The Anomaly Scan

Caelyn had her 20 week Anomaly Scan today. All was normal and within normal limits with no abnormalities of any kind detected. Baby weighs 410grams at present and is 135mm long. All organs look to be functioning correctly.

I'm posting a photo of Caelyn and you will see that she isn't over her 'flu yet and that she has lost weight. I'm glad the Dr is keeping an eye on her because we want everything to continue going well.



If all is going according to plan, my mother should be on the aeroplane back to England after spending Christmas in South Africa with my brother and his family. Caelyn and Nigel went to the supermarket this evening to stock her up with some essential groceries. They will put some beef stew I made into her fridge. I made her some queen cakes as well. She shouldn't feel obliged to scuttle around getting bread and milk etc after a long flight like that. I am happy that she has organised wheelchair assistance because airports have passages miles long and my mother has arthritis and long hasselly walks like that don't do her any good.

Girlie Stuff

Caelyn is to have her Anomaly Scan tomorrow afternoon. As far as I know, I'm babysitting Woozle because she can't be expected to sit quietly while a fairly long procedure is carried out in a room full of interesting objects. It will be good to have a scan as Caelyn has lost a fair bit of weight since having 'flu. She saw the Dr today and he gave her some medication and he wants to see her next week.

Michelle and Woozle have been having Girlie Times on the sofa, vegging out with girlie movies and chocolate. Thick as thieves, those two.



Our little Woozle is utterly charming and diabolically clever. If you tell her to stop doing something, she smiles sweetly and says "No thanks!" Well!! How do you keep a straight face?

We have had a severe weather warning. There is a cold front coming from Siberia and the temperatures are expected to be minus 13 for two weeks or so. As we live in the South East, it will probably not get that cold here, but it could be enough to disrupt transport. I suggest the family stock up on groceries etc because the shops may not receive stock or it may be too treacherous to go out. UHT milk, bread in the freezer, tins in the cupboards. Better safe than sorry. And keep the heating on to prevent the pipes freezing.

Caelyn's Health

As you may be aware, we have all had 'flu. I eventually had to have an antibiotic and I am almost well again.

Caelyn is still very sick though, and getting worse. She can hardly breathe so I have had to give her a ventolin inhaler. She needs a doctor because I am sure she has developed an infection on top of the virus. There is a bit of an epidemic on though, and people are being told not to go to hospital. The GPs are off on their Christmas breaks until Monday. Caelyn is pregnant and she has kidney damage. She needs to be seen and also to go to bed and stay there.

As a mother, she can't just go to bed. She says Nigel feels like a single parent and he is getting irritable with Wendy because he isn't over his 'flu properly either. When they were here this evening, I wanted to let her lie down and let Michelle and I look after Wendy but she said Nigel would be cross with her if she did that. She has not been able to eat and she has visibly lost weight - not ideal in pregnancy. I don't think her body can stand much more.

I gave her my mobile phone so that she can call a doctor if she gets worse. There is a possibility that Doctors on Call have a Surgery tomorrow. They need to find out sooner rather than later. Nigel will have to do it because she is too breathless to talk.

Christmas Postcard

I made this postcard with the idea of sending it to family in South Africa.

Wendy had a lot of fun with this Ball Tent. Her Mum is pregnant and uncomfortable so its marvellous that Auntie Michelle enjoys getting down on Wendy's level and playing with her. Kids need that. Michelle was there when Wendy was born. They bonded then, and Michelle has been an excellent Auntie to that child. What child can have too many adult champions?  There are loads of photos of Michelle playing with Wendy, taking Wendy out, and just enjoying her company.

 

Also, most of us have a big-kidspace inside us that is OK to express in the company of an unselfconscious young child.  That may be part of the joy of it.  The adult world has to be serious so much of the time that we can forget just how liberating it is to be carefree, undignified and simply celebrate silliness.

A really great Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas much to my surprise considering the amount of illness in the family this year. Everyone was relaxed and happy and we all enjoyed each other's company as well as the food and fun. Many people are not as fortunate and we are certainly thankful for the blessings poured all over the family.

And while we are feeling so happy, let us compassionately remember those who were lonely and unhappy.

I hope you enjoy flicking through the online album here below:

Photobucket Album

A bit of Fun

Michelle and Wendy were enjoying each other's company yesterday. 

Look at the body language. 

She was drawing an outline of Michelle's hand. Incidentally, they are both left handed.

A kiss

And a Giggle

Ice cream? Auntie Michelle? Friend Brakkie and his frog?  

What more could a girl want?

The big thing at the moment is for her to call me and say 'Hiding'! 

Then I say 'where are you hiding?' 'Cupboard' she says.

Or just follow the giggles.

Then she phoned her Great Gran in South Africa today and told her that she wanted 3 balls 

when Great Gran comes back from holiday.

Yesterday

Yesterday Wendy was in a great mood and I took some photos of her and her Auntie Michelle.  I stayed up quite late manipulating on of the photos because my asthma was playing up so much it was impossible to sleep.  I will try for a Drs appointment today, but I don't hold out much hope.  I have had several nights of being up most of the night due to health reasons, and I'm weary now. I'd really like to shake off this bug and get some proper rest.

And a Black and White version.

Carols

I hope you enjoy this rendition of Silent Night.  There is a big selection of Christmas Carols on YouTube and you can make Playlists with them.

'Flu - its not just us

I have been writing about the family and I having a nasty dose of 'flu. I am up at this time of night because I can't sleep because I can't breathe well enough. Nothing seems to help, and the inhalers the Dr has given me have caused raw, painful thrush in my mouth, throat and gullet. I had one square of chocolate and I was burning from my mouth right down into my stomach for a good hour afterwards. I thought the family was unlucky to get such a virulent bug so close to Christmas until I saw this article.

It seems it has gotten out of hand. Volunteers from the Red Cross and St John's Ambulance have been called in to help as the NHS groans and creaks under the burden. I wanted to see the Dr again tomorrow because my breathing is even worse and the thrush that burns and is so dry makes me feel ill too. But I wonder if that is the right thing to do? I have already been seen once and if the service is so overstretched, perhaps I should hold on a bit longer so someone in more serious need could see a Dr. I will think this through a bit more. The thing is there is no real treatment they can offer and I surely don't need sympathy and a consoling pat on the head. What I would like is to be able to breathe. Other people want that too. Lots of other people. My case of course is important - just like everyone elses.

Michelle has to work tomorrow as they have staff off sick and some who need to go off sick, but she took her temperature just after 1am and it is still up.

And those kids think we can do Christmas on Thursday. Do they have any idea of recuperation times and the demands of Christmas? Not really. I think its asking for trouble, personally.

Here are a few other links, which are rather worrying:
A & E admissions rise due to winter health crisis.

Worst 'flu outbreak since 2000

Health Secretary forced to deny that the NHS can't cope with winter illness

If you have 'flu, you don't want others to be infected, so the bottom line question is how long 'flu remains infectious. I searched the Internet, and Netdoctor came up with this answer:

You are still infectious until all your symptoms have gone. However, the infectivity declines by the day. In other words, in the first few days you are highly infectious, then as every day passes you get less so.

Try taking a two week course of Echinacea - it has a good reputation as an herbal treatment for helping reduce the length of infections.

Bagpiper arrested for causing distress

This delicious story is absolutely priceless. Read the original Daily Mail version here

A busker playing the bagpipes has been arrested for causing a breach of the peace.

Shaun Cartwright was handcuffed and driven to the police station in Bridport, Dorset, and his beloved pipes were seized.

He was accused of causing 'distress' to shoppers - which came as a great surprise to Mr Cartwright, 38, as he had made £50 in just an hour of playing.

Officers told busker Mr Cartwright his piping had annoyed members of the public in Bridport, Dorset, and detained him for a breach of the peace.

He was handcuffed and driven to a police station while his pipes were seized.

Mr Cartwright, an accomplished piper who has been playing for more than 25 years, was later released. He was told it was not in the public interest to press charges and his pipes were returned to him.

(story continues online)

Poor Old Lib Dems!

I have never had much respect for the Lib Dems, mostly because they don't seem to be sure of what they believe in themselves and it seems to me that they tailor their answers according to what they think the questioner wants to hear. We don't hear from them much in Folkestone except around election time when we keep getting 'newsletters' that assure us that they are there for us all year round. These newsletters are full of photos of them looking so downcast, dejected, confused and miserable that I've come to think of them as the Lib Glums.

Neither do they seem to think like other people do. A few years ago, being short of money, they decided to 'save' by closing the public lavatories during the Tourist season. Another 'saving' was not cutting the grass on verges and roundabouts, with the predictable result that as the grass grew higher, motorists could not see around it, increasing hazards considerably. What I want to know is how they decided closing the public lavatories would be welcomed as a good idea? The people taking that decision must be adults or else they would not be in a position to make such a decision. There have always been groups of people who haven't been able to wait, such as:
young children
pregnant women
the elderly
people with bladder problems.

Its not rocket science. A school child could work that one out. So what was so difficult about it? This was so ridiculously short sighted that I'd vote for the devil himself to keep them out of power. If they can cause that much havoc in one area, the mind boggles at their getting power in Westminster or in Brussels. If they can't run a public lavatory, they certainly can't be allowed to run a country.

But today, I almost felt sorry for them. There is this obviously doctored video on Stephen Mold's Blog and it is hilarious and appalling all at once.

Take a look:

Very pleasant surprise

I have been sending my ex husband home made postcards using photos of the kids as the front. We were never sure if he got them because the post in South Africa can be a bit dodgy.

Today the postman delivered a parcel from him and his wife Annie. There were Christmas cards for Michelle, Caelyn and me and a treasure box of nice things for Wendy.

We were really touched. It was very nice of them and Wendy's stuff was well chosen. She loved it. Judging from different handwritings in different places, Annie had a big part to play in this. I am very pleased for the girls because they used to long for contact with their dad. This looks like a cautious attempt at building bridges and that is great. Life is too short to stay on bad terms with people. The thing is when there is a history of pain between people - as there inevitably is in divorce proceedings - it is hard to let go of old grudges. Then, after a time, you look at the old grudges and decide they really aren't important at all.

Cancel Christmas?

We all have 'flu, and we all feel terrible but no medication does any good. We all have pretty severe pain and fever plus a whole lot of other delightful symptoms. No one can eat, we are all thirsty and no one can imagine shopping for Christmas or cooking or decorating or cleaning up. People say it gets worse before it gets better and we think that is right, judging by our experience.

These are rather frank photos showing how fantastic we all feel. There is no photo of Nigel because he couldn't stay up. There was no choice, he had to lie down.




Andy sent a parcel for Wendy. I phoned Kate to tell her and also mentioned that I needed some items. Feeling as bad as he did, Nigel stopped at Asda to get them. Judging by how he looks, it was pretty heroic.











We are considering cancelling Christmas and moving it to the New Year when my Mum gets back from South Africa.

Christmas Card

Here is a Christmas Card for my Visitors



Wendy says she is ready for some good food during the festivities and hopes you will have as much Christmas Cheer as she hopes to.

Health and Computers

The whole family was fine on Wednesday night and on Thursday we woke up with fever, swollen glands, coughing and aches and pains. It has been rather awful but the one I feel most sorry for is Wendy. Its a funny thing that although she is usually a Mummy's girl, when she is sick she wants her father in sight all the time.

Our Internet has been down since Sunday. I have spent hours on the phone to Technical Support and no one has yet come up with the right solution. Richard has reinstalled the Router with earlier drivers and it is working, sort of. He says it won't last though. I thought while there was a window of opportunity I would post about this problem so that my friends can understand why I'm not emailing them. I can do a bit of basic emailing on my mobile phone but it has its limitations. When the internet issue is finally sorted out, I will catch up with every one. In the meantime, I wish all our friends and family a Happy and Holy Christmas, and a Prosperous New Year.

Another Chest Infection

I have another chest infection and it is the third one this year. I will have to get some antibiotics next week, and probably steroids too. My chest was perfectly ok in South Africa where the air is cleaner, warmer and drier.

Last time I had a chest infection. I coughed my Mirena System out and it had to be put back on Tuesday in a very painful procedure. I don't want to go through that unnecessarily again. It was put in to treat some precancerous cells so it has to stay in situ. The first insertion was ok but the second one definitely wasn't. If it comes out again, I will ask for an anaesthetic!

I have Relented

This year, I wasn't going to bake a Fruit Cake because the ingredients are so expensive, but today I changed my mind. I went to Sainsburys and got the ingredients. I've prepared the fruit and put it to soak in Brandy and will probably bake it on Monday morning.

Bought cakes are ok but they aren't as nice as home made ones. And in the home made ones, you know exactly what has gone in to them.

It is probably a mistake. When I told my daughter Caelyn that I am going to make a cake after all, the little baggage began to badger me for rusks. I told her that I will teach her how to do it on Tuesday and then she can make them to her hearts' content. From one batch of rusks, she has tried to inflate it to four batches on account of her being pregnant and not wanting Bump to starve. Like I'm going to fall for that one!

You know you're in South Africa when

You know you’re in South Africa when ...

When the police offer R 1000.00 for reward leading to the arrest of someone, or 3 cows.

When things don't get stolen, they get affirmatively acquired.

When the SABC summons you for non-payment of TV license fees - when
you don't have a television.

You can't make a phone call because the copper cables have been stolen.

The police advise you not to stop if they wave you down in the middle of the night but rather speed past them and drive to your nearest police station.

When you go to prison for murder, instead of the death sentence, you get a nice box of condoms.

A pick-up truck is described as a "bakkie" even in English.

When a murderer gets a 2 year sentence and a pirate viewer a 6 month sentence.

The prisoners strike!

Crime actually DOES pay.

The employees DANCE in front of the building to show how unhappy they are.

A 45 year old engineer gets replaced by a 25 year old who cannot write his own name.

When Rwandan refugees start leaving the country because the crime is too high.

When the road narrows, the guy to the rear of you has right of way.

You don't stop at a red rob.... traffic light, in case somebody hijacks your car.

You find out there's nothing to watch on TV or it's broadcasting in 11 different official languages.

You are likely to spend less time in prison for shooting the SABC license inspector, than for actually not having a TV license.

People would rather be killed in their beds than live in some country where they would have to make their beds themselves.

When the vote counters in the rural areas are as illiterate as the voters.

You no longer request anything, you "DIMAND" it.

You know what "vowlence" is.

Mr Mugabe goes Visiting

President Mugabe goes on an official state visit to a small country
in the middle of Africa. At the airport he is met by this country's
Minister of Harbours. All of a sudden Mr. Mugabe realizes that this
is absurd, this country has no harbours as it is landlocked! He is
very puzzled and decides to find out what the story is.

At the official state banquet later that evening, he leans over to the
President and asks, "Mr. President, why do you have a Minister of
Harbours when you don't have any harbours?"

The President looks Mr. Mugabe straight in the eye and says, "Well
you know that may be true Mr. Mugabe, but I was just as puzzled at
why you have a Minister of Law and Order?"

Broccoli Loving Kitten

I found this very funny. It was on the I can haz Cheezburger site, where it is all too easy to waste hours of time.



Not all kitties feel the same way about broccoli though:


more animals

Gordons Bay Fire

My mother is visiting Gordons Bay in South Africa. There has been a bush fire made worse by strong winds, which stopped helicopters from waterbombing the fire for a long time. My mother says 8 houses were burned and two firemen died. May they rest in peace. A couple of firemen are still at the scene to watch for smouldering embers turning into another fire.

It must have been frightening for people who live there because the mountains behind them were ablaze and an inhospitable sea in front of them.

There are 8 photos in the album. If you want to see them, double click in the middle of the picture and you will go to a Photobucket page where you will be able to see them.

Photobucket Album

How many will it take?

How many deaths and tragedies is it going to take before NICE authorises funds to be spent on ME Research? There has been none/no/zilch/nada official monies put into biomedical research into ME in the UK. Research that has been done has been funded by charities which are funded by poor people on sickness benefits who can only afford a pound or two at a time.

Dr John Gow in Scotland and Dr Ian Kerr in Hammersmith have discovered differences in genetic expression in sufferers. 7 subgroups of ME have been identified. Australian doctors have found Urinary Markers. Muscle biopsies show abnormalities in laboratories. This has been funded by patients and relatives. After Sophia Mirza died of ME and her spinal cord was examined by several consultants at Post Mortem examinations in different parts of the country, it was found to be inflamed. They found other abnormalities too and Sophia had ME written on her death certificate by the Coroner.

All the Government has done is to set up clinics far out of the way of public transport. Patients are offered 6 sessions, and in that time they are told to feel more positive about being ill (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and to exercise because they are unfit (Graded Exercise Therapy, which can kill if carelessly prescribed).

The World Health Organisation classifies ME as a NEUROLOGICAL disease. People with other neurological illnesses such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and Epilepsy aren't told to cheer up and get some exercise so why do people think it is OK to treat something as serious and life-stealing as ME so contemptuously? It ISN'T OK!!! How many deaths and how many broken families will it take before ME patients are treated as seriously and compassionately as sufferers of other neurological illnesses?

I lay this death and the deaths of other neglected sufferers at the door of those who stubbornly refuse to fund Biomedical research into ME.

High Priority to Daily Mail from Dr C Shepherd

MAY BE REPOSTED

HIGH PRIORITY

Sir

RE: Mother arrested for murder after 'yuppie-flu' daughter is found dead after 16 years in bed.

Please could you immediately remove this on-line headline before it appears in a paper edition of the Daily Mail tomorrow.

The reference to 'yuppie flu' is highly offensive to the family who are now having to deal with this tragic death.

It is also a totally inaccurate description of the illness known as ME because ME affects all age groups and social classes. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever to justify the use of this derogatory term and most newspapers stopped using it years ago.

Yours sincerely

Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, ME Association

7 Apollo Office Court
Radclive Road
Gawcott
Bucks MK18 4DF

Tragedy

The death of Lynn Gilderdale surely came as a merciful release. My heart goes out to her for all she suffered for so many years.

I can not find it in my heart to condemn her Mum who had looked after her with love, care and devotion for long, long years. In fact, a big part of me guiltily admires her courage. Lynn's suffering is over, but Kay's still has a long course to run. She has been let free on bail so the Police surely don't consider her to be a risk to anyone. I just hope she has somewhere safe to go and grieve and where she will be understood, loved and supported.

Dear, loving Kay, my heart goes out to you. For a mother, there is nothing worse than watching a beloved child suffer. And you watched and tried to help, on your own, for 16 long years. Lynn was too ill and weak even to whisper how she was suffering, but you knew. And in the end, you sacrificed yourself to give her the peace and respite she wanted.

Kay and Lynn Gilderdale

This is the Daily Mail's version of the Kay and Lynn Gilderdale story

Mother arrested as 'yuppie-flu' daughter is found dead after 16 years in bed

A policeman's wife has been arrested on suspicion of the mercy-killing murder of the couple's seriously ill daughter.

Detectives are now examining the exact circumstances of the death of 31-year-old Lynn Gilderdale, who died at her home in Stonegate, in East Sussex, on Thursday.

Her 54-year-old mother Kay, who was also her full-time carer was arrested by police on suspicion of murder and has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Lynn's father Richard, who is separated from her mother, is a former police sergeant who still works for the police in a civilian role in the nearby town of Hastings.

Lynn was diagnosed with ME, once dubbed yuppie flu, in May 1992. She spent much of her life unable to leave her bed, communicating with her family through sign language.

A tribute to Lynn was released through the police yesterday. In it, the family said: 'Lynn was young, beautiful, loving and caring.

'At the age of 14 years she was struck down by ME - an illness greatly misunderstood - and as a result, suffered the stigma attached to this dreadful illness.

'She fought long and hard for 17 years with immense bravery, enduring constant pain and sickness.

'Every system of her body was affected. She required 24 hour care that was provided by her totally dedicated mother, with continuous support from Lynn's father.

'Lynn suffered many hospital admissions, sometimes lasting several months, for life threatening conditions.

'Prior to her illness, which left her paralysed, unable to speak, eat or drink and until recently, no memory, she was an active healthy teenager full of life's dreams.

'She enjoyed sailing, swimming, cycling and was an accomplished musician.

'Her family praise and admire Lynn for her courage, which she showed to the end.

She was a much-loved daughter, sister and granddaughter who despite her illness always gave love and support to others.

'In life Lynn strove to help the medical profession improve their insight into ME which affects thousands of people, in varying degrees of severity.

'Her dedicated mother, supported by Lynn's family, has pledged to achieve her ultimate goal - for better understanding and recognition of this life destroying illness.'

In a interview two years ago, Kay revealed how doctors at a specialist clinic in London treated her daughter as an attention seeker, with a made-up illness.

She said that although Lynn could not swallow, spoke only in a whisper and failed to recognise people, she was made to take part in punishing experiments.

At her worst, Lynn could only move her little finger, failed to recognise anybody, remember anything, experienced painful muscular spasms and shook all over.

She could not bear any light, touch or noise and could hear only one whispered voice at a time.

As a result of being bedridden, Lynn often had blood clots and suffered from severe osteoporosis, irritable bowel syndrome and asthma and was fed through a tube.

Speaking two years ago Kay said: 'It's like she's in limbo. If someone dies, you mourn them, then you get to a stage where you know that person is gone and you move on. But Lynn is neither one nor the other.

'She is stuck in that room, not dead, but not alive properly.

'If I didn't believe, and she didn't believe, that one day she would get better then I don't think it would be right for her to go on suffering like this for a whole lifespan of 70 or 80 years.

'I don't resent what it has done to my life but I do resent whatever has made her so ill. It's been heartbreaking to watch my child lose her faculties one by one.

'It is still very hard for me to see mothers and daughters together or groups of teenagers dressed up and laughing or to hear a family in the garden having a barbecue with children running around.

Lynn once spent two months on a life-support machine at Kings Hospital in London after suffering a punctured lung after complications receiving medication through a Hickman line.

Richard and Kay Gilderdale split up because of unrelated problems, but he visited his daughter regularly and also looked after her.

There is no known cure for ME and Kay previously told how she was online everyday keeping up-to-date with research into the syndrome.

Ch Insp Heather Keating, the Rother district police commander, said: 'This is a very tragic incident, but we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it.'

The investigation into Lynn Gilderdale's death is being led by Det Ch Insp Andy Griffiths from the Major Crime Branch of Sussex Police.

Bush Fire & High Winds in the Cape

My mother is visiting South Africa.  She is in Gordons Bay and has just sent a text saying that there is a serious fire being blown towards them by high winds.

Please pray.

Thanks

Woman arrested over 'murder' of sick daughter

The Times carried this tragic story today

A woman from East Sussex has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of her daughter, who had spent more than half her life bedridden with the debilitating disease ME.

Kay Gilderdale was arrested last week after the death of her daughter Lynn, 31, who was given a diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalopathy in 1992 and had required 24-hour care ever since.

Police were called to Mrs Gilderdale's bungalow in the village of Stonegate, near Tunbridge Wells, at 8.30am on Thursday. A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "A 54-year-old woman from Stonegate, arrested on suspicion of murder, has been interviewed and bailed to return on March 6."

Lynn Gilderdale had been suffering from ME, sometimes known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, since the age of 14. She had been unable to speak - communicating with her mother only via sign language - although she still had managed to campaign for a better understanding of her illness.

Her father, Richard, is a former inspector with Sussex Police who still works for the force in a civilian capacity.

The investigation into the young woman's death is being led by Sussex Police’s Major Crime Branch. Chief Inspector Heather Keating, the local commander, said: "This is a very tragic incident, but we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it."

A family tribute released today through Sussex Police described Mrs Gilderdale as a "totally dedicated mother" who was still determined to fight for recognition of a "life-destroying illness".

It said that Lynn Gilderdale had "fought long and hard for 17 years with immense bravery, enduring constant pain and sickness.

"Every system of her body was affected. She required 24 hour care that was provided by her totally dedicated mother, with continuous support from Lynn’s father."

The family said that Lynn had been admitted to hospital many times, sometimes for a period of several months, for life-threatening conditions.

The statement added: "Prior to her illness, which left her paralysed, unable to speak, eat or drink and until recently, with no memory, she was an active healthy teenager full of life’s dreams.

"She grew up in the Stonegate area, attending local schools and participating fully in her local community. She enjoyed sailing, swimming, cycling and was an accomplished musician.

"Her family praise and admire Lynn for her courage, which she showed to the end."

"She was a much-loved daughter, sister and granddaughter who despite her illness always gave love and support to others.

"Lynn’s family say her death will leave a massive void in their lives – and the love she gave so unreservedly, will be missed every minute of the day."

Technical Trouble in Computer Country

I am having grave difficulty using my computer. Big problem with the Mouse. I'll show you what I mean:



I think I'll have to retire the mouse and get a dog instead!

Have you ever heard the phrase "A cat can purr his way out of anything"? Its true.

Sickness Benefits

The new Welfare Reform Act is due to be passed during this Parliament. I am particularly interested in sickness benefits because the government aims to get a Million people off sickness benefits and back to work. I agree that in general,that is a good thing. I have certain reservations though.

I would like to see certain groups protected. There are some people with conditions that are either incurable or can only deteriorate. I'm thinking of people with Alzheimers, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, the last stages of AIDS or Cancer or renal failure or Schizophrenia, Post Polio Syndrome and a range of other illnesses as well. People with these sorts of problems should not be hassled to get jobs or to fill out endless forms. Once a consultant has certified their condition, they should be left in peace because constant form filling with the fear of Benefits being stopped can only cause needless suffering.

Previously, the Government had Sheltered Employment Schemes for people who could work a bit but not in a competitive job market. These schemes have stopped so there is no government Sheltered Employment available any more. With many companies going belly up in the Recession, there is fiercer competition than ever for fewer jobs. It isn't rocket science to work out that a recently employed person will be offered the job in preference to someone who has been off sick for a few years and who may need special arrangements and adaptations to enable them to do the job.

How is it that so many people think all you have to do to get these Benefits is to ask for them? My boyfriend was telling me today that under the new Welfare Reform Bill, people will have to be examined by doctors. I told him that is just propaganda and spin because it has been done for at least 10 years to my certain knowledge! Do people really believe that doctors routinely lie when issuing sickness reports? Lying is professional misconduct and they can be struck off the Register for it. They know that. So why would they do it? Someone hasn't thought this through too carefully.

Many people are on Incapacity because the Government wanted them there. In places like Merthyr Tydfil where local industry collapsed, the unemployment statistics were high enough to embarrass the Government, so Job Centre staff were told to advise people to claim for sickness benefits so the unemployment stats would be less embarrassing.

The way I see it, there are 4 groups in the sickness benefit spectrum:
1. Those put on them to reduce unemployment statistics.
2. Some liars, cheats, scroungers and scoundrels.
3. The genuinely ill and
4. The genuinely ill who need the benefits but are finding it a form of torture to get them. I am in correspondence with quite a few of them and I wish I could communicate their despair.

I have a friend who has severe Schizophrenia that is only barely controlled. Under the new proposed Reforms, she will have to look for work because under the new guidelines, Schizophrenics who are only moderately violent or not violent at all will have to work. Who on earth do the Government think is going to employ a 'moderately violent Schizophrenic'? Someone is obviously in Cloud Cuckoo Land! Besides, whenever the spectre of being forced into work is in the news, my friend gets so anxious and worried that she doesn't sleep for days because of fear. She says she will either stop taking her medication completely or she will take the whole lot at once.

I fully support helping people back into work if they have been put on Sickness Benefits to massage the Unemployment statistics. I fully agree that liars, rogues and scoundrels should be put to work. People who find their current jobs too stressful, instead of being put in sickness benefits could possibly be sent on a stress management course and moved to a less stressful job. For instance, if a teacher felt overwhelmed by job stress, she could possibly become a librarian or florist. 'Work' need not necessarily mean working exclusively in one's own profession.

The genuinely ill need protection though, as they are very vulnerable. It seems that first applications are routinely rejected even with good supporting medical evidence. The forms that have to be filled in are in the form of booklets and are about 30 pages long. And you have to fill out two different ones to apply for Disability Living Allowance. It is fraught with tension, and people who are very ill and who need the help most very often do not have the strength to fight for it.

Port Lympne Zoo

Sean and I took Wendy to Port Lympne Zoo. Its winter so it got dark early and we weren't there long enough, but even so, she tried Delaying Tactics when it was time to leave. The Zoo is far too big to get around in a few hours so we decided to concentrate mostly on the primates. They have gorillas and many species of monkey.



She was running all over the place, gleeful as anything. Yet she kept an ear out for vehicles and when she heard one she voluntarily stood still right up against the fences so she is learning some road safety, which is encouraging.





Sean was very good to her and in the end when she was tired, he carried her.




Caelyn is bringing Wendy here tomorrow so that Nigel can study in peace for his exam on Monday. I have agreed to let her speak to Great Grandma Josie who is visiting South Africa. They were supposed to have chatted on Friday but we couldn't wake Wendy up as she was sleeping soundly.

My mother has a bad cough that has been dragging on for ages and she says she will have to see the Dr if she isn't feeling better by Monday. She forgets that the Helderberg circle of mountains traps industrial air pollution and that it is an area that has a lot of chest problems because of it.

A word for the ill and unfit:
Port Lympne has many very steep hills and they are muddy after rain. I took my mobility scooter and thought it would be OK because there are stair-less routes around the Zoo. However, the scooter could not cope. I had to push it twice and it completely conked out once up an especially steep incline and I had to reset it with the reset button. Basically, if you can get your scooter into your car, it won't be strong enough to cope with the terrain at Port Lympne Zoo. The Zoo have done their best with stair free paths but they can't do anything about the essential geography of the place.

Woo Hoo!

Opera has released Opera 10 with the new Presto engine.

You can download it here

IT Pro has an article about it here

The idiots guide to water cooling

This is hilarious. So silly the other guys on the Forum thought he was having a laugh.

http://tinyurl.com/5e7zut

Bunny Chow

Some foods are particular to different parts of the world. One food that is peculiar to Durban, especially in Grey Street, is a dish called Bunny Chow. Grey St is - or was when I was there - an Indian area. They sell what is known as Bunny Chow, and Bunny Chow is traditionally accompanied by a bottle of ice cold milk.

To make Bunny Chow, you hollow out half a loaf of bread. Then you fill the hollow with curry.




Then, the bread taken from the loaf is placed on top of the curry, which is eaten with the fingers using the bread to scoop it out.



Michelle and I had a 'duvet day' today and just because of nostalgia, I made us Bunny Chow. We didn't use a whole loaf of course, and the bit I had soon filled me up, but Michelle enjoyed hers to the very last drop. Just as well its a once in a blue moon thing.

I lost a filling this evening so it will be back to the dentist with me shortly. Luckily it doesn't hurt.

One of my friends gave up a baby for adoption 23yrs ago. They have had telephonic contact and he is married with two children. They are meeting this Saturday and she is so excited, full of hope and expectation. I hope it lives up to her dreams, but she had built it up so much in her mind that I fear that it can't. I wish them all the best. She is comforted to know that his adoptive family treated him so well that he never suspected that he was adopted until he saw his birth certificate at 21.

Another friend has been told that the school suspects that her child may have Aspergers Syndrome and that she has been referred to the educational psychologists urgently because they want to push a Statement of Special Educational Needs through. She is overwhelmed and is afraid to continue trying for another baby in case the next one also has problems.

Some people have to bear so much in this life.

UK Photo Drivers Licence Holders Beware

IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT DRIVING LICENCE -

YOU NEED TO READ THIS !!!

Unwitting motorists face £1,000 fines as thousands of photocard driving licences expire

Thousands of motorists are at risk of being fined up to £1,000 because they are unwittingly driving without a valid licence.

They risk prosecution after failing to spot the extremely small print on their photocard licence which says it automatically expires after 10 years and has to be renewed - even though drivers are licensed to drive until the age of 70.

The fiasco has come to light a decade after the first batch of photo licences was issued in July 1998, just as the they start to expire.
Motoring organisations blamed the Government for the fiasco and said 'most' drivers believed their licences were for life.

A mock-up driving licence from 1998 when the photocards were launched shows the imminent expiry date as item '4b'

They said officials had failed to publicise sufficiently the fact that new-style licences - unlike the old paper ones - expire after a set period and have to be renewed.

To rub salt into wounds, drivers will have to a pay £17.50 to renew their card - a charge which critics have condemned as a 'stealth tax' and which will earn the Treasury an estimated £437million over 25 years.

Official DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired this summer, so far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding.

With another 300,000 photocard licences due to expire over the coming year, experts fear the number of invalid licences will soar, putting thousands more drivers in breach of the law and at risk of a fine.

At the heart of the confusion is the small print on the tiny credit-card-size photo licence, which is used in conjunction with the paper version. Just below the driver name on the front of the photocard licence is a series of dates and details - each one numbered. Number 4b features a date in tiny writing, but no explicit explanation as to what it means.

The date's significance is only explained if the driver turns over the card and reads the key on the back which states that '4b' means 'licence valid to'.

Even more confusingly, an adjacent table on the rear of the card sets out how long the driver is registered to hold a licence - that is until his or her 70th birthday.

A total of 25million new-style licences have been issued but - motoring experts say - drivers were never sufficiently warned they would expire after 10 years.

Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with 'failing to surrender their licence', an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.

AA president, Edmund King said: 'It is not generally known that photocard licences expire: there appears to be a lack of information that people will have to renew these licences. People think they have already paid them for once over and that is it. It will come as a surprise to motorists and a shock that they have to pay an extra £17.50.'

The AA called on the Government to use the annual £450million from traffic enforcement fines to offset the renewal charge.

Before photocard licences were introduced, old-style paper licences were valid until the age of 70. Many motorists still believe this to be the case with the new ones.

Driving instructor Tony Carter, of Canterbury, said: 'It's outrageous; everybody thinks their driving licence is for life. Why - when you have already paid £50 for your photocard licence - should you pay the Government an extra £17.50 every 10 years? It's another stealth tax. Drivers will be very annoyed.'

Today the DVLA said the date of expiry was carried on the new-style licences, even though the AA says this is 'not clear'.

The Agency was unable to say whether motorists were told the licences would expire when they were first issued.

It said it was issuing postal reminders to drivers whose photograph was due to expire, to get the renewal message across. But a spokesman admitted this was the limit of the DVLA's publicity.

Experts say many drivers will slip through the net because DVLA records are inaccurate and many motorists have changed address, making it impossible to trace them.

A DVLA spokesman said: 'Previous experience has shown that wide-scale publicity is less effective and can generate enquiries and concerns from those not affected. Instead, DVLA focussed on targeted publicity to ensure that we got the message to the right person at the right time.'

The Driving Standards Agency is allowing L-test candidates with out-of-date photocard licences to sit their driving tests as long as they provide a valid passport. This concession will end in January next year, raising the prospect that some L-test candidates will be turned away.

The DVLA said no one had so far been charged with failing to surrender a licence.

Prayer of a 17th Century Nun

Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessing cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen