MS and Me 04/22/2018 This is MS Awareness Week. This is my story of Multiple Sclerosis and me. My life was so good. When two of my fingers went numb at the end of 1990 who could have predicted what would happen next? Odd beginnings I ignored the two numb fingers, assuming a trapped nerve. A few weeks later I suddenly found I couldn't hold a pen. I ignored it, assuming another trapped nerve, albeit in the other hand. In April 1991 I opened my mouth to speak and all that came out was an unintelligible slur. It was
This is MS Awareness Week. This is my story of Multiple Sclerosis and me. My life was so good. When two of my fingers went numb at the end of 1990 who could have predicted what would happen next? Odd beginnings I ignored the two numb fingers, assuming a trapped nerve. A few weeks later I suddenly found I couldn't hold a pen. I ignored it, assuming another trapped nerve, albeit in the other hand. In April 1991 I opened my mouth to speak and all that came out was an unintelligible slur. It was
Extreme Wheelchair Pushing 04/17/2018 Welly-Wanging may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a sport but the world championship takes place every year in Upperthong, near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire. If throwing doesn’t appeal, the 47th world championship tin bath racing on (or should that be in?) the sea will take place this year on the Isle of Man. If you prefer something at a slower pace, the world championship snail racing championship will be at Congham, Norfolk on July 21st this year. (The publicity says
Welly-Wanging may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a sport but the world championship takes place every year in Upperthong, near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire. If throwing doesn’t appeal, the 47th world championship tin bath racing on (or should that be in?) the sea will take place this year on the Isle of Man. If you prefer something at a slower pace, the world championship snail racing championship will be at Congham, Norfolk on July 21st this year. (The publicity says
Scams, frauds and hoaxes 04/14/2018 Has Facebook been in touch with you yet? Was your personal data shared without your knowledge? How do we know if our personal information has been taken from other social media sites? Cyberattacks are happening all the time so should we just assume that we’ve been hacked? We’re being tracked The fact is that if we use social media, especially sites such as Facebook and Google, our information is out there. Google knows everything we’ve ever searched for and apparently it has an advert profile
Has Facebook been in touch with you yet? Was your personal data shared without your knowledge? How do we know if our personal information has been taken from other social media sites? Cyberattacks are happening all the time so should we just assume that we’ve been hacked? We’re being tracked The fact is that if we use social media, especially sites such as Facebook and Google, our information is out there. Google knows everything we’ve ever searched for and apparently it has an advert profile
Audition Woes 04/08/2018 Talent competitions come and go in a never ending procession. Yesterday evening was the final of the seventh season of The Voice in the UK. In the USA the fourteenth season started in February. Britain’s Got Talent will start next weekend. The American version will begin at the end of May. Open auditions have recently been announced for the next season of The X Factor in the UK. And so it goes, all over the world. Amusing or cruel? When I’ve watched these programmes I can see there is real
Talent competitions come and go in a never ending procession. Yesterday evening was the final of the seventh season of The Voice in the UK. In the USA the fourteenth season started in February. Britain’s Got Talent will start next weekend. The American version will begin at the end of May. Open auditions have recently been announced for the next season of The X Factor in the UK. And so it goes, all over the world. Amusing or cruel? When I’ve watched these programmes I can see there is real
Flying in a wheelchair 04/04/2018 You’re planning a journey. Perhaps a holiday. How will you travel? Perhaps by plane. You shrug because that’s no big deal. Book on-line, reserve seats, turn up and off you go. But what if you’re a disabled traveller? How easy is it for us to travel by plane? What should happen Let’s start with the legal position. The Equality Act was passed in 2010. It’s now 2018. I think eight years is plenty of time to ensure that any person with any disability should be able to travel on a plane (or any
You’re planning a journey. Perhaps a holiday. How will you travel? Perhaps by plane. You shrug because that’s no big deal. Book on-line, reserve seats, turn up and off you go. But what if you’re a disabled traveller? How easy is it for us to travel by plane? What should happen Let’s start with the legal position. The Equality Act was passed in 2010. It’s now 2018. I think eight years is plenty of time to ensure that any person with any disability should be able to travel on a plane (or any
The NHS and Me 03/30/2018 Every day we read or hear bad news about the NHS: waiting time targets cannot be met, performance levels and savings demanded are beyond reach, 10,000 more beds are needed……and so on. All very depressing, both for those working in the NHS and those of us who are potential patients. In contrast with all the bad news, surveys show that the public is overwhelmingly satisfied with the NHS, although an increasing number are concerned for its future. Let’s not forget that the quality of care is
Every day we read or hear bad news about the NHS: waiting time targets cannot be met, performance levels and savings demanded are beyond reach, 10,000 more beds are needed……and so on. All very depressing, both for those working in the NHS and those of us who are potential patients. In contrast with all the bad news, surveys show that the public is overwhelmingly satisfied with the NHS, although an increasing number are concerned for its future. Let’s not forget that the quality of care is
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 03/24/2018 The television serial ‘Mad Men’ is the story of advertising salesmen in the 1960s. It was hugely popular, won countless awards and is regarded by many as one of the best television dramas of all time. However, the programme provoked much discussion about sexism, sexual politics and relationships. The show presents a workplace culture in which men – regardless of marital status – frequently enter sexual relationships with other women and it is assumed that female employees are sexually available
The television serial ‘Mad Men’ is the story of advertising salesmen in the 1960s. It was hugely popular, won countless awards and is regarded by many as one of the best television dramas of all time. However, the programme provoked much discussion about sexism, sexual politics and relationships. The show presents a workplace culture in which men – regardless of marital status – frequently enter sexual relationships with other women and it is assumed that female employees are sexually available
Practical Help for the Disabled 03/22/2018 Those of us who are disabled need help. Not preferential treatment but assistance to help us live our lives to the full. As I became disabled I didn’t have a clue what (if any) help was available. Not that I was looking for help as I thought I could manage on my own, with John’s help. As things changed over the years I have been relieved to find that there is help available, you just have to look for it. Access to Work This is a government scheme giving practical help to those with a
Those of us who are disabled need help. Not preferential treatment but assistance to help us live our lives to the full. As I became disabled I didn’t have a clue what (if any) help was available. Not that I was looking for help as I thought I could manage on my own, with John’s help. As things changed over the years I have been relieved to find that there is help available, you just have to look for it. Access to Work This is a government scheme giving practical help to those with a
Trying to Look Good in a Wheelchair 03/17/2018 The daily routine: wake up, get up, shower, wash hair, dry hair, get dressed, titivate as necessary. Job done. Easy. Now compare and contrast that with the following. The daily routine: wake up, get up with help (from John, my husband and carer), shower with help (from John), wash hair, dry hair (John again), struggle to get dressed, titivate as necessary. Job done. Not so easy. An able bodied person can get dressed in no time at all whereas for those of who are less able it can take longer. A
The daily routine: wake up, get up, shower, wash hair, dry hair, get dressed, titivate as necessary. Job done. Easy. Now compare and contrast that with the following. The daily routine: wake up, get up with help (from John, my husband and carer), shower with help (from John), wash hair, dry hair (John again), struggle to get dressed, titivate as necessary. Job done. Not so easy. An able bodied person can get dressed in no time at all whereas for those of who are less able it can take longer. A
