Don’t understand the confusion people seem to be having regarding the recent announcement…no wonder people were doing the fudging conga to Vera Lynn with the neighbours after a few pimms on VE Day…I think a fair proportion of the population lack common sense…
It’s pretty simple…for now the only changes are;
▪️Work from home if you can. Construction workers can return to work if they’re able to adhere to social distancing while there. Avoid public transport to get there where at all possible.
▪️Stay at home apart from exercise (which is no longer restricted to 1 hour, once a day. It can now be done in parks and sports can be played with the family you live with) whilst observing social distancing rules.
▪️Depending on the response to these measures we may see more shops and businesses & primary schools opening from the start of June…all dependant on the figures.
▪️Potentially seeing hospitality begin to open at the start of July…all depandant on the figures.
It’s not rocket science!
Don’t twist words & overcomplicate the simple to hear what you want to hear…
STAY AT HOME unless you need to go out.
Only go to work if you can get there safely & CANNOT WORK FROM HOME & you are able to practice social distancing at work.
Exercising is unlimited WITH MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
Ok. I thought I’d wait to at least see how things were going before I posted my status. On Monday after work I fell really ill. I know I’m a drama queen sometimes with man flu but something was definitely wrong. Monday night was horrific.
Tuesday I booked a drive through covid test. Probably shouldn’t have driven myself and mounted the kerb 4 times. Was so tired when I got home I went straight to bed again. Marie checking my breathing and temperature which by this time had gone up to 39.8. Luckily for me while I was asleep she rang 111. Went through the call and 4 hours later a doctor rang.
Went through more questions and advised me to go to A and E. I’ve been on a drip and oxygen since. And had chest X-ray , ct scan and bloods taken. Which confirmed I had infections in both lungs and the consultant confirmed I had covid 19. Which was a good job because my drive through test came back negative ! (They’re only 70 percent accurate you know).
I’m so grateful to Marie for ringing 111 and sorting it. If left to me I wasn’t really sure what was happening and totally out of it. And who knows if it had been left another couple of days. The treatment I’ve had since I’ve been here has been truly amazing. They really are angels. Even the man nurses.
From seeing my neice Melissa-Marie when she saw at the end of her night shift I had been sent to resuscitation and came to talk to me and reassure me for a little while, through giving consent to being put to sleep for an indefinite time to be put on a ventilator if required and I took a turn for the worse to my mate Shane ringing me and telling me his wife Sam is on the next ward and will drop me some things off tomorrow as I’m not allowed visitors. You lot are amazing.
“The nhs is on its knees”???? From what I’ve seen in a very short space of time it’s staffed by the most amazing caring people. And we should be proud of every one of them. I certainly couldn’t be prouder of the friends and family I have in the nhs. I clapped again at 8 pm out of my window once more. But this time from the inside of a hospital looking out. The night doctor said to me “you really don’t need to clap, the fact you’re getting better is all we doctors need.” So just a heads up guys, anyone on my Facebook still thinking this a load of made up shit to put phone Masts up … You’re wrong Anyone saying Boris was on oxygen for a week so it wasn’t too bad and probably didn’t have it?……. I’ve sort of been there and You’re wrong…… And anyone not clapping or showing appreciation for our amazing nhs ? Not social distancing cause you don’t think it’s serious? Dying to hear the word “unlock “ so you can resume the stupidity it took you weeks to get out of ???…… Don’t care if I’ve known you from birth. Save me the bother will you ??? I’m a 52 year old bloke who will openly admit to crying several times in the last few days and has been humbled once again by people’s kindness. I’m sharing a ward with a 73 year old fantastic guy called ken who went in queens 6 months ago for his toe off because of diabetes and is sat across from me with one leg now and after all that tested same as me for covid. Listening to him crying on the phone to his lovely wife because she can’t visit him and he misses her. There’s always someone worse off isn’t there. Stay safe . Protect the NHS. They’re amazing. Thanks for your messages of goodwill those who knew…….. And sorry to disappoint some of you but…
Today marks six full weeks since our country went into lockdown.
You have had your children home for the same time now that you would if they were on summer holidays. People will say ‘but they are your responsibility’ and whilst that is true, no-one could be expected to have imagined this period before they chose to conceive.
You have protected, nourished, educated, supported and entertained your children during a period of national and international uncertainty and fear. You have experienced emotions for yourself and your family that you never knew existed, never mind experienced before.
Six weeks is a long time.
Think about how you feel at the end of the summer holidays, how ready you are for routine, how badly your house needs cleaned from children home, how much work you are ready to catch up on. Remember that exhausting feeling of having so little sleep, much less money and hearing ‘mummy/daddy’ every time you happen to sit down.
And you wonder why you are exhausted after six weeks of lockdown?
You are amazing! You have achieved something no other parent ever has during our time. You have faced six weeks unable to take your child or children anywhere, six weeks of no parks, holidays to break up the boredom, no day trips, no family to help. On top of that you have juggled work demands, loneliness on a level never experienced before, information overload from the internet and emotional turmoil of not being able to see people you hold dear. Even getting food to eat has been a major drama!
So it’s ok to feel drained. It’s ok to feel like you would sell your soul right now for five minutes alone. It’s ok to feel uninspired about another day of homeschooling, another day of never ending laundry and cooking.
It’s ok to be so very tired.
Six weeks is a long time.
But you have made it.
Be proud of yourself. Stand tall.
History will show you for your courage, your children will remember this period as a time knowing they were safe and loved and teachers everywhere are deeply grateful that you are there for your children when they should be but can’t be.
If they cancel the rest of the school year, students would miss approx 6 months of education. Many people are concerned about students falling behind because of this. Yes, they may fall behind when it comes to classroom education…
BUT WHAT IF ….
What if instead of falling “behind”, this group of kids are ADVANCED because of this? Hear me out.
What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing.
What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet.
What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower?
What if this generation are the ones to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well run home?
What if they learn to stretch a dollar and to live with less?
What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home.
What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday?
What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, custodians, logistics, and health care workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions taking care of us right now while we are sheltered in place?
What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life?
2 years ago, we purchased a hot tub. Amelia loved it, spent so much time in it for the first few weeks, as did we all. My mum was also very vigilant when cleaning it. At some point in April/May she developed an ear infection, she was floored with this. Couldn’t lift her head for days! But no big deal right? People get them all the time. The doctor prescribed her a course of Amoxicillin, which she completed as advised. About a week later her symptoms had subsided and she seemed her happy wee self again. She had however lost a lot of weight, and was complaining of dizziness now and again.
On the 11th of May I had an exam and then flew out to Marbella for my friends hen weekend the same day. Amelia stayed with my mum and dad. When I returned, her lethargy seemed to have returned and she was complaining of headaches and double vision. I honestly thought at this time that she was only saying these things as she didn’t want to leave my side and stay with her grans/dad so I could work etc. (She was going through a stage of telling fibs), as she seemed fine most other times and it only seemed to be when I wasn’t with her that she would complain of these symptoms.
The Serious Danger Of Hot Tubs
Anyway, I took her to the doctor to be safe, where Amelia told them that she was only kidding and could see fine/didn’t have headaches anymore. (Here’s me sitting mortified thinking wee shite has just been at it!) She would go days without mentioning a thing. I was so wrong and still have guilt over this to this day. Then maybe a week or two later, she woke up with an upward turn in her left eye.
I called the opticians to make an appointment. I thought it could be related to her genetics, as problems with eyesight are common in her dads family and I wasn’t worried. When I explained what her eye looked like, and the fact the turn had appeared suddenly, along with the intermittent symptoms she had been complaining of, they wanted to see us within the hour. This is when my mind started to wander but I was still thinking she would just need an eyepatch and glasses. The dizziness could be related to this right?
We were in Specsavers for hours, while they tried to get to the bottom of the problem. They didn’t say much to us at the time, probably not to worry us. At the end of the visit they referred us to Hairmyers ophthalmology department for more tests as they were concerned but didn’t tell us what they were concerned about. So after more hours of tests at the hospital, watching various doctors/physicians enter the room and seeing worried facial expressions and body language.
I started to realise this was more serious than I first thought. My mum and dad were with me, and the doctor asked if they could mind Amelia while we had a chat privately about her concerns. I remember feeling sick and sweaty. So many things running through my head. Then she said it.
“Amelia has something growing on her brain. We’re not sure what this is yet, but it’s very serious and she needs a CT scan right away”, The world paused. My eyes filled and my vision blurred. I could tell the doctor was really worried. Which just intensified my anxiety more. She was only 5 years old.
We were then referred to Wishaw general hospital that same day for a CT Scan. We had to go immediately and were told to expect an overnight stay. I called Amelias dad in hysterics and he met me at Wishaw. We were in a trance the full journey, so much running through our minds.
She spent the night being observed in Wishaw and the CT scan results came the following day and confirmed her diagnosis. She had not one, but THREE puss filled abscesses on her cerebellum which were putting pressure on her optic nerve, hense the squint/dizziness/double vision etc. Caused by a bacterial infection which probably entered her brain through the ear (remember her ear infection a few weeks previous which we thought had cleared up?) She needed immediate treatment, but Wishaw was not equipped for this kind of condition.
We were told it was very rare and she needed specialist paediatric neurosurgeons to take over her case. We were even asked if student doctors/specialists could meet her and look over her notes as things like this don’t happen often so would be very beneficial for them to see.
That night, we were transferred for the 4th time in two days, by ambulance to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow. On arrival, they sat her dad and me down, and explained that her condition was life threatening and that she must start IV antibiotics straight away. I thought she would be kept in for a week or two. I was wrong. The neurosurgeon explained she would be in for at least 8 weeks, with weekly MRI scans to monitor her progress.
We were told she more than likely caught a severe ear infection from the hot tub as the warm temperatures are breeding grounds for bacteria. When we thought it had cleared, the amoxicillin had just masked her symptoms for a few weeks as it wasn’t strong enough to kill this strain of bacteria. In the mean time the infection spread to her brain, probably over the course of 4-6 weeks, unnoticed until the pressure on her optic nerve showed visual signs.
We spent the next 8 weeks living on the neurology ward with the most amazing staff and volunteers. When you ask Amelia about her time at the hospital, she has nothing but happy memories and asks if she can go back. She doesn’t even mention the scary times. For this I’m so grateful ❤️
I just wanted to share this as it was the most frightening time of my life. Please, please be extra careful when treating your hot tubs/pools and make sure you do this as regularly as possible. Also make sure to be vigilant when it comes to ear infections, they can be serious too! I was lucky that the IV antibiotics she received over those few months were enough to combat this infection and that she narrowly avoided brain surgery. She fought it off at 5 years old and is fighting fit today ❤️ My wee warrior. Even though hot tubs now scare me and they’re banned from my house lol.
I hope by sharing our story it may raise enough awareness to save someone else’s life. If we hadn’t gone to the opticians that day we could’ve been in a totally different situation. I had no idea hot tubs could expose you to such harmful bacteria and I’m sure a lot of people are unaware of this.
Ps. Can I just express my gratitude to all of these institutions which helped my girl. They saved her life and in turn saved mine. I will be forever grateful to our NHS 💙 It was this experience that encouraged me to become a Biomedical Scientist and one day be part of this amazing service.
I have been with my wife for 18 years and married nearly 16. I have noticed that Body image around weight gain/loss has been one of her consistent struggles over the years.
Going up or down in weight I can confidently say that I have positively supported her throughout the years but unfortunately I have been there to comfort her during the very low moments where I had to wipe tears away from her face. It is my philosophy as a husband when it comes to weight gain or loss for whatever reason We should be their Encourager and Not their Reminder!
Today my wife posted a picture in this full piece swimsuit in which she looked absolutely remarkable 😍 and she received some small cunty ass feedback. She has big boobs (I’m blessed) but get over it. She can’t do anything about it. I can tell you, however, is that she’s agonized over it to makes sure she’s “covered” as much as possible still to this day.
I’m not here to defend my wife, she’s a big girl! What I find strange is that most of those commenters came from women? Come on!! Let’s be more supportive of eachother!! If your 400lb and you lost 10 FUCK YES 🥳🥳 keep it up! If you’re one of those fit fuckers at 115lbs and just hit your six 6min mile FUCK YES 🥳 get it girl! If you’re a mother(or anyone)of three that that finally feels brave to post a pic of herself in a swim suit POST THE SHIT OUT OF IT!!
Pooh woke up that morning, and, for reasons that he didn’t entirely understand, couldn’t stop the tears from coming. He sat there in bed, his little body shaking, and he cried, and cried, and cried.
Amidst his sobs, the phone rang.
It was Piglet.
“Oh Piglet,” said Pooh, between sobs, in response to his friend’s gentle enquiry as to how he was doing. “I just feel so Sad. So, so, Sad, almost like I might not ever be happy again. And I know that I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I know there are so many people who have it worse off than me, and so I really have no right to be crying, with my lovely house, and my lovely garden, and the lovely woods all around me. But oh, Piglet: I am just SO Sad.”
Piglet was silent for a while, as Pooh’s ragged sobbing filled the space between them. Then, as the sobs turned to gasps, he said, kindly: “You know, it isn’t a competition.”
“What isn’t a competition?” asked a confused sounding Pooh.
“Sadness. Fear. Grief,” said Piglet. “It’s a mistake we often make, all of us. To think that, because there are people who are worse off than us, that that somehow invalidates how we are feeling. But that simply isn’t true. You have as much right to feel unhappy as the next person; and, Pooh – and this is the really important bit – you also have just as much right to get the help that you need.”
“Help? What help?” asked Pooh. “I don’t need help, Piglet.
“Do I?”
Pooh and Piglet talked for a long time, and Piglet suggested to Pooh some people that he might be able to call to talk to, because when you are feeling Sad, one of the most important things is not to let all of the Sad become trapped inside you, but instead to make sure that you have someone who can help you, who can talk through with you how the Sad is making you feeling, and some of the things that might be able to be done to support you with that.
What’s more, Piglet reminded Pooh that this support is there for absolutely everyone, that there isn’t a minimum level of Sad that you have to be feeling before you qualify to speak to someone.
Finally, Piglet asked Pooh to open his window and look up at the sky, and Pooh did so.
“You see that sky?” Piglet asked his friend. “Do you see the blues and the golds and that big fluffy cloud that looks like a sheep eating a carrot?”
Pooh looked, and he could indeed see the blues and the golds and the big fluffy cloud that looked like a sheep eating a carrot.
“You and I,” continued Piglet, “we are both under that same sky. And so, whenever the Sad comes, I want you to look up at that sky, and know that, however far apart we might be physically…we are also, at the same time, together. Perhaps, more together than we have ever been before.”
“Do you think this will ever end?” asked Pooh in a small voice.
“This too shall pass,” confirmed Piglet. “And I promise you, one day, you and I shall once again sit together, close enough to touch, sharing a little smackerel of something…under that blue gold sky.”
If you’ve never seen a placenta, this beautiful image shows the size of it perfectly. After birth, the placenta detaches from the uterus leaving a wound the size of a plate. Now imagine you had a wound that large on the outside of your body. You would be told by everyone to rest, look after yourself and take time to heal.
So why is it expected that new mothers should ‘bounce back’ so quickly after childbirth? When this is just one thing that needs healing; not to mention all the other physical, emotional and psychological changes we need to adjust to..
If you’re a new mum reading this, it’s ok to stay in bed with your baby. It’s ok to ask others for help. It’s ok to prioritise yourself and your baby. Get your family involved, ask your friends for some help, get a postnatal doula. Don’t rush your post-birth recovery, be easy on yourself. No better time to do so than just after you’ve given birth. . . . ETA: On average it takes about 4-6 weeks for the uterus to shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size.
Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They sleep all day while you work and work all night while you sleep. Or, their 0500 alarm disturbs your sleep and then they come home too tired to cook dinner. Don’t marry a Health care assistant.
They walk in the door mentally exhausted and sometimes forget to even say hello. Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They run out of patience and snap at the slightest question or demand. Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They constantly complain about germs or access for people in public. It can be embarrassing.
Don’t marry a Health care assistant. Their stories are not dinner-at-your-moms appropriate. Don’t marry a Health care assistant. Your complaints of a sore throat will hardly be heard. Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They spend so much of their energy on their patients that they have nothing left to give to you when their shift ends.
Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They don’t make you a priority when they agree to work on their days off Don’t marry a Health care assistant.
They’re so emotionally unstable that sometimes they come home and just cry for no reason. Don’t marry a Health care assistant. They are constantly in crisis about where their life is going. Don’t marry a Health care assistant.
Marry a Heath care assistant. They are brave enough to take on any challenge. Marry a Heath care assistant. They get up every day to put others first. Marry a Health care assistant. They have the best gut instincts to know when something is wrong.
Marry a Health care assistant. They have felt with depths of their hearts unknown to most people. Marry a Health care assistant. They’re always ready to help someone in need. Marry a Health care assistant. They see things that others don’t. Marry a Health care assistant. They give their all and utilize every talent they have. Marry a Health care assistant. They know what it means to sacrifice. Marry a Health care assistant. They were brave enough to embrace a duty that never sleeps.
Marry a Health care assistant. They have learned to adjust without complaining. Marry a Health care assistant. They are strong enough to hold back tears until they are alone. Marry a Health care assistant. They never settle for less than they are capable of. Marry a Health care assistant. They succeed in times of unknown.
Marry a Health care assistant. They know the value of life. Marry a Health care assistant. They are the best comforters. Marry a Health care assistant. They know time is precious. Marry a Health care assistant. Those quiet moments truly are sacred. Marry a Health care assistant. Because if you have the chance to marry a Health care assistant, that means they are trusting you to help them carry a beautiful burden that you will never understand. Marry a Health care assistant.
Hello. I’m a reactive dog. People call me ‘reactive’ because I sometimes bark, growl and lunge towards other dogs, people, cats, cars – some of those things, or all of them.
‘Reactive’ is a label though and I would like you to understand what it’s really like to be ‘reactive’ and how I actually feel when I ‘react’.
If you are a ‘reactive’ dog, certain things, taken for granted by other dogs – such as a simple walk in the park or a trip to a dog show, become a bit more complicated. While I would love to be able to investigate all the fantastic smells in the park, or have a great time in a training class, scoffing off some yummy treats and exercising my brain cells, life for me is sadly full of anxiety and fear, and instead of enjoying these events, I am constantly on edge.
Why, you might want to ask? Can’t you just, like, get over it?
Nothing ever happens to you when you are out, why get yourself so worked up?
The problem is, ‘getting over it’ is not that simple. My anxiety and fear stem from many things – I might not have been socialized properly when young, or I might have had a bad experience. That means that certain things (other dogs, small children, load noises, people coming up to say hello) fill me with anxiety, fear or sometimes even panic. In many of those situations, if I could, I would probably run away, but many a time I can’t as I’m attached to a lead or cornered (like when another dog comes up to me and doesn’t want to leave me alone). But what sometimes works to make scary things go away is barking and growling at them – even bouncy dogs eventually get it. And while I might not look pretty or friendly when I growl and bark and lunge – hey! It works to get me out of a sticky situation and makes me feel safe again.
It’s not easy to feel scared every time I leave the house, and it’s not nice to see my owner tensing up or upset every time I feel I need to react. People shout abuse at me sometimes, ask my owner to muzzle me or even never walk me. But frankly, I don’t mean anyone any harm, I just want to be left alone. My owner works so hard to convince me that life isn’t all that scary after all – she feeds me yummy treats when a scary things approaches, she keeps me safe by helping me move out-of-the-way rather than walk towards what is bound to upset me, she really, really tries, and I am slowly learning to trust things that used to freak me out loads.
But every now and then, just when I start thinking that maybe other dogs, people, cars etc. aren’t that scary after all, someone or something comes up a bit too close and my old fears come back – and all I can do is panic and scream (that is bark, growl and lunge) to make them go away.
So next time you see one of us – reactive dogs – out and about, please please – don’t judge. Don’t shout abuse at my owner who is trying all she can to make me feel safe. If you’re asked to call your dog away, please do, and don’t ask questions or claim your dog can do no harm as he’s friendly (to us, reactive dogs, that’s sometimes even worse!). Don’t let your children stroke us unless our owner says it’s fine. Just give us a bit of space so we can be on our way.
Thank you so much!
Written by the team at Pets in Practise “where determination and positivity, works!”
