It's to do with how they have (according to NHS rules) be disinfected. Cleaning with alcohol won't do. And, even though a roomful can be done at once, it's deemed "cheaper" to go for single use. I gave my mother's equipment to one of our local shops who sold and/or rented aids. They were, four years ago, happy to take them. What would happen now I can't say.

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"Lack of planning on your part does not necessarily mean an emergency on mine"

"Association does not infer causality"

When I broke my ankle visiting EBD's grave (how's that for oneupwomanship!), the hospital originally said they could not provide me with any of the "aids" necessary for my discharge as they were chargeable to the local GP budget and I wasn't registered with a local GP.

Commonsense did prevail as it was significantly more expensive to keep me in hospital for 6 - 12 weeks than give me a pair of crutches and a zimmer frame.

This is the stupidity of the "internal market" which is supposed to make things more "cost effective" but actually means staff spend a lot more time trying to work out how to account for the provision of obvious needs, and can't refer people easily to the closest or best care.

A friend of mine, despite being registered with his local GP was so stupid as to be knocked off his bike in a neighbouring healthcare area and was referred for physio in a THIRD heath care area. Currently, he's being treated under his maiden name (I kid you not) which is marginally better than the original "you don't exist".

So sorry to read of your loss JustJenn.

I've just be told that despite my fracturing my wrist 8 weeks ago, it still hasn't mending, so I have to have another scan (at a not inconsiderable cost), to see if I am going to be allowed to start hand re-education session. On an up note the nice orthopedic surgeon gave me a prescription for a wrist splint to wear when I'm allowed to start cycling

British Gas .

First, it's a 2 week wait for an appointment. Then, it's SIX hour timeslot. Then, 2 hours in, they ring up to say that they've overbooked themselves, so the engineer will not be coming.

Went to post a snotty comment on their Facebook site - social media shaming seems to be the only language that these companies understand - and several other people had posted, today alone, to say they'd had the same thing.

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

Had my smartphone less than a week. Already gone wrong! Chinese characters have appeared and I can't get into it.

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''He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

I'm sorry for your problems, Cal and Alison. I have to say that everything in our house is insured with British Gas, and they haven't let us down yet. *Touches wood!* They came out to mend our boiler in the snow when the heating broke down, and then today, when the radiators suddenly went cold, one phone call and they came immediately to fix the problem. Admittedly, they now have us on preference service to come quickly, because of my severe hip problem, which can't be fixed by a new hip, but we've always had this service from them.

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"All books are either drums or swords. You can cut, or you can drug with words." (Amy Lowell)

JustJenn, I am so sorry for your loss.

How maddening, Alison. I had a day when the boiler was to be serviced between 8.00 and 12.00 (he arrived at 1.00) and the washing machine to be repaired between 12.00 and 5.00 ( he arrived at 6.00). It was a long day. I do appreciate the fact that the engineer or whoever rings to let you know when they will be with you, though- at least you can leave the house, if not go very far!

Thoughts to everybody needing them.

I'm feeling really despondent. Every time I think my symptoms are levelling out, something else happens to make me realise that I'm still getting gradually worse. This week it was words; I simply couldn't cope with talking to anybody, even online, which is horrible; I've always been able to do that before. It's so scary. A family recently spoke out and gave interviews about their daughter, who was just a young adult, who died from ME. Actually, I'd rather that than live for the next few decades unable to do anything enjoyable. (Can I please ask for no responses saying you know I'll get better or variations thereof. I know people are trying to be helpful when they say things like this but it just feels incredibly invalidating!) This is just a vent really. It's all scary and horrible and I hate it.

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"And I'm sure there was blood in the gutter from somebody's head, or else it was the sunset in a puddle."

Sending hugs - wish I could help...

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to be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e.e.cummings
http://stitchwords.blogspot.co.uk

If only I lived a bit closer Abbey. Hugs x

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Wishes the land of Merlin and magic was real

Abbey, so sorry. *Hugs* I wish I could still make it to Yorkshire in May and come and see you. (Sadly, Swiss holidays do not align with UK ones).

Thank you everyone . A friend was visiting York this week and came over to see me yesterday so that was nice.

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"And I'm sure there was blood in the gutter from somebody's head, or else it was the sunset in a puddle."

I would like to thank everyone for the messages of support and condolences.
Xoxox
Jennifer and family

Hugs to everyone who needs them! So I thought I had found someone to take over my room in London, but now there's some hold-up with my deposit... like the girl who wants to take over the room is saying it's not ok. It's cleaner than when I moved in and in the exact same state. I never put anything on the walls, and I think the landlady is just taking advantage of the fact I moved abroad. I have to wait for more news but this is just a wee bit too stressful on top of everything else.

Hugs roversgirl! That's horrible I hope it gets resolved soon.

Hope you are doing ok Abbey and that you enjoyed your friend's visit.

Roversgirl may everything be sorted soon. Sounds horribly stressful.

Just found out the first guy I liked in forever has a girlfriend. Of course he does. Sigh.

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Every life is both ordinary and extraordinary – it is the respective proportions of those two categories that make that life appear interesting or humdrum.
William Boyd//Any Human Heart

It has taken me a month to get British Gas to come and look at the dripping pipe.

The man, when he eventually turned up, was very nice and helpful, but said that the problem wasn't to do with the pipe/boiler connections, and that I will need to get someone from United Utilities to come and look at it. I've got an awful feeling that I'm now going to spend a month waiting for United Utilities, and then be told that it's not under their remit and I need to get an ordinary plumber! But, if I get a plumber first, which I thought about doing originally, and things go wrong, it will invalidate any obligation that BG or UU have to sort it out!




ETA - *sigh*. I rang United Utilities, and was told that they could not put people through to the appointments department (why??) directly, but that someone would ring me back to arrange a time. I then got a call from an exasperated repair man to say that he was standing on my doorstep and no-one was answering the door, because someone had pressed the wrong button and flagged it up as an emergency major burst ... which would have been great, had I not been back at work because I'd been told that someone would ring me to arrange a time. Had they just let me speak to the appointments department in the first place ...

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

Why do some people feel it's OK to drop litter wherever they like on our streets? I walk a lot, as I don't drive and I've long since ceased to be amazed by the quantity of cans, remains of take-away meals, crisp packets etc, etc... I see on the streets of my town. I often take a route through my local park, which has plenty of rubbish bins, yet people still drop litter - sometimes very close to the bins.

The other morning I was waiting at the bus stop for my morning commute along with several other people. It was quite windy and I saw a couple of crisp packets flying around, so when they came near me, I picked them up and put them in a nearby bin. I got some strange looks from my fellow commuters.

And don't get me started on dog mess! I have an open front lawn, which unfortunately doesn't have a fence or wall round it. I've lost count of the number of times irresponsible dog owners have let their dogs do their 'business' on my patch of grass and then not bothered to clear it up.

Final whinge for today, car owners who park their cars on the pedestrian walkways near our local community complex. About a year ago, they put warning signs up and started employing a warden to issue tickets. For a time, the situation got better, but this morning there were about 8 cars parked where they shouldn't be.

I'm reasonably fit and healthy, so it doesn't affect me too much, but I've seen elderly people and mums with pushchairs struggling to get round the illegally parked cars without going into the road, which can be quite busy. That's dangerous!

Admittedly, the weather has been bad this week, but this morning the sun is shining.

When I went inside to complain, the receptionist told me that the warden was working today (I'd been told on a previous occasion that he didn't always work on Saturdays) and that he would issue tickets to the offenders. To which my response was that he needs to start earlier on a Saturday, because the worst time seems to be between 10 and 11am. The complex has several outdoor pitches and a swimming pool, so I'm pretty sure that the problem is parents, whose children can't possibly be expected to walk from the nearest available car park, which is about 200 metres away. It doesn't technically belong to the community centre, but parking is free and there is no reason why they shouldn't park there.

The problem is probably exacerbated by the fact that the number of parking spaces provided by the centre is hopelessly inadequate, especially on a Saturday, but that's no excuse.

Rant over for today.

Edited once for clarity.

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''He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

Heartfelt agreement here, Cal!

Yesterday, SLOC strolled off for the paper, and as a car went by him, a drinks can was casually thrown out of the window. How do you stop and fine someone who does that? And yet others who accidentally drop something are fined on the spot, no questions asked!

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"All books are either drums or swords. You can cut, or you can drug with words." (Amy Lowell)

Am with you entirely, Cal.

Am full of admiration for a friend who also suffered dog mess on a piece of lawn in front of her property. She realised it was the same dog walker every day who let his dog do his business there. One day, she went out, shovelled it up and followed the culprit and his master to their home. She casually tossed it over his garden wall and said, "I think you dropped something". She then left quickly before he had time to react but it never happened again. A high risk strategy perhaps but it worked in this instance!