12 Saturday Sep 2020
Posted in coronavirus, health & happiness
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Has anyone tried these? Yet another “discovery” made while scrolling through Twitter in the wee hours. The face bracket! Apparently it makes mask-wearing much more comfortable, giving you more space to breath. Washable and reusable. I’ve looked at a few on Amazon and the silicon ones seem best, five in a package for about 12 euros. Might give them a go, especially for my long river walks, unless someone tells me they’ve tried them and they’re crap. 🙂
31 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in health & happiness
Well, or at least a teaspoon a day for starters. Thing is, I’ve heard whisperings about the benefits of turmeric for years, specifically with combatting inflammation, which it seems I have in spades. But it was only when I happened upon a tweet about it couple of days ago (yep, in the middle of the night) that it finally clicked that I should get on this. Or at least give it a go.
So I bought some turmeric the next day and proceeded to make some stuff, adding it to my usual salsa az, adding it to some garbanzo flour batter… but I needed more. I wanted to know how I could get my required daily amount in one go, and also what that daily amount was. Turns out it’s about a teaspoon of ground turmeric a day (which is what I’m going with) or as a supplement 250-500 mg. So now I am working out how to get that teaspoon all at once, like maybe in a shot of tomato juice in the morning? And I will continue adding it to my cooking, but that will be for bonus benefits. So, while I may be ten years too late on this, will report back in a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, my white cotton summer dresses are already looking nervous…
29 Wednesday Jul 2020
Posted in casa azahar, cats, health & happiness, home, life stuff
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After that mostly useless visit to Emergency on Monday I have come up with THIS. I mean, the sling may be an option when I am out and about, which is hardly ever, but I just can’t at home otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do anything. And I’m not about to take four different drugs either, including a version of valium. Not so keen on masking the problem as I am getting to the source of it. And I mean, the doctor who prescribed all this stuff didn’t even ask if I was on any other medication, had allergies, etc. WTF.
And so, after changing the height of my desk chair over the past few weeks (nuthin) and since my arm and shoulder mostly hurt when the arm is unsupported, I have devised this method of keeping the arm supported while working at my desk, using a rolled-up towel and some duct tape (and with Morcilla supervising). It’ll take a couple of days to see if this helps, but already I can feel that it gives a me a break as the arm can actually rest on the newly elevated arm rest.
The only time I am pain-free is when I am sitting in my comfy chair, I think because the arm rests are just the right height and so both my upper back and arms are supported. It also helps if you have an extremely cute cat on your lap. Anyhow, wish me luck. Hope this is going to help.
27 Monday Jul 2020
Posted in health & happiness, hospitals
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So after more than three weeks suffering with REALLY BAD shoulder and arm pain (lately lots of pins and needles in arm) I called my doctor, who said if it was serious pain I should go to emergency, in case they wanted to take an x-ray. So I did. And at emergency they kept asking why I hadn’t gone to see my doctor. Whatever.
I got seen to and after a perfunctory examination was told I had “omalgia” (no attempt to discover the source), was given a sling and a jab in my bum (anti-inflammatory) and sent on my way with prescriptions for paracetamol, ibuprofen, omeprazol and diazepam.
Well fuck that shit. If I just wanted to be given a whack of drugs I would’ve gone to my doctor three weeks ago. Seriously… painkillers, anti-inflammatories, fucking valium and oh, a stomach protector?? Because my shoulder hurts. A lot. And no attempt to find out WHY it’s hurting so much? Fuck.
This first happened to me about two and a half years ago and my lovely friend Kate @sledpress sent me THE CANE which I’ve been using but, unlike last time, it’s just not doing the trick. Have also been using SPIKE, which Kate sent as a part of a birthday package ten years ago. My gosh, that girl has been looking after me for quite some time now! I don’t know why what worked before isn’t working now.
On the plus side I got in 10,000 steps by walking home from the hospital (luckily today it was a balmy 36º, tomorrow it goes back up to 42º). I lasted with the fucking sling for about 20 minutes before ripping it off my neck. And now I am back at home looking for ways to get better on my own. Emergency doc also told me not to do any exercise. This sucks.
09 Thursday Jul 2020
Posted in coronavirus, health & happiness, work
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‘You should not think the only way you can get the infection is if someone coughs on you or sneezes on you’ — Dr. Fauci dispelled myths about how you can catch COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/JYe2hd9TqA
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) July 9, 2020
So I had a two work-related meetings yesterday, both about an hour long, and I was surprised to see that at both places the people I met with weren’t wearing masks. And well, okay, we were seated *almost* a metre apart (the new magic distancing measurement) and nobody was coughing or sneezing, but we all know about transmission from aerosol droplets now, which can stay in the air for up to eight hours. So I sat there uncomfortably until the meetings were finished, slathered sanitising gel on my hands and left.
Then on the way home I decided to see if anyone was at my hairdresser’s. I know they stay open all day and that usually during lunchtime (2-4pm) it is quiet. And so it was. In fact at first I thought they were closed but the owner was outside having a cigarette and came over when he saw me at the door. I told him I just wanted a wash and cut, and he could skip the blow drying, so I was out of there again in about 15 minutes. I noticed that they are now using disposable “towels” and single use plastic capes, but just before I sat down to have my hair washed I said to Joaquín, “aren’t you going to put on a mask?” and he said yes of course, that he just had it off while he was outside, etc. I explained about my immunocompromised situation (he knows about the cancer, been going here for years) and after that he seemed to take even extra care, wiping down the chairs with antiseptic gel before I sat down, so that was good. And while I am never totally comfortable in public places these days, at least I felt precautions were being taken.
But I noticed – and learned – something about those different experiences. At the meetings where I was hoping to get a work offer I didn’t feel like I could mention the mask issue, but where I was a paying customer I felt totally within my rights to request that a mask be worn. And I thought to myself afterwards, is that what it comes down to? That my life is worth less when there is money involved? And so even though I really need the money, I vowed never again. If some people want to believe they are somehow safe from this virus then I guess I will have to keep my distance. Me? I’d rather believe Dr Fauci.
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