This appeared in the news. It is an extremely sad story, the boys death could of been avoided as can around 80% of all asthma deaths. On average 1600 people die of an asthma attack each year by these statics thats around 1250 people a year that should still be alive.
It is my opinion that people often do not take asthma seriously enough, it is often misconceived as a mild illness that only needs a couple of puffs of an inhaler a day to keep under control, it can be but at the other end of the scale there are people for whom their asthma is severe and life limiting. Having mild asthma however does not mean that a person can not die of asthma, they can and do.
People, I feel need to be made aware of the potential seriousness of asthma, the importance of carrying and using their reliever (blue) inhalers and the importance of getting help if things are getting worse or medication is not helping and I really hoe that the boys deaths is not in vain and that it serves to increase peoples awareness of the potential seriousness of asthma.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
The guests
These are my foster boys, they are lovely boys very sweet but rather underweight and evidently haven't been handled much as they are very nervous and jumpy. It is lovely though to watch day by day them gain in confidence and their characters and personalities develop and helps me to keep my focus on some of the good aspects of my life in these difficult times. They are called Fred and Barney, they started as Fudge and Smudge but their owner didn't know who was who(?). He had got them got them from his cousin some 18 months ago. Barney is on the left, Fred is on the right.
Looking back on my blog I realise that I have failed to write a post about my own three guinea pigs so maybe they will be the focus of my next post.
Tough times
Things aren't good at the moment, I am going through a pretty bad flair up of my polyarthalgia. This is the reason why I am blogging at 6am, the pain has only allowed me to enjoy an hours sleep and I am exhausted. It's very frustrating as I wanted to dedicate today to catching up with some studying. I am feeling low and depressed. When I awoke at 4am I was in a lot of discomfort but unable to take anymore pain relief till now. Today I am going to make an appointment with my GP to discuss the possibility of changing my tramadol to a sustained release preparation in the hope that it will allow for better nights sleep.
I hate the fact that I am struggling so much I feel that it makes me a negative person and that then makes me feel even worse and so develops a viscous circle. Facing chronic illness relatively young makes me feel so different to other people of the same age and a burden and a nuisance I tend to put a smile on my face with the aim of camouflaging my feelings and so protecting others from how I am feeling but, there are days I get so fed up with it all. My friend P has known for sometime that I am really struggling but despite his asking what is bothering me I have kept quiet not wanting to burden him further and tried unsuccessfully to hide my feelings from him. Tonight I confessed how much I was struggling, I was scared of P's reaction I do not know why, yet P thanked me for my frank and honest "confession" and admitted their own struggles with my illness, their frustration of feeling so helpless when I am ill and being unable to do anything to make my situation better.
I think that a persons recent comment has contributed in a least some way to how I am currently feeling. The comment went something like this. "I don't know how you cope, if I was in your shoes I would stick my head in a gas oven" The perception been from the persons comment is that a life of chronic illness not worth living, the quality of life being reduced to the point that there is no quality and it is best to end it. I cope because that is the only choice I have and chronic illness makes me appreciate the smaller things in life and the true preciousness of life. The company of friends and family, a warm summers day, the birds singing, a much loved pets excitement of "mummy" coming home and so forth. It is not for us to question the life God has given us though it is only natural that we do so, it is up to us to make the most of the life God has given us and try, where possible to live it to the full within the realms of the limitations life presents.
Writing about it on my blog leaves me feeling that I am turning this blog into something negative but, it is my blog and an outlet for my feelings, a place where I can share my lows as well as my highs.
I am trying to look at the positives and the good aspects of my life the fact that I do have a lot to offer despite my health issues, I have some amazing friends particularly B and P, I have my wonderful piggies which contribute to my quality of life and I am Auntie Louise to my friends cat Z and I have achieved a lot in my life.
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Just where do they get their facts from?
This appeared today on the BBC website and had me stitches where do children learn these facts from or where did they even get their ideas from.
There were a couple in particular that really amused me
"Newton invented the Internet" That would mean the Internet was invented before PCs, a couple of hundred years before the invention of PCs.
"The Queen invented the phone" If that was the case then how did they connect to the Internet before the invention of the phone and presumably, phone lines.
There were a couple in particular that really amused me
"Newton invented the Internet" That would mean the Internet was invented before PCs, a couple of hundred years before the invention of PCs.
"The Queen invented the phone" If that was the case then how did they connect to the Internet before the invention of the phone and presumably, phone lines.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Ranting foster mummy
Tomorrow afternoon I will have 2 foster children to care for, two boys. I am going to collect them around 4pm from Yorkshire, settle them in the car, drive home and then on arrival home place them in the bath were they will be sleeping for the next few days.
If you are heading at speed to your telephone to contact social services, stop. Now. Why? you may be asking. It simple, these foster children are two guinea pigs and before you call the RSPCA their travel box (or rather my friends cats travel box) will serve as a house for them and will join them in the bath and the bath will be lined with towels so that their poor little feet don't get cold when taking some exercise in the bath.
I volunteered to collect these lads, the gentleman who is currently housing them doesn't have the space for them. They are not his piggies though, they are his cousins I am unsure as to the reason why they have chosen to rehouse them.
The plan is that they will stay here for around a week and then head on to the rescue after my next set of nights off (I am back in on Saturday) however in between me offering to collect them and now the rescue has become inundated with unwanted guinea pigs and his fosters are also full, so I have informed him that I can foster them till the back end of April if need be. Its so, so sad though that so many pets that could offer their owners so much love and joy become unwanted and treated as disposable thus ending in rescues. It makes me angry, very angry. All pets have a right to a loving, caring forever home and my hope is that each and everyone of them goes off to a home much better than their current one. It has always been my opinion that when a pet is sent off to a rescue, unwanted that they can't off being receiving much love and attention in their homes because if they had their owners would of realised what delightful animals they are and how much a pet can offer and the enrichment it can bring to their lives and having realised all this they would never be able to part with their pet. I know that some owners are forced to give up their pets for genuine reasons and are heartbroken by this fact. It is not these people I am referring to.
Many of these pets are unwanted Christmas presents, in the words of one rescue "is March dump your pet month?", my belief is that the film G-Force has added to the number of children wanting guinea pigs, but the reality is that guinea pigs are nothing like what they are portrayed in the film. Its a sad fact of life pets are bought as cute babies but then they grow up (to me they remain cute), time moves on and the owner (often a child) becomes bored. Parents can't be bothered with caring for the pet themselves (it is actually illegal for a child under 16 to be given total responsibility for a pet) and so off they go to rescue . It is not really the child's fault, the parents need to think very carefully of what they are taking on and though the pet is for the child the whole family needs to take responsibility for the care and welfare for the pet. There is evidence to suggest that children who have pets as children are less selfish and more considerate of the needs of others.
The parents need to be involved in caring for the pet encouraging the child along the way to be involved with their pets care and reminding them of the importance of ensuring that their pet gets the very best care through out its life and doing their best to maintain the child's interest in their pet, as with anything you get out what you put in, you reap what you sow. What sort of signal does it send out to the child that when they get bored they send their pet off to rescue? What sort of messages does that send out about life in general.
Sorry if I seem to have got onto my soap box a bit but its something that is very important to me. This afternoon I was approached by a someone who is waiting for a rescue place for their guinea pigs, the rescue currently being full. They asked me if I would foster theirs as well as the two I have already agreed to, sadly there is not enough room at the inn for them all. Their reason, they let their heart rule their head and with little consideration of the costs involved acquired 9 animals and now realise they have bitten off more they can chew and they simply can't afford to keep that many so off to the rescue they go.
Before you get a pet. THINK. THINK LONG AND HARD!
If you are heading at speed to your telephone to contact social services, stop. Now. Why? you may be asking. It simple, these foster children are two guinea pigs and before you call the RSPCA their travel box (or rather my friends cats travel box) will serve as a house for them and will join them in the bath and the bath will be lined with towels so that their poor little feet don't get cold when taking some exercise in the bath.
I volunteered to collect these lads, the gentleman who is currently housing them doesn't have the space for them. They are not his piggies though, they are his cousins I am unsure as to the reason why they have chosen to rehouse them.
The plan is that they will stay here for around a week and then head on to the rescue after my next set of nights off (I am back in on Saturday) however in between me offering to collect them and now the rescue has become inundated with unwanted guinea pigs and his fosters are also full, so I have informed him that I can foster them till the back end of April if need be. Its so, so sad though that so many pets that could offer their owners so much love and joy become unwanted and treated as disposable thus ending in rescues. It makes me angry, very angry. All pets have a right to a loving, caring forever home and my hope is that each and everyone of them goes off to a home much better than their current one. It has always been my opinion that when a pet is sent off to a rescue, unwanted that they can't off being receiving much love and attention in their homes because if they had their owners would of realised what delightful animals they are and how much a pet can offer and the enrichment it can bring to their lives and having realised all this they would never be able to part with their pet. I know that some owners are forced to give up their pets for genuine reasons and are heartbroken by this fact. It is not these people I am referring to.
Many of these pets are unwanted Christmas presents, in the words of one rescue "is March dump your pet month?", my belief is that the film G-Force has added to the number of children wanting guinea pigs, but the reality is that guinea pigs are nothing like what they are portrayed in the film. Its a sad fact of life pets are bought as cute babies but then they grow up (to me they remain cute), time moves on and the owner (often a child) becomes bored. Parents can't be bothered with caring for the pet themselves (it is actually illegal for a child under 16 to be given total responsibility for a pet) and so off they go to rescue . It is not really the child's fault, the parents need to think very carefully of what they are taking on and though the pet is for the child the whole family needs to take responsibility for the care and welfare for the pet. There is evidence to suggest that children who have pets as children are less selfish and more considerate of the needs of others.
The parents need to be involved in caring for the pet encouraging the child along the way to be involved with their pets care and reminding them of the importance of ensuring that their pet gets the very best care through out its life and doing their best to maintain the child's interest in their pet, as with anything you get out what you put in, you reap what you sow. What sort of signal does it send out to the child that when they get bored they send their pet off to rescue? What sort of messages does that send out about life in general.
Sorry if I seem to have got onto my soap box a bit but its something that is very important to me. This afternoon I was approached by a someone who is waiting for a rescue place for their guinea pigs, the rescue currently being full. They asked me if I would foster theirs as well as the two I have already agreed to, sadly there is not enough room at the inn for them all. Their reason, they let their heart rule their head and with little consideration of the costs involved acquired 9 animals and now realise they have bitten off more they can chew and they simply can't afford to keep that many so off to the rescue they go.
Before you get a pet. THINK. THINK LONG AND HARD!
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Evolution
I have a few plans for this blog, for one there will be a new title as I feel it's current title "narrows my blog down" I am even toying with the idea of going back to word press. Watch this space.
I will really welcome any feedback on the changes that I make
I will really welcome any feedback on the changes that I make
Snowball
Sorry I haven't post for a while sometimes I am not sure what to blog about as my life seems well, boring.
There is much happening here I am busy with work I have just started an 8 week stint of nights, my friend B is in hospital I am doing my best to help and support B and my sisters wedding is looming large in the horizon. On Friday I am heading into Yorkshire to collect two guinea pigs for a rescue. Please anyone reading this, if you plan to get a pet think it through very, very carefully. A pet is for life, they are great fun and can add a very special extra dimension to your life but their is price to pay both personally and financially so please think about it carefully before you commit. Can you offer your potential pet a a loving, caring home for life? My personal opinion is, is that the costs involved in having a pet are hardly noticed if you genuinely love and care for your pet because they give you so much you will want to ensure that your pet has a happy life where it is cosseted and loved.
Anyway moving on, the winter is dragging on and my arthritis is really playing up. Last night I woke in severe pain though I lay in my bed for several minutes trying to work out what was wrong before twigging. I got up feeling totally fed up, I was exhausted and needed sleep. B, despite being in hospital was on hand via text message to support me and Sparky was more than happy to act as an extra hot water bottle and sit with me, enjoying the attention and cuddles. I had a hot bath, hot chocolate, hot water bottle and lots of painkillers and around 5am I settled back off to sleep not waking again till 2pm. I awoke feeling achy like I had been kicked by a horse so had more painkillers and rested for the rest of the day.
At 7pm as I waited for my painkillers to work I decided to try a "heat rub", I usually use "deep heat" but my nana recommended the one she uses, claiming its better than deep heat. I can't remember its name and given that its now in the bin I can't even check it. I rubbed it into my back, left wrist and both ankles. Within minutes the areas concerned became red and began to itch, I was soon scratching like a cat with a serious flea infestation. It because very obvious, very soon that to add to the problems that I already had I was suffering from an allergic reaction. I took an anti-histamine and some steroids to protect my lungs and had a long soak in a bath with a lot hydromol bath oil added, hydromol is what I am prescribed for my eczema. I got out the bath and noticed that the redness had become much more wide spread and I looked like I had been scolded though my bath water was not that hot and I still couldn't stop scratching. I lathered myself with both steroid cream and hydromol moisturiser. It seems to have settled down a lot but I am still itchy. Tonight has not been a good night.
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