Prepping for Brexit thread

euronorris

unrecordings wrote: »

And you know, my experience of the NHS is somewhat different to yours, I've seen the disconnected nature of it all first hand. I guess it's different trust from trust and condition to condition. That's not knocking the NHS as a whole, its just maybe venting fustration at the way it's become some unfixable human Jenga

Yes, whilst I am really, really grateful for the NHS, and am actually really worried about the Tories selling it off/dissolving it, my experience of it hasn't been all good.


There have been more good experiences than bad. And I don't blame individuals, or even the NHS itself, more the serious lack of funding and severe cutbacks it has suffered in recent years.


I was induced with my DD in 2016 (12 days overdue at that point), and there were a catalogue of errors that led to both her being in distress, and me requiring an emergency C-section. I genuinely thought I was dying on that operating table, as I struggled to keep my eyes open after they had 'delivered' her. Indeed, I was haemorrhaging at the time (luckily they got it under control quickly).


I am so grateful that they were able to deliver her safely, and keep me alive, but if the maternity department wasn't as overstretched as it was, the attempt to force my labour along at a much faster rate than my body could cope with (when the ward had already had to close to new admissions, they'd had to take nurses from other wards to cope and there were no consultants were available because they were all in emergency surgery already), likely would not have happened. The issues could have been avoided. It's likely a C-section (costing the NHS more) could have been avoided. The PTSD and PND I suffered after the birth, and the subsequent requirement for counselling (again costing the NHS more) could also have been avoided.


I love the NHS. With the proper funding, it is a truly wonderful thing. But the more cuts that are made, the more mistakes are made, leading to bigger issues causing more costs (and sometimes negligence claims). But they need to fix it, not take it away.

Nargleblast

The original idea was to sort out the health problems of the population and then we'd all be nice and healthy and wouldn't need to access doctors and hospitals so much. Nice idea but of course in reality it could never have worked out like that. People live longer, long enough to develop conditions that were hardly seen in previous generations, when you did well to live to 50. And of course, scientific advances meant more things could be done, and the population has come to expect the NHS to be able to fix everything at no cost to the patient (aside from taxes).

I remember being taught that in the first year of the NHS the budgeted amount for dentistry and optician services was exceeded by a huge amount, because obviously everyone rushed to get their free glasses and their teeth fixed. I remember also being taught that it was not uncommon for a young woman to get her teeth removed and a set of dentures fitted as a coming of age or wedding gift, to save expense later. Before my time, that was!

The fact is, with more people living longer and the population growing, more demand will be placed on health and social care services. Whilst waste should be reduced as far as possible, it will cost whatever it costs, and successive governments of both colours have cut funding instead of making sure it can provide whatever is needed to whoever needs it, whenever they need it.

We also have a personal responsibility to keep ourselves as fit and healthy as possible by having a sensible lifestyle and learning how to treat minor problems ourselves. Of course, the Law of Sod often kicks in, with perfectly healthy people getting cancers etc. Maybe those cases are down to some genetic fault, or some autoimmune system malfunction. The more I learn, and not just in my professional role but in private as well, the more I think inflammation is the key cause of so many problems.

Anyway, sorry for going off thread topic. Re prepping for Brexit, keeping your health issues and those of your family in mind is as important as stocking up on food and reducing debt.

euronorris

Cancer is a complicated one, I think. There are obviously various well known 'triggers' for certain types. Then there are those who smoke 60 a day for 60 years, and never see a hint of lung cancer. And then there are 1 year olds with leukaemia. Devastating. I'm sure I read once, that it is largely linked to genetics. And some genes are 'dormant', but can be 'switched on' by exposure to something, and then the cancer develops. At least, that is my laymans understanding of it.


With minor things, I am well adept to self treating. I've had enough colds and throat infections over the years to know the difference. And I also had real flu as a child once. There is a vast difference between real flu and even a nasty cold. So I keep DH in check also, on that front (so far he's thought he's had flu 4 times this year! lol). My Mother worked as a GP receptionist for years, so I also know well enough to not bug the GP unless you genuinely think there is an infection at play, or other complication. This has stopped me from worrying too much with DD also, as I know there isn't much need to worry if there isn't even a temperature. Other than her vaccinations, she's seen the GP twice in her 3.5 years. Once for her peanut allergy, and once for a bad case of croup (2am and couldn't breathe - terrifying). Though I do plan to take her to a different GP in the new year, re peanut allergy. Not satisfied with last one's lack of interest, and she's showing no signs of 'growing out of it'.


But there are still plenty of people who will demand antibiotics for a cold. So frustrating. And the reasons some people call an ambulance, or go to A&E is shocking!!


They are under great strain here at the moment. The nasty cold we all had, seems to be rife and causing havoc. A local secondary school had to close last week for a deep clean, after more than a 100 children were off with confirmed cases of flu. And another local school closed a couple weeks back after more than half of them came down with norovirus.


Our A&E is already closed between 10pm and 8am due to lack of staff. It won't be long until they close it completely for a few days due to being overwhelmed with patients. Happens every year. And I expect next year that it will be closed down permanently.


Anyway, onto brighter things. Xmas is fast approaching. Our present shopping is done. The cards are done. In the midst of packing. Most of the food shopping is done, so our cupboards, fridge and freezer are full to the brim! Looking forward to the break, and seeing DD's face on Xmas morning

Nargleblast

Yes, I am almost done prepwise for Christmas. Soon be solstice time, time to shed burdens and troubles and celebrate the return of the sun, followed by Christmas. Christmas lights are on, Christmas cake (made last week) has already been broken into and is absolutely gorgeous. A new year and a new decade are approaching. Bring it on, with all its potential challenges!

euronorris

Packing? I meant wrapping! lol

DigForVictory

For all who got their online shopping in before 12 December, well done - as the rates against the dollar & euro have dropped back again.

Still, the "Christmas veg" rates are dropping like stones, so keep a bit of space for things like lidl's enchallion shallots (massively reduced & utterly delicious)? Says she hoping for a freezing Christmas so I can hit the last hour of Christmas Eve veg sales & stash the bargains in the coalshed.

Nargleblast

Yes, lots of reduced price veg to provide extra nutrition over the winter season! I will probably hit the local village shops (Co-op and Family Shopper) on Christmas Eve rather than go to the big supermarkets with the world and his mate. Can't be doing with crowds.

DigForVictory

One thing that worries me a bit is that I don’t think we make our own sewing thread, or buttons or zips or a serious number of other notions, which makes repairing our clothes & making new ones more ticklish.

I’m lucky to have inherited one old lady’s sewing tackle & to have a husband who spots sewing gear & pounces nonchalantly. Which helps, but I don’t want to spin & weave my own fabric! Or be expected to for the chaps’ natty suiting....

Still, I can focus on soup futures for a while.

[Deleted User]

If you want to collect together a stash of buttons, zips, wool etc. try charity shops I put out 3 huge jars of buttons at 50p each jar, a whole basket of assorted poppers, hook and eyes, eyelets, packs of sewing needles and spools of thread at 20p a card and if we get wool donated it gets bagged up and sold at £1 a bag for round half a dozen balls of wool. We also do fabric pieces, embroidery materials, patchwork squares, knitting needles and crochet hooks the latter two at £1 and 50p each. It's always worth asking if the shop has craft items, usually stashed out the back somewhere as no one seems to want them nowadays.

unrecordings

Suddenly that bag of rags for the charity shop looks a lot more valuable (although the buttons did come off first, and the cargo pockets of the camo were expertly removed for use as bags for camera lenses etc