What was your fasting blood glucose? (full on chat)

JohnEGreen said:

I can remember some years ago looking at a new build house the front room or lounge if you care to call it that was so cramped that you could almost touch both long walls with the finger tips of both outstretched arms literately not enough room to swing a cat by the tail if you were so inclined I hasten to add that would never be an inclination I would ever have.

I am feeling a bit stressed out at the moment as Nottingham is moving to tier three next Wednesday it seems and I have an appointment at QMC for yearly scan and X-ray on Tuesday this is worrying me as at the moment they have about 200 patients with covid 19 16 of them critical and about a ward full of people being admitted each day I do not really want to go but this is a second appointment after wheedling out of one this month already I am unsure of what I should do.

Hopefully they may cancel it if I'm lucky.

If not I may have to change my name to Daniel.

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When I went to Wrexham Hospital a fortnight ago, and my county and their county were in lockdown. I didn't want to go. I got an internet friend to ring and cancel it (I can't hear on the phone), but Wrexham were adamant that it was urgent and I had to go. I was still refusing. My internet friend is What'sApping me, trying to persuade me to agree to go. Finally I said yes I would go. On the morning of the appointment I am parked outside the hospital. I still had flight in mind, and nearly drove back home without going in.

Finally I went in. Apart from being in a sea of masks coming at me, it was okay. Loads sanitising stations everywhere. Extra hand washing facilities as well. I was literally s....ing myself. I did not want to be there. There were loads precautions. And after the receptionist had seen to me, I had to hand sanitise before that. Then she told me to wash my hands with soap and water before I went in the waiting room. More hand sanitiser around (you can always take your own hand sanitizer as well, I did). Then in between the patients seeing the specialist, the specialist was chucked out of his consulting room, while it was deep cleaned. Then I went in. The experience was okay. Everyone trying to reassure me.

More hand sanitising on the way out.

It is entirely up to you what you do.

My friend talked me into keeping my appointment, and I am glad she did.

This was a fortnight ago and I am still here...I didn't catch Covid there.

It was like an anti climax when I came out of the hospital. It was probably safer than the local supermarket...

How important is the appointment? You have to decide. I would have thought that if they have given you an appointment, it would be in the safest environment that they were able to achieve. That still doesn't make it Covid free. Only you can decide.

You could always ring and ask their precautions.

Good luck whatever you decide.

But sometimes I go by gut feeling and not logic. So I cannot advise in any way.

Thanks Ian thing is QMC is about 17 miles from where I live and disabled parking is almost non existent within the hospital itself normally I would drive or bus to Hucknall then take a tram to QMC there is a park and ride but again that would involve public transport and all that before I even get through the main entrance and the vascular lab is then at the other side of the hospital via a maze of corridors stairways and lifts I have trouble with it in normal times with Judith or Melody to help let alone these days when I will have to go it alone do not fancy it at all.

@gennepher I am glad that your appointment went well truly my appointment is a yearly affair just to check my AAA stent is in good working order and not so urgent and Queens is of all the local hospitals my least favorite as it is so massive and difficult to navigate even people who have worked there for years get lost in the maze of corridors and it never seems particularly clean well not to me any way.

Also the X-Ray is done obviously in the X-ray department quite some way from the vascular lab last time spent three hours sitting in a waiting area with loads of other people wearing only a hospital gown because the reception staff after booking me in totally forgot to inform the radiologist that I was there it was only after Judith's third attempt at talking with the reception staff that they realised their mistake.

And of the three previous times i've never spent less than an hour waiting in the x-ray department.

Kingsmill only a ten minute drive from here has vascular and X-ray departments but my repeated requests for it to be done there have fallen on deaf ears.

JohnEGreen said:

@gennepher I am glad that your appointment went well truly my appointment is a yearly affair just to check my AAA stent is in good working order and not so urgent and Queens is of all the local hospitals my least favorite as it is so massive and difficult to navigate even people who have worked there for years get lost in the maze of corridors and it never seems particularly clean well not to me any way.

Also the X-Ray is done obviously in the X-ray department quite some way from the vascular lab last time spent three hours sitting in a waiting area with loads of other people wearing only a hospital gown because the reception staff after booking me in totally forgot to inform the radiologist that I was there it was only after Judith's third attempt at talking with the reception staff that they realised their mistake.

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I have the same problem in big hospitals. I cannot do the walking. I cannot walk more than a few paces. So I have a mobility scooter. And I have to lug that out of the car boot. It is not easy. These kinds of situations are very difficult for me.

Also, the disabled parking was bad too. My appointment was 10:30. I got there for 7:30 or else I would never have got a disabled space near the entrance. A few moments later there was not a car parking space for love or money.

I get you when you said reception staff forgot about notifying the radiologist. I was sitting in that waiting room, and people who came after me went in before me. Finally someone comes out, mumbles at me through a mask that I cannot lipread. I did feel all alone and abandoned. She goes and gets a face shield. And now I could lipread her. Who are you she says? And I am thinking but I booked in at reception

Finally I get called in. I had the problem of face masks every step of the way that day at the hospital.

Hospitals are too big, especially when you don’t have anyone with you.

By the way I managed to wreck the specialists office trying to turn my mobility scooter round to get out, and he ended up having to move furniture. I am a good driver even of a mobility scooter, but I was nervous.

And one more thing, it did take me a few days to wind down after I got home. I was super stressed with it all. But for me I did need to go to that appointment for my peace of mind.

Hugs for you and good luck however you decide to proceed with this x

Decision it seems has been made Judith has put her foot down luckily not on my neck and is insisting that I shall not go.

I do have a mobility scooter but without help I can not get it in or out of the car cant even lift the battery pack at most times if Keiran was here that would not be a problem well if Keiran were here there would not be much of a problem as he could drive me there and pick me up afterwards but that is not possible and it's not just the mobility problem it's what I see as the dangerous environment.

JohnEGreen said:

Decision it seems has been made Judith has put her foot down luckily not on my neck and is insisting that I shall not go.

I do have a mobility scooter but without help I can not get it in or out of the car cant even lift the battery pack at most times if Keiran was here that would not be a problem well if Keiran were here there would not be much of a problem as he could drive me there and pick me up afterwards but that is not possible and it's not just the mobility problem it's what I see as the dangerous environment.

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Brilliant @JohnEGreen
A decision has been made. Now you can relax.
Actually I half feel glad she took the decision out of your hands.
Chill out now. And relax.
For what it is worth, I back Judith's decision!

Thinking about what @ianpspurs said about modern housing. This keeping Covid at bay is is going to be an ongoing battle, maybe I'm wrong but I think we all forget how minuscule this virus is. My niece is a Biochemist at Oxford and laughs at her mom who wipes down her shopping, parcels, post and such, she says "mom it's so small you could drop your tin of baked beans into a bowl of sanitizer and still miss it" yet like my sister and all here I continue to do my best to lessen the risk but the reality is the likely hood of protecting ourselves from a virus with these precautions is very small. Space and good air circulation surely helps and as @ianpspurs and @JohnEGreen mentioned many families do not have that luxury.

@JohnEGreen I think a good call on Judith's part. However Mrs MCs visit to have small procedure at Stafford Hospital was like visiting the Marry Celeste, empty corridors, no waiting, quick and safe.

There are times that creativity deserts me and today I felt the need to paint but creativity was absent and I should have walked away. However I didn't and so the unfinished result is a testimony to me not walking....I will finish it but don't think it's possible to save it from disaster.

A4 watercolour required negative painting, all light colours first then sky added, not worked like it should...

The day was very wet until after lunch but the afternoon was so different. Here is a view through the patio door of the sky before we sat down to eat.

JohnEGreen said:

Decision it seems has been made Judith has put her foot down luckily not on my neck and is insisting that I shall not go.

I do have a mobility scooter but without help I can not get it in or out of the car cant even lift the battery pack at most times if Keiran was here that would not be a problem well if Keiran were here there would not be much of a problem as he could drive me there and pick me up afterwards but that is not possible and it's not just the mobility problem it's what I see as the dangerous environment.

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Arrange an Uber.
Go for people carrier, explain situation

It's an expense...BUT think of it over a year as life insurance policy.

Ubers wear masks.
So you wear one, and keep window open.
About as safe as you can get in a practical way, without all the worry of driving/parking/extracting scooter.

My 2 bits

Good luck either way.

good evening all

4.9 this morning continues higher than usual

Our banking road trip with mum went off ok and we managed to get a table in the 'socially distanced' cafe to get lunch

Mum has now voiced the thought that perhaps we could pay her money into the bank for her rather than doing a double trip. I'll need to try to find out whether it's because she found it tiring or because she thinks it's imposing on us. Thankfully it stayed dry whilst we were out though that probably means it will be cold tonight

Hope your day treats you kindly

@SlimLizzy - hope the cat passes his MOT

@JohnEGreen - definitely 'rock' meet 'hard place'

@jjraak - Keeping my fingers crossed for Lauren and yourself for a good outcome

@lindisfel - good news and a step in the right direction and that's a nice looking sky

@dunelm - your new highly coloured drawing is quite effective and the colour has added to the depth in your picture, whether you find the effect to be in congruity with the rice paper and ink minimalist style is another thing. Always interesting to try things out though
Hope your SIL has a mild case and recovers soon

@gennepher - your artwork today has a nice palette and the texture works well, looks like twinkiling stars

@Muddy Cyclist - Interesting, I quite like it so far, the colour really glows against the dark and stormy sky, I look forward to seeing how you move forward


art bit - got the scanner out finally

thank you all for your kind comments on my art journey

decided to try something different so I picked a number then opened pinterest and counted the pins it offered to find a random inspiration, the one I landed on was an advert for someone who makes period and reenactment clothing

So here is my version of that photo - I was quite pleased with how it turned out

Muddy Cyclist said:

There are times that creativity deserts me and today I felt the need to paint but creativity was absent and I should have walked away. However I didn't and so the unfinished result is a testimony to me not walking....I will finish it but don't think it's possible to save it from disaster.

A4 watercolour required negative painting, all light colours first then sky added, not worked like it should...
View attachment 44837

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These are weird times @Muddy Cyclist.
Creativity feels absent to me as well.

It is dramatic. I think you can do something with it.

jjraak said:

Arrange an Uber.
Go for people carrier, explain situation

It's an expense...BUT think of it over a year as life insurance policy.

Ubers wear masks.
So you wear one, and keep window open.
About as safe as you can get in a practical way, without all the worry of driving/parking/extracting scooter.

My 2 bits

Good luck either way.

Click to expand...

I like @jjraak s solution as well @JohnEGreen

I don't know where the answer lies.

We do really need a friend or family member with us, That I understand. It is a lot to cope with on one's own.

Take care.

geefull said:

art bit - got the scanner out finally

thank you all for your kind comments on my art journey

decided to try something different so I picked a number then opened pinterest and counted the pins it offered to find a random inspiration, the one I landed on was an advert for someone who makes period and reenactment clothing

So here is my version of that photo - I was quite pleased with how it turned out

View attachment 44841

Click to expand...

"Cusha, Cusha, Cusha calling!"

geefull said:

good evening all


@gennepher - your artwork today has a nice palette and the texture works well, looks like twinkiling stars


art bit - got the scanner out finally

thank you all for your kind comments on my art journey

decided to try something different so I picked a number then opened pinterest and counted the pins it offered to find a random inspiration, the one I landed on was an advert for someone who makes period and reenactment clothing

So here is my version of that photo - I was quite pleased with how it turned out

View attachment 44841

Click to expand...

Thank you @geefull

This is a beautiful gentle painting of a young girl.
You are a very versatile painter.

How can our Govt be wittering on about saving some mythical Christmas (for which read pubs and shops) whilst cynically trying to put Marcus Rashford back in his box for embarrassing them first time around? This is looking like an omnishambles and people such as several on here are feeling the effects. Looks like a spectacular OG by someone in No10.

gennepher said:

I like @jjraak s solution as well @JohnEGreen

I don't know where the answer lies.

We do really need a friend or family member with us, That I understand. It is a lot to cope with on one's own.

Take care.

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We find the same with both our daughters being c.130 miles away.
When I had to go to the Freeman for a pacemaker six years ago a friend from church kindly took me and brought me back.
She didnt want reimbursing so I gave a donation to the children's charity she supported.

@geefull thats a fine painting today, so much movement a gentle use of colour and good detail. I agree with @gennepher you are a versatile painter.

Thanks for your optimism on my latest painting, it started very well but just got away from me.

gennepher said:

These are weird times @Muddy Cyclist.
Creativity feels absent to me as well.

It is dramatic. I think you can do something with it.

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Thank you for your faith in my artistic ability to turn this watercolour around, I'm not so certain but will try.

Sorry to hear that, I didn't realise, John, you have mobility issues to deal with as well. Life can be very difficult for some, its grand to see how cheerful and encouraging to others you are.
best wishes
Derek

JohnEGreen said:

Thanks Ian thing is QMC is about 17 miles from where I live and disabled parking is almost non existent within the hospital itself normally I would drive or bus to Hucknall then take a tram to QMC there is a park and ride but again that would involve public transport and all that before I even get through the main entrance and the vascular lab is then at the other side of the hospital via a maze of corridors stairways and lifts I have trouble with it in normal times with Judith or Melody to help let alone these days when I will have to go it alone do not fancy it at all.

@gennepher I am glad that your appointment went well truly my appointment is a yearly affair just to check my AAA stent is in good working order and not so urgent and Queens is of all the local hospitals my least favorite as it is so massive and difficult to navigate even people who have worked there for years get lost in the maze of corridors and it never seems particularly clean well not to me any way.

Also the X-Ray is done obviously in the X-ray department quite some way from the vascular lab last time spent three hours sitting in a waiting area with loads of other people wearing only a hospital gown because the reception staff after booking me in totally forgot to inform the radiologist that I was there it was only after Judith's third attempt at talking with the reception staff that they realised their mistake.

And of the three previous times i've never spent less than an hour waiting in the x-ray department.

Kingsmill only a ten minute drive from here has vascular and X-ray departments but my repeated requests for it to be done there have fallen on deaf ears.

Click to expand...

Muddy Cyclist said:

Thinking about what @ianpspurs said about modern housing. This keeping Covid at bay is is going to be an ongoing battle, maybe I'm wrong but I think we all forget how minuscule this virus is. My niece is a Biochemist at Oxford and laughs at her mom who wipes down her shopping, parcels, post and such, she says "mom it's so small you could drop your tin of baked beans into a bowl of sanitizer and still miss it" yet like my sister and all here I continue to do my best to lessen the risk but the reality is the likely hood of protecting ourselves from a virus with these precautions is very small. Space and good air circulation surely helps and as @ianpspurs and @JohnEGreen mentioned many families do not have that luxury.

@JohnEGreen I think a good call on Judith's part. However Mrs MCs visit to have small procedure at Stafford Hospital was like visiting the Marry Celeste, empty corridors, no waiting, quick and safe.

Click to expand...

It can last on some surfaces for days. Unlike flu that lasts on skin for up to1.5 hours. Covid 19 can last for 9 hours on skin. That is according a recent video by John Campbell.