The madness that is Christmas ...

So, it’s only so many weeks until this thing called Christmas which always seems to create such madness every year.
As most of you know, my husband has trouble going out of the house at the best of times just to do some shopping with me. So we try and do shopping at quiet times to reduce the stress to him and myself. I actually hate food shopping anyway and just find it so much more stressful when I have a disabled person with me - I have to be so alert and try to stay calm …… nightmare.

So this year rather than leaving our Christmas food shop until a week before, we have bought things over the last few months.
“But that's not so easy to do with meat” I hear you say. Well this year we have ordered our meat from our local butcher. All fresh from local farms and we’ll be picking it up on 23rd. And it’s all better quality and slightly cheaper than the supermarkets!
Most of the vegetables will be frozen. Yes, I know fresh is better, but frozen veg is a lot less hassle …...
Our kitchen is tiny, so there’s normally only enough room for one person (me!). Last year there was two of us prepping the food and 2 others constantly coming in and out and it was a complete nightmare. So that's the other reason to have frozen vegetables – no prep, chuck it in a pan of water!

What about naughty bits?

Again, as soon as this stuff was in the shops we bought what we wanted. I have to say though that, despite what the papers keep reporting, the supermarkets seem to get the Christmas things in later and later each year, not earlier. We also had to go to several different supermarkets to get everything. Maybe I should shop online next Christmas?

Now for some general advice:

• If possible make sure you rest when you can, Christmas is a very hectic time.I’m lucky this year as we will be having my mother in-law and her partner staying with us. So no matter what there will always be someone with @raspberrytalk.
• Make sure all meds have been collected and there’s plenty to cover over Christmas and New Year.
• Get the Flu Jab.
  (If your registered as a carer at your G.P you should of been offered this for FREE.)
• Get as much of your Christmas food before December. This can include all the naughty food as well.
• Try not to get stressed out, it’s only Christmas!(easier said than done I know).
• Ask for help if you’re not coping to well.There is always someone who can help you’d be surprised by the kindness of people especially this time of year.
• Keep warm.You may be entitled to get a warm home discount.

Have fun, it’s Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone & remember take care of each other.
carer’s vent & Aka the raspberry

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Flu Jab refused

Last Friday me and @raspberrytalk booked in our flu jabs which as far as we are both concerned are eligible for them.  

This is who the NHS say should be eligible for the flu jab.  

As most of you will know @raspberrytalk has ME and Fibromyalgia. 

When we went in on Tuesday 5^th November the nurse politely explained to @raspberrytalk that she had been told by the practice manager that he was not eligible for the flu jab. WTF is almost the words I said to the nurse. @raspberrytalk was bemused and asked why this was the case and she replied that he doen’t have any neurological conditions or an immune system problem!

He then had to explain to the nurse that he has ME and Fibromyalgia, which are both Neurological disorders … and we then discovered that neither of them, nor his arthritis or seizures are listed as “active” problems on his file! 

As far as me and @raspberrytalk are concerned he should be eligible for the flu jab, but the nurse said that none of that information was on his records and she then explained that  even if it was, the surgery do not recognised the fact that ME and Fibro are neurological disorders. She also said that @raspberrytalk’s latest blood tests showed that his immune system is currently normal, so he wouldn’t get the jab because of that. 

 

Well at this point I was very pissed off and so was @raspberrytalk to say the least.

Anyway I had my jab done. 

@raspberrytalk explained to the nurse that he was concerned about the overall care he could expect to receive from the GP’s at the surgery if they don’t consider ME as neurological (i.e. they think it’s all in the mind).

I am also concerned about this as @raspberrytalk’s ESA renewal is coming up very soon. As most of you will know it was a real battle for him to get any kind of benefits.

If we don’t have the support of our GP and other health professionals, what hope is there for us?

It feels like we are fighting a battle that we will never win and it’s a battle we are fighting alone ………… 

We have been invited in by the surgery to “discuss our concerns”(!) I will update you all on this.

 

Take Care of Each other

Carers Vent

 

If like @raspberrytalk you have ME or Fibro and been refused flu jab please contact me on @carersvent

 

UPDATE: 7th November 2013

 

spoke to our GP and apparently according to the records they received from our last surgery there is no record of @raspberrytalk being given a 100% confirmation that he has ME or Fibro.

 

Also the only active problem on his records is his mental health problems and nothing about his arthritis which is a active problem.

 

really not sure where we stand or what we can do any advice would be welcomed.

FLU JAB

I will be writing a blog about this and the attitude of health professionals when it comes to ME and Fibro.