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

ianpspurs said:
This is a long read - 1.5 mugs of tea/koffy for sure - but I'd say she has been influenced by the same ideas. Contains the best/clearest definitions of Neoliberalism and why it is dead I've seen anywhere. Helps explain why post 2008 life hasn't worked for most. We've buried the real problems. They're called Maggie, Ronald and Boomers selfish ballot box power. Probably TLDR for most but I don't do fiction and it helps me clarify how we got here. Take it or leave it obviously but it made the £2 NYT monthly subscription a bargain for me.
“The postwar neoliberal economic project is nearing its end, and the survival of American democracy relies on how we respond.”
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just capitalism.
Americanisation.
multi nationals search for profit.
And governments allowing it. And selling their countries.
 
SlimLizzy said:
19.08
Visitors all returned to UK yesterday. Some to distressing circumstances.
Unfortunately there has been a serious fire in the night, at my daughter's house and it is currently uninhabitable .
Her husband was lucky to get out - had to be rescued by the fire brigade through a window. He was in hospital overnight getting treatment for smoke inhalation. Two bedrooms and the staircase are entirely destroyed. All the other rooms have water and smoke damage.
I phoned my brother, currently on holiday somewhere in France, and they have arranged to use his house for now. Convieniently only a five min drive from the fire damaged house.
Goodness knows what happens next, but family and the local community are rallying round with offers of help.
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Oh no @SlimLizzy that is really dreadful but thank goodness no one was seriously injured.
Hope your daughter 's husband is ok.
 
gennepher said:
Fbg 6.8

Nighttime wildlife video
Badger looking around...
38secs

Creative...afraid it is my ferns in a kaleidoscope today in Laboscope
Because it was asthma yearly review this morning, and when I got back I crashed out asleep. Only just woke up, and it's 4 pm. Now 5:45 pm I have posted this. Not drunk enough water today with being out and then asleep, so trying to make up on fluids...
Asthma nurse kept talking to me when she was facing away from me on computer or washing her hands etc. I had explained when I went in, pointed to my lipreading badge on my chest. "Please face me I lipread". But more than 10 times I had to pull her up, and when she repeated it, she faced away again. My mind cannot comprehend this, and I pull her up again..."Are you muttering to yourself, or are you talking to me, I just reminded you I need to see your face to lipread". She looked darkly at me as she turned around, "I said you were doing very well".
I do not have a clue what she was referring to...doing very well at what? So I ask her. "Your weight", she replied. "What about my weight?" I ask. "You've lost weight," she replies.
And how big a deal is that, I am asking myself in my head.

She doesn't offer the information. So, I ask her, how much weight have I lost. Something kilograms, she replies. "I am sorry" I told her, "but I cannot lipread numbers, could you please write it down for me?"

She then shouts (thinking I will lipread shouting better) at me, "TWO STONES". And carries on shouting, "ISN'T THAT GOOD". I'm repeat the words 2 stones to make sure I have it correct, "You said, 2 stones, have I got that right ?", and she looks at me with an even further darkened face, as though she was dealing with an imbecile. (By this time, I do not care one jot that I have lost 2 stones).

Then she faces her computer, and is either muttering at it, or talking to me. I got told off so many times by the GP years ago (when there were such things as GP's) for asking if they were talking to me, when they were facing the computer, because I needed to see their lips to lipread, and I was told very abruptly to keep quiet then.

The asthma nurse stops muttering at the computer, she had been going through many different pages and highlighting in different colours, and turns to me, "Well, which?" she asks. I tell her yet again for the umpteenth time, "I have already told you many times at this appointment, that I lipread, and I have this badge on my chest which says please face me I lipread, yet you persist in talking to the wall (while washing her hands etc), and having conversations with your computer....but never facing me so I can lipread, and I have made it very clear, from the start, I need to see your face."

Her face couldn't have got any darker, "I was asking you if you wanted to have your diabetic review now, with me, or in a month's time with J".

I was tempted to say now to get it over and done with, (but she had been talking to her computer over 10 mins, and I am guessing now, writing this, that she had been relating stuff to me on my diabetes and I have not received one jot of that information so I am in the dark about that).....so I said, next month with J. I have no idea who J is.

She literally ran to the other side of her room, grabbed her tea/coffee mug and ran to their tea room...and I left and went to bed absolutely shattered.


I hope you had a good day.

I am tired, my day has been wasted with utter stupidity of others who should know better.

The day is now getting dark, evening is here, and I have done nothing.., I need to see to Midnight (who still won't come in as it is too warm), see to the beasties, trail cams, and lock up....

Have a good night's sleep...

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What an awful awful Asthma Nurse @gennepher.

Luckily I deleted my original post about her or I may have been banned from this forum if I had posted it.
 
Krystyna23040 said:
Yes, that is the big problem with crunchy peanut butter. It is just too moreish. Even better is eating crunchy peanut butter while listening to Joni Mitchell.

Yes, there does seem to be differing views on what constitutes a healthy diet. Should it be all plant based, carnivore, high fat, low fat or somewhere in the middle.

My priority from the start was to avoid the high carb diet that resulted in me being admitted to hospital because, apparently, I was only hours away from a fatal coma.

Beyond that my main criteria is that I only eat food I really really like - which actually puts me somewhere in the middle - heavily plant based but including meat, fish and rather a lot of dairy. Not forgetting the all important coffee.

Coffee used to be demonised as very unhealthy - but now it is considered to have health benefits.
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In some respects I believe you are lucky.
I cannot have the majority of my favourite food growing up.
We eat similar proteins and fresh food as salads but it is not a veg based diet.
No dairy, no sugars, no carbs.
I cartoon in the peanut butter debate, the olive oil debate, the coffee debate, no cakes, no sweets, not a lot I can eat.
But I do thrive on my diet.
Lots of eggs, fresh cooked meats, fish, fresh salad. Gammon and eggs!
Home made curry, home made omelette with onion, mushrooms, tomatoes. The odd stew, the ribs, shanks, belly pork, pork shoulder, chicken roasted. Then as a treat, steak from the kebab shop, grilled.
And
Fresh fruit,
I don't miss my favourites, honestly.

I don't really trust our manufactured food industry. For many reasons.
The most important is the epidemic of T2 diabetes. Which in the majority of cases, is because of the unhealthy options we have more of in the last half century.
 
Lamont D said:
In some respects I believe you are lucky.
I cannot have the majority of my favourite food growing up.
We eat similar proteins and fresh food as salads but it is not a veg based diet.
No dairy, no sugars, no carbs.
I cartoon in the peanut butter debate, the olive oil debate, the coffee debate, no cakes, no sweets, not a lot I can eat.
But I do thrive on my diet.
Lots of eggs, fresh cooked meats, fish, fresh salad. Gammon and eggs!
Home made curry, home made omelette with onion, mushrooms, tomatoes. The odd stew, the ribs, shanks, belly pork, pork shoulder, chicken roasted. Then as a treat, steak from the kebab shop, grilled.
And
Fresh fruit,
I don't miss my favourites, honestly.

I don't really trust our manufactured food industry. For many reasons.
The most important is the epidemic of T2 diabetes. Which in the majority of cases, is because of the unhealthy options we have more of in the last half century.
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Your diet looks really good and tasty. I agree that our manufactured food industry is a real problem because of the unhealthy options.
 
Krystyna23040 said:
Your diet looks really good and tasty. I agree that our manufactured food industry is a real problem because of the unhealthy options.
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I just wish, when I feel low, a chip butty would cheer me up no end!
And when I had my break down, comfort food was a problem.
So, I do know what I was doing, but I couldn't help it.
will power is my middle name.
 
ianpspurs said:
Hug for the nightmare asthma review. Winner for the kaleidoscope and if wanted the weight loss. Can what was entered on computer be accessible online or printed off? Don't take offence but the whole episode sounds like a naff version of this.
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I have no idea if anything could be printed off @ianpspurs
But this surgery do not print things off, and in the past I have had to go through the practice manger and make an application through him, and then an appointment through him, and be there (he also was there) when the info was printed. That is what happened before.
You may have the freedom to access your records, but actually getting to that point is rather protracted.

No offence taken Ian

I have been sleeping again, because I have had enough of all this disrespecting...other people can do it without it taking one extra moment out of their day. I get more respect and kindness from the ordinary person in the street, and at shop tills. They read my red badge saying I need you to face me so I can lipread, and give me that extra consideration, one till worker in Iceland signs to me, and I can't even flipping sign, so I leant a few words (so I could respond) which made her very happy...

I am trying to find a photo I took of my badge, and card when I made them.

Thanks...
 
Annb said:
I feel so indignant for you Gennepher. That nurse doesn't deserve to be a nurse. Nurses are supposed to be caring and helpful.. She clearly was anything but that. I know clinics and hospitals are short staffed and they are all busy, but all it needs is a little thought and consideration.

The fern kaleidoscope is lovely, by the way. I love ferns.
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Thank you @Annb for loving my fern kaleidoscope
She was beyond the pale, she ranks among the worst that I have been treated.
I am a very good lip reader, had to be, to be where I am today, but sometimes people refuse to deal with me once they know I am profoundly deaf.
I handed her this card, that I made 10 years ago, and by and large it helped to make a difference at any appointment, and she didn't read it, but slung it to the side of the table. It is postcard sized, folded over as a card....it was a humorous attempt in 2014...I intend to redo this...it will not be a lighthearted humorous attempt this time.

IMG_9211.jpeg
 
Lamont D said:
I believe that we have had our own battles with medical staff of all types.
or we wouldn't have joined the forum.
We occasionally get the good ones and I don't think that they are intentionally ignorant of our needs.
just inundated with appointments one after the other.
they use computers as promoting tools, as they would medical cards in the past. Facing us.
I would in all honestly kept tapping her arm o or let her know that she needs to face you. Be pushy, demanding.

The number of times I have had to use an appointment or a phone call to get my experience with the high numbers of doctors, that I have seen all through a true diagnosis, treatment (ha!) Advice (ha!)
I'm currently trying to get my prescription changed again.
Never mind Mrs L.
We don't deserve such treatment, so we have to fight for more.
Don't let them fob you off.
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I was not near enough to even make bodily contact with her. But I did keep interrupting her @Lamont D when I thought she was talking to me. If someone faces away from me when talking, I have no idea they are talking to me, I hear noises, but not the full words.

Most of my 'hearing' is guesswork, based on the part of the noises of the word I can hear, the syllables in the word, and then lipreading which should then give me the whole word. But imagine me with that level of hearing, trying to take in a whole conversation or appointment or a group of people talking (that last one is impossible). Imagine how tired I feel.

And then despite me giving them adequate info which would contribute to me having a good conversation with them (because I am receiving the info), and reminding them, 'they', like the asthma nurse of today keep looking totally away from me as they talk. There is no flow for me, I cannot follow anything because there is too much missing.

This is not quite them same as a hearing person missing bits and saying pardon can you repeat. I do not hear full words, ever, not even with the cochlear sound processor, which by the way is very prominent on the side of my head, because my hair is tied up.

Oh and also today I had the cochlear hospital letter which describes some of my limitations. And I offered her this when she carried on ignoring me saying that I needed her to face me. But she did not read that.

I was pushy, I was demanding, I couldn't have done any more at this appointment. I was exhausted before it was finished with the amount of work my brain needed to do, to try and follow.

Oh, by the way, I wear a sunflower lanyard which is for people, in particular with hidden disabilities.

Here are my photos of my badge, I wear the middle one. And photos of my Godard, which I am now definitely going to rewrite.

But before I put them up, I have read your post earlier, and it seems to me that you need to lock, or hide whatever you cook that gammon in, from Mrs L. Sorry if I am being forward. But it might be safer...hugs for that scare.

IMG_9208.jpegIMG_9211.jpeg
 
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Krystyna23040 said:
What an awful awful Asthma Nurse @gennepher.

Luckily I deleted my original post about her or I may have been banned from this forum if I had posted it.
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I have had to be careful what I wanted to say and felt.
She is the worst, most unprofessional one I have had recently.
Thank you @Krystyna23040
 
dunelm said:
Good morning everyone on a wonderfully quiet start to the day here in the dark and dangerous north. 4.9 again this a.m. I woke with a fleeting thought about a suitcase. I must expunge all such thoughts - tomorrow will be time enough. Mrs Miggins will be collection our boarding cards and such like today. I will be dashing up to Aldi to try and cause some panic buying of olive oil, if there is any left ;). Art bit - do trees ever look blue? They do now. Have a jolly good day if you can. My left shoulder and elbow are conspiring to ruin mine so I shall stink out the supermarket with oil of wintergreen. First, some Koffy.
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A lovely piece of art @dunelm. I sense the scent of decomposing Autumn leaves. Thanks for sharing.

I hope the oil of wintergreen has worked its magic.
Have a good holiday, Norway is a stunningly beautiful country.


Monday's FBG, 4.4 mmol on waking at 6.00 am.
 
LivingLightly said:
A lovely piece of art @dunelm. I sense the scent of decomposing Autumn leaves. Thanks for sharing.

I hope the oil of wintergreen has worked its magic.
Have a good holiday, Norway is a stunningly beautiful country.


Monday's FBG, 4.4 mmol on waking at 6.00 am.
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Thank you @LivingLightly - we do like Norway
 
20.08
5.45am FBG 5.9
Little bit of clearing up done in the kitchen, some veg prep for freezing or eating. After two frantic days washing, cleaning and tidying still a couple of rooms needing attention. Should be dashing about cleaning and tidying for the impending house viewing, but too tired. If they don't like the house as it is - cleaning a few windows won't help.
Rain isn't helpful either.
 
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JohnEGreen said:
Fbg 5.5 today.
@gennepher there is an app for Android phones called live transcribe that will convert speech to text in real time it can show a textual display of what a person is saying as they speak on your phone.
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Thank you @JohnEGreen
I have used Live Transcribe in a friends situation, when I am talking to friends.

But there has been difficulty in a medical situation where they don't like you using your phone to hear with, and they say no, you can't use it. And in a sense you are recording them, and they refuse that. It is not allowed.

There is also the problem of signal.
If the signal is low at the Surgery, I cannot use it, because it only functions on a good signal. And the signal is low or non existent on the phone in the surgery.

BUT, you have reminded me of some technology I had with an older cochlear sound processor. I need to find this equipment in my cochlear box of stuff, see if it can charge up, I cannot remember if it was battery, or rechargeable. Or if it is indeed compatible with my latest cochlear sound processor.
And them I still have to pair the device with my current cochlear processor, if I can do this. It needed a hospital technician to pair it years ago with my older processor (of about 10 years ago). I may not be able to do this.

It still doesn't help me completely...but, if I say you need to be next to this device for me to receive your words (which you do), then she will be facing me, and I will be able to lipread her....
Thanks for jogging my memory @JohnEGreen

Failing that, I will ask for an interpreter, which for me has to be a notetaker or a palantype operator. But last time I asked for this kind of help, then the appointment got delayed while the surgery sorted it, however a BSL sign interpreter was sent out. I don't know BSL. So appointment cancelled, and rearranged, but no one turned up this time. Again, appointment cancelled and rearranged, but this time an interpreter for the blind turned up. I'm sorry, but I don't know braille (I burst out hysterically laughing on that one). Appointment was cancelled yet again and rearranged, and finally a palantype operator was sent out...bliss...I could actually have every word of what the nurse was saying, right on the screen in front of me, and I wasn't dog tired trying to work out all the words. So, it was months later, 4 or 5 months before I got the appropriate interpreter. And by the way the palantype operator needs a break every 15 or 20 mins, so the appointment has to be suspended until the operator has had her break and can legally start again. Impractical in an appointment situation. And you have no idea the amount of times I have begged the palantype operator, just a few more minutes, just a few more minutes....

This happened in the eye hospital also, and the nurse came to the waiting room, sorry no interpreter turned up, we'll have to cancel. And this was after travelling from Wales to Liverpool. So, I said please may I speak with the specialist when he has a moment. The specialist came out. Look, I am a good lip reader, I told him, I need you to face me at all times, no hands in front of your mouth, no talking to your computer....he laughed...just face me and we'll get along fine. He agreed, and we got on like a house on fire with him making jokes... the in between people doing the tests were a little more problematic, but it was only the end guy I needed to hear.


EDIT: just remembered something.
Soon after I had my cochlear implant, I told the surgery and asked them if they could have something compatible for hearing aids, all the different types, and for cochlear implants, all the different types. I was quoting the disability discrimination act, for them to make hearing accessible for all different kinds of deafness devices. They came up with The Conversor Pro. It was big and heavy then. I was excited to try it. But it was dead as a doornail when I got in the appointment room....they hadn't charged it. Each time I went in, they had not charged it, so it ended up consigned to the back of a cupboard.

It was a very useful pice of equipment when charged in other situations when I came across it.
 
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