The NHS on the cheap

Just a quick up-date about my parents and their battle with their Doctor to stay on the medication that was working for them, and not giving them side effects. I did not have to intervene because as I mentioned previously, my Dad had terrible pains in his legs so he had yet another appointment and on this occasion, the Doctor prescribed another tablet, even cheaper and even less effective, requiring more blood tests and several gradual dose increases, and guess what - with the same dreadful leg pains as a side effect. Result - my Dad is now not taking the drug, and is therefore no longer protected against heart disease or a stroke.



Imagine how much all this messing about has cost the NHS in wasted appointment time, my Dad in wasted travel time, and with no benefit in the end (unless you count it a temporary benefit that the NHS is not paying for any tablets now Dad is not taking them - what is the cost to the NHS of heart attacks and strokes compared to the annual cost of this effective class of medicines?)



As you can tell, I am not seeing this as a positive outcome - I have suggested that on their next visit, they say that they have had the information and do not now give informed consent to the switch - let's see what happens next.

Not Happy

Another odd post but I would appreciate your thoughts. My parents were recently called into their GP Surgery for a Health Check, what actually happened is that their medication was changed from the branded dose prescribed by their separate cardiologists, to a different less effective and more toxic generic drug. I understand that this was done covertly - as though it was like for like, without any health check to speak of, and the result of this was that a week later having taken the new drug, both of them had severe pains in their legs, my Dad couldn't make it to the gym because of the pain. Another appointment was made (they regularly complain that they can't get appointments without a 2 week wait, but on this occasion the appointment happened within the week). They were told that the NHS has to save billions of pounds and that they have to take a cheaper medicine than that prescribed by their cardiologist, their medication was changed again, this time to a lower (and much less effective) dose of another drug.

I feel very angry about this, my parents have worked and paid tax and national insurance all their lives, they have had private medical insurance too, and my Dad has been treated for colon cancer privately - they have saved the NHS enough money already! The result now is that they feel they should not bother to take the drug at all, where previously they were happily complying along with their Omega 3, garlic capsules, aloe vera etc etc. Just to put this into context, the drug they were taking was a potent statin to lower their cholesterol and prevent them from having a stroke, or a heart attack. If in the near future either of them should have any sort of cardiovascular event, then their GP will have some detailed explaining to do.

Gap and Valentino

The Zara Dress

Danni Minogue in the J'Aton Couture cream lace

The River Island sequin skirt

I am absolutely desperate to own some of the Gap/Valentino collaboration, it is just as you would imagine, a mixture of feminine frills and soft cargo - I have trawled the internet for a photograph but cant find one yet, it apparently launches on 27 November, at the Oxford Street branch of Gap - perhaps it will be available on line too. I am going to be in London on that weekend, but will be at a wedding (the one I am slimming for so that I can wear my chosen frock and feel good). There are photos in this week's Sunday magazines, and in either Vogue or Bazaar, in the meantime I have bought a fantastic skirt from River Island which will be perfect for lots of Winter occasions - I can even see myself cooking Christmas lunch in it - from the photo above it looks gold, but the overall effect is more black/bronze, very versatile and not bad at £49.99.

I also tried out Zara Online and was really impressed with the service - my dress arrived beautifully packaged and wrapped in tissue, unfortunately the fit was poor - the look I was aiming for was that in the Danni Minogue picture, the look I got was a bit too bridal, even over skinny jeans or leggins, it has to go back, and actually I think that Zara has gone a bit pricey considering the quality - I bought a cashmere sweater in a lovely pale blush colour and after one very careful hand wash it looks like something from a jumble sale - it may have to go back too, the Zara one was the same price as the cashmere in M&S but nothing like the quality.

I spent last night clutching a bottle of chilled white wine - now retitled An Aga Saga, by Joanne a trollop

But not for the usual reasons - stressful day at work? No, dealing with small children? No, row with the lovely man? No, plumbers/carpenters/electricians? No..............................I picked up a pan which I had just taken out of the oven...................words cannot describe - well they can, but not here. I was multi-tasking which is normal for most of us, and I committed the range owner cardinal sin - save money and reduce cooking aromas by using the oven rather than the hob, lift pan out of oven using oven gloves, move pan on hob with bare hands. I wouldn't care but I always warn anyone who comes near the kitchen about this, I always put on a handle cover, but on this occasion I didn't. I rushed to the sink and ran the cold tap, which always runs warm for the first few gallons because of proximity to hot water pipes. I warmed the burn a little then ran back to the hob where the garlic I had been lightly toasting in the oven was now burning - this time I did use the handle cover.

So when I eventually sat down to eat, it was with my left hand, whilst my right one was chilling on the wine (obviously had a glass at this point to soothe and calm). I Googled the doctor and found that you should never put anything ice cold on a burn, you should cool it and then cover it with cling film or a bag, so I spent the rest of the evening languishing on the sofa, feeling sorry for myself with my hand in a ziploc bag - very glamorous, but it did work, and I only have a tiny blister on my ring finger to show for all the pain (wouldn't be typing this otherwise).