Prosperous soul in the making

savingholmes

Hi TH and EH
Since my chairs and the student accommodation bills have gone back at least 1 payday - I asked DH to pay £1K off his CC so that we're not tempted to spend it. Will review next month what the likely outcome for the chairs and accommodation is likely to be. We have a CC (the one I am currently paying more off) that has its rate due for expiry in the next few months so that's the priority.

DH has to go into work to pick something up - he's going to fill up with fuel while he's out - make the most of falling prices. 
Me and a neighbour talked to each other through the fence yesterday - it's weird that that has become noteworthy...
The pooch is still begging for a walk. DS did assignment 2 of 3 - his other one is due at 12. Despite being up half the night - he's late. So I suggested he email his uni! Life under l0ckd0wn!!! I'm about to try and log in for work - it worked Monday, not yesterday - hopefully today will be better. Used my own laptop yesterday....

savingholmes

DS has just been told all his exams are cancelled so he is currently working on his final assignment. I doubt the govt would want us to go and collect his belongings though. We need to at some point as he left his passport!

Honeysucklelou2

It is a strange time for students isn’t it? . I chatted to my DD yesterday and she has an essay and project to submit by the end of May but the exhibitions that were planned for are now not happening.

EssexHebridean

I really feel for those who were working towards exams etc and now feel somewhat in limbo. Must be really tough to maintain motivation for assessments etc as well when everything has been so completely turned upside down. 

Noticed quite how much fuel prices have dropped when we were out this morning - I paid 119.9 a couple of weeks ago, and diesel is now showing at 111.9. The Tesco petrol station near us has also switched to doing everything through the night pay window which seems to make sense, although for fuel purchases they are requesting for people to use pay at pump where they can.

With holiday accommodation bookings I've been asking if it's possible to just roll them to alternative dates if that is workable - I've done that for one airshow accommodation booking already - just transferred to next year. Also planning on doing that with the Hebrides holiday booking we have upcoming, we've only paid the deposit so far and it makes more sense for them to hold onto that and change the booking, than to refund us. Might not work for everyone though I imagine, and where incomes are dropping some people will need the money back to subsidise routine living costs, perhaps. 

Drawingaline

EH, I have been saving for a hebridean trip in July. I hadn't quite got  to booking accommodation and am holding off atm. May have to shunt it back a bit, but with it just being me and the girl (post gcse exam trip) it is a bit more awkward after mid August. Keeping the money to one side, but may need it for something else at some point. 

savingholmes

Hi HSL, EH and Drawingaline
It's a weird time for students and the rest of us - we are all in some kind of limbo land. 

I am struggling to get my GP surgery to give me the pain meds I need at the moment and it left me in tears. A doctor will phone me back later so hopefully it will get sorted. It is however deeply upsetting and frustrating getting a mini-lecture from the receptionist - basically saying I am using the up too quickly. What do they think will happen when all other therapeutic interventions cease? The physio was helping to loosen my leg - as was the swimming. Now I am more than back to square 1. I should have been having some kind of intervention from the hospital - I'm now due to have a phone appointment next week if I'm lucky but at most that would diagnose - based on the private mri and report I organised. Again it's unlikely I will get any treatment for months. In my letter from the hospital to my gp it says I am not on a therapeutic dose yet for pain relief! I know everyone is manically busy but its hard for those of us with on-going conditions as well... 

savingholmes

Paid £82.93 off a CC today. Got one more CC payment to go out before payday mid month.
It looks like they have stopped the gym direct debit for DD which is something. Saves £15 pcm.
I haven't logged onto work yet - can't focus while wait for GP to call.

savingholmes

The GP was good when she rang me but until then I had been completely unable to focus. She wants me to do a week's worth of twice a day home BP monitoring and give them the readings so they can take an average. She wants me to try a patch instead of a tablet for HRT and see how that works out - and preferably come off it. She has agreed to give me a 2 months supply of most meds - other than one which she can only give me a month's worth of. Apparently there was a line in the hospital letter that made them think the meds weren't working at all which was why they had refused originally to move me from acute to repeat prescription. The hospital rang me yesterday and I should  have my consultant appointment by phone on 7/4 all being well.

EssexHebridean

SH please consider reporting the behaviour of the receptionist at the surgery to the practice manager - it is absolutely NOT the receptionist's place to be giving what amounts to medical advice, and while you're resilient enough to get through it, even though it was upsetting, someone else might not, might reduce medication and have a very adverse result. It's for your Dr to decide how much pain relief you should be taken, not some jumped up little hitler on the front desk. (The phrase "I'm sorry, I'm happy to discuss my medication with a Doctor, but I am under no obligation to discuss it with you" might come in useful should this happen again!) 

The home BP monitoring sounds like a good idea - and it's good news that the hospital appointment is on the way even if it might be of limited use for the time being. Has all physio been stopped at the moment? I'm surprised that there is not some NHS provision for physio for those for whom it's their only path of treatment. 

jwil

I agree with EH - the receptionist sounds completely out of order.  It's one thing to suggest which medical professional you need to see, it's another thing entirely discussing your medication!