WHATS HAPPENING WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

Over the past year I have attended three different GP's so I will refer to them as Dr A...B...C.

For over ten years I have attended a lovely doctor who I referred to as my family doctor and I had confidence in him. Until two years ago when I signed up for a gym membership and they found my blood pressure was high.

So I consulted Dr A who said its nothing to worry about.  So I continued my usual monthly visits to have my prescriptions filled and not once did he recheck my bp.  Then the middle of last year my work mate referred me to his sister for a massage, who then referred me onto a chiropractor for treatment for my ankylosing spondylitis.  After a few months when my pain wasn't being reduced my chiropractor referred me to Dr B as he was supposed to now about AS.

Dr B was lovely, performed several tests and discovered my bp was sky high 200/113 due to my anti inflammatories prescribed by Dr A.  He changed these immediately and put me on bp meds. As my AS wasn't improving he referred me back to my rheumatologist.  The reason I changed from Dr B who I really liked was he charged a lot higher for a consult than other doctors.

Then Cindy told me about Dr C so I consulted him about my AS. and seeing a different rheumatologist also who doesn't charge so much.

Anyway whilst attending Dr C the other day sitting in his waiting room (MISTAKE 1)  another patient was called in by a doctor.  She turned to her partner saying thats not the doctor I am seeing.  After a discusion she sat back down and was eventually taken into the treatment room.   (MISTAKE 2) Then my doctor came out and called my name.  I followed him down to his room, told him my problem and was given a referral for a medical procedure. Then when I was standing at the reception desk waiting to sign my medicare slip I noticed the name was wrong on the referal.  So I told the receptionist who immediately took it into Dr C., apparently it took a lot of convincing that he had seen me and not this other patient.

My daughter had a procedure last year in a private hospital after being told she could just pay the difference rather than go on a LONG waiting list in a public hospital. Dr C referred me to a neurosurgeon recently. The receptionist didn't even give me a chance to ask about paying the gap. Her first question was do you have private health insurance, when I said no she said the doctor won't see you then and hung up.

One of Bruce's work mates had a heart problem which requires expensive medication.  Bruce asked what if you can't afford it, his reply was I suppose you die.  My medication cost is $70 a month if it was any higher we couldn't afford it.

I thought MEDICARE came into help the people who couldn't afford expensive treatements. Whats happened then when we are being turned away????

LATCH KEY KID

WORKING MUM v STAY AT HOME MUM

 As I was born the youngest of five children, I guess I was the one that broke the camels back.  The family obviously must have been struggling financially as all I can remember is my poor Mum working most of my childhood.

Firstly she became a kindergarten assistant.  Yes, thats right at the kinder I attended and guess what, as a result I was kept down an extra year so she could spend time with her baby. With this I was always the eldest in my grade which I hated as the other kids thought I had been kept down and picked on me.

So after having spent two years at my Mum's kinder, my first day of Preps was started by being driven to my friend Laurel's house.  Laurel's Mum took the two of us to school which was very kind of her but at the time I hated it because I wanted my Mum to take me for the first day of school.  I remember being so upset that at morning recess Laurel and I decided we had had enough, so started walking home.  Unfortunately the canteen ladies caught us and took us back to our teacher.

When I was in the younger grades I remember always going to a friends house after school until Mum arrived home.  When I was in about grade two or three I hated school so much I pretended to be sick so I could go home.  Mrs. Rowlands a friend of our family used to take me to her house which I loved, so this made me do it all the more. She had a large family also and I was treated like another daughter. During the school holidays and when I was sick our neighbour Mrs Anderson would mind me and she used to take me on outings.

After Mum finished working at the kinder, she then started minding two little boys for a doctor in South Yarra.  Mum didn't have a license so went everywhere by public transport. I enjoyed going there to play during the school holidays, then my eldest sister would pick us up and drove us home. Mum also looked after another doctors little girl every now and then.

As I grew older when Mum was working I had to come home to an empty house.  I was so scared thinking every little creak was a monster coming to get me. We had bushes out the front which I hid in sometimes for safety.  I had a very vivid imagination.  I think it was shortly after my eldest sister was married that Mum stopped working at South Yarra, then had a few odd jobs around the local area.  This was good as she was home after school for me and I was safe.

When I started secondary school Mum looked after two children from the local primary school in their home.  So I would walk there after school most nights and we would catch the bus home at 6.30pm when their parents arrived home.

Being a latch key kid made me determined not to do the same to my children.  Bruce's Mum was a stay at home mum, so I was fortunate enough to be at home for when my children arrived home from school with their afternoon tea waiting.  It was the time we shared all the news of their days adventure at school. I always looked forward to the school holidays to spend more time with them and go on outings. The only down side I lost all my work skills and wasn't able to get back into the work force until 2005 BUT I wouldn't change it for the world.

LAKE GUTHRIDGE SALE

The last day of Bruce's holidays we wanted to make it special, so we headed towards Sale for a picnic.On the way we stopped at Moe Mcdonalds for refreshements.  Bruce had a cup of tea and I had an iced mocha frappe which was delicious.

We arrived at Sale and headed for Lake Guthridge where we found a lovely spot for our picnic.  This time we did remember our sun cream and our dorky hats.  We had some birds hanging around making a strange squeeling noise but they didn't want our food. They kept pulling up grass blades and eating the roots, they were fascinating.

We enjoyed a nice lunch of rolls and cup of tea followed by fruit.  It was so relaxing as if we were on a deserted island by ourselves, although we could see factories over the other side of the creek and there were so many people either walking or jogging around the lake.

All good things must come to an end, it was time to pack up and head home.  We stopped at Yarragon for a cold drink, then arived home about 7pm to cook a bbq for dinner and back to our everyday routines.

remember slip slop slap

When we went for our rye picnic we forgot proper sunhats and sun scream. Just remembered the important things of course...food and drink lol!

Anway this is what happens when you forget.

Poor Papa

Silly Nanny

Ouchy!

RYE PICNIC

 Whilst Bruce was off work for the week we decided to go for a drive towards Red Hill for a picnic. Obviously we took the wrong road and found ourselves at Flinders Beach firstly.  It was a really busy day there and we couldn't get a table, so continued on our way.

We just headed off without a definite destination.  An hour later we came to Rye beach where we found a nice table overlooking the beach near the boat launching ramp. Bruce unpacked and set up all our picnic gear. Whilst we waited for the kettle to boil I had to pay a visit so went for what I thought was a short walk to a prettily painted toilet block.  As I approached I could see the door were padlocked, then saw a sign saying another ammenties block is 200 metres either way.  I thought I have come this far so might as well keep going further away. Boy did I pay for this with my stupid hips.

Anyway I arrived back at the table after my long hike and the kettle still wasn't boiled.  So I started making our sandwiches.  finally we had a cup of tea to go with our lunch.  NOTHING LIKE A NICE HOT CUP OF TEA!  We watched several boats being launch and some people daring to wade into the water. It was obviously cold as they yelled out in agony. There was a lone pelican wandering up the beach but surprisingly neither of us had our cameras which was disappointing.

After lunch we packed up our picnic, put it back in the car and got our cameras.  Bruce suggested we walk down the pier which I hate at the best of times.  Every step the pier creeked , so I held on tightly to Bruce and said if it collapses he will have to rescue me as I don't swim. He kept reassuring me it will be fine. We finally arrived at the end where there was a family fishing.  One of the men caught a small gummy shark but threw it back in.  Didn't kiss it though lol! I sat down on a seat for a little while to give my hips a rest whilst Bruce had a good look around.

Then we headed back down the creeky pier, I was so glad to arrive safely back on the beach. Phew! As we approached our car I noticed a sign saying the carpark is a paid carpark area. OOps! Luckily we didn't get a fine.

We drove home along the beach road which was very pretty and decided after seeing the family fishing we would buy fish to bbq for dinner. It was delicious.

Bruce wore a bucket hat whilst we were at Rye but we both forgot to slip slop slap.  Both of us suffered with really bad sunburn.  Ouch!

PAPA'S PORRIDGE

How do you have your porridge?

When I was a little girl my Mum or Dad would make porridge for breakfast and we would eat it with a lump of butter in the middle so it would melt, sprinkled with sugar and milk on top. It was so delicious and I thought that was the way everyone ate it. I still prefer to eat it this way.






I used to watch the add on tv for John Bull's porridge and the little boy saying 'thats not how you make porridge.' in his scottish accent.






As my husband Bruce is a shift worker he quite often doesn't eat until lunch time, then has a huge bowl of porridge. He makes it in a lot of different ways depending on how he feels. Sometimes he adds grated apple or stewed apples,  other times bananas and sultanas. Then when it comes time to eating it he either adds yoghurt, honey or maple syrup and eats it without milk.

We had our eldest granddaughter Amelia living with us when she was first born. When she went onto solids it was a treat for her to sit up with Papa and enjoy a bowl of his porridge. Everyday she would look forward to Papa's porridge. A few weeks ago she was at school when her family came for lunch and her brother Joshua had a bowl of Papa's porridge. She was so upset when she knew she had missed out. All the grandkids seem to enjoy eating Papa's porridge as if its a secret ingredient. I remember making it for Amelia one day but it wasn't as good as her Papa's of course.

So how do other families cook and eat their porridge?

BOO!

My eldest daughter joined a group called pay it forward where you make something within the year for three people. I liked the sound of this so thought before I commit myself to it I will do a little experiment.

My worst subject at school was sewing. All my classmates used to breeze through making garments whilst I sat there struggling, hating every minute of my time in class, which also made me hate the teacher. So I have never really indulged in sewing anything and cringed if anything needed repairing or even a button stitching on. When I saw Jen sewing recently making presents for Jacks little friends it gave me the inspiration to create something.

hand stitching

I had some cow print material which I had bought for my car seats. So decided to try making a cow of course as I am so obsessed with cows. I came up with an idea in my head of how I wanted it to look and thought I need a door stop to prop the front door open.

So I started cutting the body first which I tacked together. I dragged my sewing machine which Bruce bought me when we first married out of the back of the cupboard. (He had high hopes for me. lol!) Away we go, zoom.....the top looks ok...but the bottom is all gathered. Oh no what to do??? so I asked Jen if I could use her machine but kept stuffing it up. I was almost ready to give up thinking sewing isn't for me when I decided to use my mother in laws old faithful. Yay it works and sewing is fun after all. The body part finished now for the head. I could visualise how I wanted it to look but how to cut it outs another thing. I actually found myself in bed at night dreaming about it. Then VOILE it all came to me.

Woops, stitched my thumb!

Whilst Bruce was on the computer I spent my time sewing. Some parts I hand stitched as they were too dificult to machine stitch. OOps! Can you come and help please Darling, I've sewn through my thumb. We both had a good laugh about this and Bruce couldn't resist taking photos.

The head

Anyway I continued on my first sewing adventure and finished the head part. the next step was to stuff it and weigh it down with something. Bruce bought me some jasmine rice for the weight as he thought it would smell nice. I bought a bag of stuffing but ran out. Luckily I had virtually a draw full of old panty hose so used those as well.

Ta da!!

I was very impressed with my end product and are now eager to start on another sewing adventure.

Finishing touches...her footy scarf, Go Saints!!