blanket on my bed and wonder do they still make them? I've seen throws and cellular blankets but not the old style type.

I have to say that I thought the same about the fleece throws but they are incredibly warm! I have some of the Asda £1:77 AND Ikea under-two-quid ones & we luv'em! I think the beauty of them is the fact they are so light but keep you warm. They are easy to wash & take no time at all to dry, so extremely useful when that welcome hot cuppa gets knocked flying by an excitable pooch

So in defence of a spending outlay of under £8 to keep four of us snuggled, as opposed to over two hundred pounds plus associated running costs....the fleece win

Skint_Catt

anguk and sammyjog - wow sorry to hear you've been through amputations (not you personally but you know what I mean!). I'm aware OH needs to look after his feet, but this has really bought it home to me how careful he really needs to be! Scary stuff!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

My dad was a chiropodist and was very shocked that some diabetics were never aware of the footcare they needed.They would often wonder why he needed to know if they were diabetic which was always his first question when seeing a new patient.
I can't stress enough how important footcare is to a diabetic.

shezza

Can I ask a question. My mum and dad recently had cavity wall insulation done, but their house is still freezing. I know they haven't had the heating on at all yet (worried about the cost - both are pensioners), and I was wondering if they put the heating on to take the chill off the house, will they then notice the difference as in the house will stay warm. I am really starting to worry about them, they are currently living in the kitchen as it is the only warm room in the house.

Caterina

HI all

I thought I had been all nice and wise, preparing for winter, ordered long johns and thermal vests for the family online, even got free postage and a 5% discount code, spent around £4 per long-john pair and thought it was a good bargain.

Just read on Netto website that the special offer this week was thermal long-johns for £2 each *SIGH SIGH SOB SOB*.

I am now debating with myself whether to use time (that I could use for doing work and stuff around the house) and money (the postage cost) to go to the post office, return the long-johns (one is already opened as I wanted to try it on for myself - it fits ok-ish) and then trek it all the way to my nearest Netto (upward of 1/2 hour each way by bus) and risk not finding any of the long johns.

I would save appx. £6, minus the postage. Perhaps I shall just sit here and grit my teeth instead!

Sorry, end of whinge! :-)

Caterina

sammy_kaye18

shezza - they should notice the difference once the heating is on - we had cavity wall done but as yet have had no heating on so didnt notice, until a few weeks ago when upstairs put his heating on in the night - our flat was boiling - his heating runs through the floor which is effectively our roof - it was so hot we've had windows open constantly since, although i heated his flat last year so this year it seems he is heatin mine - i noticed this when i served him in our local shop - his gas bill was £200+ for 3 months and hes a single guy 95% of the time except when kids are visiting - and our gas bill was £100 smug.......me......never

they will notice that their hosue retains heat more when the heating has been on

question - do you live close enough that you could go over and help heatproof their hosue - ie taken draught excluders over for them, go line their curtains, put foil behind their radiators, drop off a 'spare' fleece blanket etc??? failing that maybe make them a little winter survival kit, with a blanket, candles, torch, hat, scarf, warm socks, maybe pjs if money allows....etc

im thinking of doign this with my grandparents again this year - both are 70 and i know ill only worry if i dont feel they are prepared enough - but i have me, my dad nad my aunt all rallyign roun dto look after them, auntie lives closest and has already been and doubled up curtains, my dad has been crediting their bills (granted only £10 here and there) but still its something, nan has been knitting herself and my grandad gloves, hats, scraves etc and i sent them a tea cosy hamper for my nan (small teappot, assorted fruti teas enough to last the year easily, shawl, and a wheat bag) and my grandfather had warm socks (seriously riddled with arthritus), a warm fleece that is easy to do up, a no sew blanket, and a wheat bag along with some of his fave biccies.