La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) - on a tiny budget.

helensbiggestfan

Wonderful Weekend.  

Good morning my lovely friends.  How are we all.  This wellness journey is a long one isn't it.  I often feel it's one step forward, two back.  Massages can indeed be painful.  I had a physio type massage on Thursday, yesterday I was in agony, thankfully I feel a bit easier today.  All we can do is keep at it, and not give up.

I have a gynaecologist appt on Tuesday.  After several weeks of trying to book an appt with an NHS GP I eventually managed to get an appt last Tuesday.  However, on the day I was fobbed off with a practice nurse, who not only knew nothing but was also extremely rude and dismissive. I wont go into detail on a public forum but when I tried to explain the issues I was dealing with she had the audacity to say "Well what do you expect at your age"....

...........Well for a starter I expect to be taken seriously and if they can't help then to be referred to someone who can, that's what!!!!   So in disgust I booked a private consultation with a gynaecologist, one my DIL recommended.  

Now I am fortunate in that I have insurance. However, if, as I suspect, it won't cover all the treatment, then I do I do have a little money so I can self fund if necessary. (Thanks to my extreme frugality and no spending this year).  And, if necessary, I will happily forgo a holiday in order to get the help I need. 

But, what about all those who can't self fund.  There are millions now facing extreme hardship, struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on the table.  What do they do......just "suck it up"as the practice nurse suggested.  And then of course, further down the line, cost the NHS a small fortune in conditions which could have been nipped in the bud with appropriate earlier treatment.  Doesn't make sense.  It's like not replacing a few roof tiles after a storm and waiting until your house suffers the consequence of prolonged water ingress.  🤷‍♀️

Anyway I have been doing lots of research both on the internet and I also bought Davina McCalls book called "Menopausing" in preparation for the consult.  Interesting book, lots of up to date information and recommendations on where to find help.  

It's beginning to feel a little autumnal now isn't it, nights drawing in.  I am not sure of my weekend plans, nor indeed next week.  I might be needed for family stuff so I have not booked anything other than the gynae appt.  If I am not needed then I might get round to having another round of decluttering.  

I do love a good sort out, 😁

Have a Wonderful Weekend.  💕

Wednesday2000

What a horrible woman Helen! I have heard about that Davina book and I read it was meant to be good.

Floss

Helen, will you complain to your GP practice manager? As you say not everyone is in your position, or able to articulate the problem to get the right help.

I'm writing a list for a phone call on Tuesday with my breast care nurse (BCN). Following my routine mammogram in March, I was diagnosed with breast cancer mid-April and had surgery to remove lump & several lymph nodes 4 weeks later. I've had to dig out information myself, to ask questions which when answered also get "didn't your BCN tell you / give you / advise you?" and to learn the difficult way of how to manage life alone when your dominant arm has limited mobility 🙄

Anyway, I'm now the right side of surgery & radiotherapy, have 5 years of endocrine drugs ahead of me, and I have a little list... 😁

helensbiggestfan

Ah Floss, you poor thing.  What a horrible time it must be for you.  Glad you have finished your surgery and radiotherapy.  

How shocking you weren't given advice and support in a timely fashion.  Good luck with your call on Tuesday, you are doing the right thing by having a list in readiness.  I will be doing the same.....a list of all my symptoms, dates of previous surgeries etc and questions as to my options.  (Just hoping no more surgery). 

My sister said I should lodge an official complaint but I'm not sure.  I don't want to be thrown off the panel.  😂.  And realistically what would they do, just waffle on and make excuses, no doubt.  I wouldn't want to get the practice nurse in trouble but she obviously needs either better training or a refresher course in women's health. 

The surgery did send me an email for feedback. I replied truthfully that I was disappointed with how things went.  I was very polite and respectful. Haven't heard from them yet.  I'll give them a couple of weeks and see if they contact me.  

Lovely day here today.  😁

Wednesday2000

That is really bad Floss. My husband is trying to chase up some help for complications for his cancer treatment at the moment and it is taking a while as we moved house and emails/test results seem to have gone missing as we moved house as he was signed on to a hospital back in London and a GP near us now at the same time.

I did ask to talk to the GP Practice Manager for myself once and it got dealt with very quickly. I had forgotten about that. I will say that to my husband.

artistlifestyle

@failingminimalist so sorry to read your very sad news. I hope the shock is easing and the good memories are shining through. Big hugs.
@helensbiggestfan I hope your issues are getting sorted and the Practice Manager is helpful. 

Floss I hope you’re feeling better. It’s a tough call for sure.

I’ve just had a few days away staying with an old school friend. Come back still laughing and still got two more days off. So working on the paperwork this week, the downside of self employment. Plus the garden and sorting of the house, something which can slip when working long hours and when we’re suddenly alone  for whatever reason and there’s only us to do it all. I’m fairly used to it now, and the plus side is I get to choose everything. Yesterday was washing mattress covers etc before winter and utilising the current warm weather. Marvellous. 

I’ve woken early, and today’s plan is paperwork first, then weeding and hedge cutting later, and if time and energy permit a bike ride. 

Have a good week everyone. 

helensbiggestfan

Hello everyone


Isnt the weather glorious. I've actually just come indoors because it is a tad warm for me. I'm not complaining.  😎

All is well here.  I too am utilising the fine weather, garden clean up ready for autumn planting, washing everything in sight, shampooing carpets.  I washed all my sofa covers a couple of weeks ago so everything is looking pretty ship shape.  

As you know I am renting this property so obviously I won't go and spend a lot of money but I bought some tulips bulbs from Lidl the other day and am on the lookout for a couple of inexpensive shrubs and some cheap winter colour such as pansies.  Even if I found a house tomorrow it can take a good few months to finalise the deal so I may as well pretty up the garden a bit.  I'll probably stick to a budget of around £20.  

Re the Practice Manager. Ha, no joy.  No worries.  I am sorting things out myself.  My sister is a pharmacy assistant and she spoke to the chief pharmacist who was most helpful.  I cancelled the gynae appt and am trying the pharmacists recommendations. I can always reschedule the gynae appt if necessary but it does seem as if his recommendations are helping. Time will tell.  

I've been out and about a fair bit and I've also been busy restocking my wardrobe, mainly charity shops and eBay.  Several sweaters, a gorgeous maxi skirt, and a lovely vintage snakeskin handbag for an amazing £0.99p. (EBay). I am currently bidding on another really nice vintage dark brown leather bag. Currently at £4 and it doesn't appear that there any other bidders at the moment so keeping my fingers crossed.  

I have also ordered some skin care products, some thermal vests and some vitamins.  So lazy of me to shop online but I can't face the shops at the moment.  I am having a bit of a fibro flare up so the idea of trawling round the shops in hot weather doesn't really hold much appeal. Having a massage tomorrow so hopefully that will help.  

Other than that not much news.  Life trundles along......😂.  

Hope you are all well.  ❤️

Wednesday2000

Hello all.

I had been prepping for winter, washing duvet covers etc... so this hot weather was a bit of a shock. It has been boiling today. I was just saying on another thread that I found a free TV unit near my house, but it was very heavy to carry back to my house in this heat. Lucky it wasn't that far to carry it. I'm very happy with that find.

I just had to have a shower and hair wash to cool down. 

I was supposed to be meeting my brother this weekend to go to the cinema, but my cinema discount card is taking ages to arrive! It might not be the type of weather to sit indoors anyway so we might do something else instead.

I had two maxi dresses altered to be shorter and I picked them up today so I will wear one of them out this weekend.

Floss

Wednesday, I would be glad to sit in an air-conditioned cinema in this heat!

helensbiggestfan

Hello everyone. 

Transformation Tuesday. 

Well the weather has certainly transformed itself.  Lol.  

Actually I'm relieved, living so far inland it was very humid and uncomfortable last week.  I ended up cancelling all of my appointments, even my massage. Just couldn't face it.  Just skulked around the house most of last week.  Like Wednesday I made the best of the weather, some light gardening and washing all the new knitwear I bought.  

Today it's been steady rain all day so Transformation Tuesday has seen me starting sorting out my wardrobe.  Over the last couple of years I have been refining my wardrobe, gradually replacing as many of my clothes as possible with natural fabrics, cotton, linen, wool, etc. and ditching the synthetic stuff.  So I have now got rid of all my synthetic knitwear and the new replacements sweaters are made from cotton or merino wool. I even splashed out on one cashmere sweater.   All preloved, and really gorgeous, some of them look unworn.  And of course being pre-loved I have saved a small fortune. 

 I have also (finally) decided to part with a couple of coats. Not before time. 😂  They were the last two made from synthetic fabrics so apart from my faux fur or faux suede items all my coats and jackets are now 100%wool.  I can't bring myself to wear real fur, besides faux fur these days is so soft  and luxurious to the touch you can't hardly tell it from the real thing. 

Oh and I won the brown leather bag I wanted off EBay. £4 and it's like new.  So dead chuffed.

I do love the autumn and as well as transitioning my wardrobe I am really looking forward to "proper cooking". Nice hearty casseroles, with lots of vegetables.  I need to stock up the freezer and food cupboards again.....ready for hibernation!!!   

Each season has its own delights and I like the cooler days and the darker nights. I start with my first implants at the end of the month and I am guessing there will be times over the next few months when I won't feel like going out much but I don't mind. I can hunker down, reading and watching films and catch up tv whilst I recuperate between treatments.  I shall be warm and cosy and lack for nothing.  

Right time to cook dinner.  A nice juicy ribeye steak....yum.  

Hope you are all well, living La Dolce Vita whilst sticking to those budgets. 😉