How was your day? (Random off topic chat)

[Jane Parfitt]

Good for you alece10!

Any special plans for your retirement?

JP

May 23, 2024 13:11:16 GMT alece10 said:

I just told my boss off and I am not sorry.
I was trying to do something very complicated on my PC and she was twittering away about ripe bananas and a bag of McCain chips having black bits on them that I couldn't concentrate.
I asked her to be quiet as it was a very complicated job and I couldn't concentrate.
The thing is if I make a mistake then I get in trouble when it isn't my fault.
Anyway I retire in 6 months so I don't care. 😀

[londonmzfitz]

Retire, eh? Good for you.

My company has relocated from London Bridge - the lovely buzzy Bermondsey Street, always remarked on visiting clients as "ooo, isn't it trendy around here". To Woking. 2 colleagues have already left.
And while 3 days WFH with 2 days in the office from Lincolnshire to London Bridge was £££ but doable, Lincolnshire to Woking is *£££££* and knackering. I'm being made redundant after 15 years, training up the new person (!Directors cousin!); had nothing in writing despite emails asking for clarification, until I sent a very testy email ending in "Am I being had for a mug"? Got attention. All apologies ... Stress levels, not having specific dates (expectations of pay packets, as it were), office move (cat into cattery, 4 days/nights in London/Woking) and mad physical, looking for another job when I'm ticking that very last box on the age range criteria. I expect worst case I'll have Summer in the garden - I have lined up a few midweek matinees to keep me cheery.

[alece10]

May 24, 2024 10:46:48 GMT Jane Parfitt said:

Good for you alece10!

Any special plans for your retirement?

JP

May 23, 2024 13:11:16 GMT alece10 said:

I just told my boss off and I am not sorry.
I was trying to do something very complicated on my PC and she was twittering away about ripe bananas and a bag of McCain chips having black bits on them that I couldn't concentrate.
I asked her to be quiet as it was a very complicated job and I couldn't concentrate.
The thing is if I make a mistake then I get in trouble when it isn't my fault.
Anyway I retire in 6 months so I don't care. 😀

Thanks.
I will celebrate in some way for sure.
Not sure if I can afford retirement or if I will get bored. My plan is to try it for a few months and then if I need to or want to work then maybe a little part time job and ideally theatre related. Possible usher or FOH somewhere 2-3 days a week. I was a volunteer for 10 years at the Menier and loved it more than my proper job.
So will see how it goes.

[alece10]

Stuck this post here as I didn't want to start a new thread.
I think that practically every actor I follow on Instagram seems to be at Hoopla this weekend. (I did have to Google what it was to be honest).
I think there are enough west end singers and dancers there that they could take to the stage and do their own show. Now I'd pay to see that!

[marob]

Jun 2, 2024 14:54:44 GMT alece10 said:

Stuck this post here as I didn't want to start a new thread.
I think that practically every actor I follow on Instagram seems to be at Hoopla this weekend. (I did have to Google what it was to be honest).
I think there are enough west end singers and dancers there that they could take to the stage and do their own show. Now I'd pay to see that!

Pop festivals are just not on my radar whatsoever, so I’d never heard of it either. But I think two years ago virtually every performer I follow seemed to be there. Always looks a mix of Glastonbury and Pride.

Haven’t noticed it so much this year actually. The park was apparently like a mudbath earlier in the week so I did see a quite few trying to flog their tickets. 😂

[alece10]

You know when you get these random things on your Facebook page because you paused on something for half a second?
Well currently I'm getting all these pictures of places like Essex and Hartlepool 100 years ago. But this morning I kept getting "A brief history of Detroit" popping up and thought I have no interest in this whatsoever.
Only just twigged that it's a play at the Donmar being advertised.

[hannechalk]

After reading 'The Lost Bookshop' by Evie Woods, I was inspired to start a course in English Literature and Creative Writing at the Open University.

My last assignment was a Creative Writing-piece, and I got a score of 88! In the feedback my tutor said it was a very strong piece, and he had to nitpick to give criticism.

I am over the moon - this is my first piece of writing which has ever been professionally assessed.

[Jon]

Jun 2, 2024 14:54:44 GMT alece10 said:

Stuck this post here as I didn't want to start a new thread.
I think that practically every actor I follow on Instagram seems to be at Hoopla this weekend. (I did have to Google what it was to be honest).
I think there are enough west end singers and dancers there that they could take to the stage and do their own show. Now I'd pay to see that!

Even though I'm the right demographic for it music wise, it's never interested me even though Brockwell Park is fairly easy for me to get to and go home. 

[bimse]

May 24, 2024 13:14:49 GMT alece10 said:

May 24, 2024 10:46:48 GMT Jane Parfitt said:

Good for you alece10!

Any special plans for your retirement?

JP

Thanks.
I will celebrate in some way for sure.
Not sure if I can afford retirement or if I will get bored. My plan is to try it for a few months and then if I need to or want to work then maybe a little part time job and ideally theatre related. Possible usher or FOH somewhere 2-3 days a week. I was a volunteer for 10 years at the Menier and loved it more than my proper job.
So will see how it goes.

Good for you ! I took early retirement and like most of us I worried about the financial side of things. But I’ve never looked back, I manage incredibly well, I don’t deny myself theatre trips or holidays, I don’t get bored, don’t have to request time off work before I buy theatre tickets (only to then get my request overturned after I’ve got the tickets), I do voluntary work but not to the point where it’s full time. I’ve been told I’m lucky, but for me it’s not luck because I planned this, and paid for my pension. I wish you much happiness !

[hannechalk]

Another good day - I work for a company which has its roots in the USA, but is spreading fast around mainly Europe and India as well.

So everything is very USA-centric with regards to resources.

I am ironically currently the only active member of the Diversity Council and Cultural Recognition Committee who is not based in the USA.

I properly pitched my idea for a worldwide mental wellbeing hub today, with resources and activities from around the world, and the powers that be love it!

I could make a real difference.

This week is a good week for me. Not in a manic 'on top of the world invincible' kind of thing, but just good things happening.

I am bipolar, so I do have manic episodes, but this is just an 'everything is good in the world'-kind of thing.

[theatreismagic]

Jun 4, 2024 15:04:09 GMT hannechalk said:

Another good day - I work for a company which has its roots in the USA, but is spreading fast around mainly Europe and India as well.

So everything is very USA-centric with regards to resources.

I am ironically currently the only active member of the Diversity Council and Cultural Recognition Committee who is not based in the USA.

I properly pitched my idea for a worldwide mental wellbeing hub today, with resources and activities from around the world, and the powers that be love it!

I could make a real difference.

This week is a good week for me. Not in a manic 'on top of the world invincible' kind of thing, but just good things happening.

I am bipolar, so I do have manic episodes, but this is just an 'everything is good in the world'-kind of thing.

Not just a good week for you but you've also pitched something that could really help people - a double win!

[marob]

A couple of movies on in Chester I wanted to see. Made sure beforehand that the races weren’t on, as I can’t be doing with the crowds, and as they weren’t I thought it’d be a nice quiet afternoon.

Hadn’t anticipated that the Duke of Westminster would be getting married across the road from the cinema, with Prince William as usher, in “The society event of the year.”

Police everywhere, some with huge guns, roads cordoned off, and crowds and crowds of people, many dressed to the nines as if they’d been invited themselves. I like a bit of Bridgerton, but it’s depressing how little this country has moved on since the era that’s set in.

[hannechalk]

Well, it had to go wrong at some point this week.

I went to pick up my prescription for quetiapine (antipsychotic) for my bipolar today, to be casually told 'Sorry, it's out of stock nationwide for your dosage - I'll release your prescription back onto the system, so you can try other pharmacies.'.

I went to Tesco pharmacy across the street - they didn't have it either, only in 25mg tablets, but she can only give them if my prescription is altered, but it would also mean taking 16 tablets a day to get to my dosage. But if needs must...

Went to the walk in centre - very kind lady told me they couldn't help me, but to try my GP next door, who I didn't know is open on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately there wasn't anyone in who could help with a prescription, and I was told my best bet is to try Monday.

I luckily have some spare tablets of a lower dosage to see me through a few nights, but then what, if I can't get new ones? Without this medication I do not sleep, and obviously my mental wellbeing will deteriorate rapidly. Just have a psychotic breakdown?

When I Googled it I found out the shortage has been going on since the beginning of the year, I've been lucky so far. But still a GP signed off on my new request, and a pharmacy waited four days for me to walk in to tell me there isn't any available. Both have my phone number.

It's not like I can just change from one antipsychotic to another.

Thank you for allowing my rant.

[kallyloo]

Doing Sundance London at Picturehouse Central. The highlight yesterday was a documentary made by Lucy Lawless “Never Look Away” about a fellow NZ woman who was a camerawoman, war correspondent and avant garde bohemian. Lucy did a Q&A afterward which was really interesting.
Would highly recommend Sundance London in general to any would be film makers or anybody interested in the industry. The direct access you get to knowledgeable and established creators from every aspect of the industry is a unique opportunity.

[oxfordsimon]

Jun 8, 2024 16:32:44 GMT hannechalk said:

Well, it had to go wrong at some point this week.

I went to pick up my prescription for quetiapine (antipsychotic) for my bipolar today, to be casually told 'Sorry, it's out of stock nationwide for your dosage - I'll release your prescription back onto the system, so you can try other pharmacies.'.

I went to Tesco pharmacy across the street - they didn't have it either, only in 25mg tablets, but she can only give them if my prescription is altered, but it would also mean taking 16 tablets a day to get to my dosage. But if needs must...

Went to the walk in centre - very kind lady told me they couldn't help me, but to try my GP next door, who I didn't know is open on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately there wasn't anyone in who could help with a prescription, and I was told my best bet is to try Monday.

I luckily have some spare tablets of a lower dosage to see me through a few nights, but then what, if I can't get new ones? Without this medication I do not sleep, and obviously my mental wellbeing will deteriorate rapidly. Just have a psychotic breakdown?

When I Googled it I found out the shortage has been going on since the beginning of the year, I've been lucky so far. But still a GP signed off on my new request, and a pharmacy waited four days for me to walk in to tell me there isn't any available. Both have my phone number.

It's not like I can just change from one antipsychotic to another.

Thank you for allowing my rant.

Really sorry you are dealing with this. I hope it is sorted now x

[oxfordsimon]

I know I am not the first to be dealing with this but am about to lose my father.

8 weeks ago he suffered a bad fall and was admitted to hospital.

2.5 weeks later he was discharged even though he was unable to stand let alone take care of himself. Within an hour, we had called the ambulance and he had to be readmitted.

Through this time, he has gone from being driving and reasonably independent to a shell of a human being with double pneumonia, bad delirium.

The care from the NHS has been woeful. There are good people there. But too many lazy ones who would rather play on their phones than engage with their patients.

Their neglect, I feel, has hastened his decline and ultimately his death.

He celebrated his 80th birthday on a ward where the staff didn't give a damn about him.

He was moved onto end of life care yesterday and so we are in the final pages of his story. He no longer knows who I am. He doesn't understand where he is. And it is heartbreaking.

I am determined to make sure no one else has an experience with the NHS as poor as we have received. It isn't necessarily a matter of money. But it is absolutely a matter of culture and that is broken.

It was bad when my mother died there 17 years ago. It is worse now.

But waiting for the inevitable phone call is hard even though we, as a family, know his suffering is coming to an end.

[Jane Parfitt]

This is heartbreaking oxfordsimon, I really feel for you. Thankfully when my father in law died in hospital in September he couldn't have had better care, but it was still painful to watch a once lively and active man fade to nothing and it was a blessed relief when the end came. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I knew that my loved one hadn't been treated with dignity and respect.
Sending love and there'll always be someone on here if you need to vent. x

Jun 14, 2024 21:01:03 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I know I am not the first to be dealing with this but am about to lose my father.

8 weeks ago he suffered a bad fall and was admitted to hospital.

2.5 weeks later he was discharged even though he was unable to stand let alone take care of himself. Within an hour, we had called the ambulance and he had to be readmitted.

Through this time, he has gone from being driving and reasonably independent to a shell of a human being with double pneumonia, bad delirium.

The care from the NHS has been woeful. There are good people there. But too many lazy ones who would rather play on their phones than engage with their patients.

Their neglect, I feel, has hastened his decline and ultimately his death.

He celebrated his 80th birthday on a ward where the staff didn't give a damn about him.

He was moved onto end of life care yesterday and so we are in the final pages of his story. He no longer knows who I am. He doesn't understand where he is. And it is heartbreaking.

I am determined to make sure no one else has an experience with the NHS as poor as we have received. It isn't necessarily a matter of money. But it is absolutely a matter of culture and that is broken.

It was bad when my mother died there 17 years ago. It is worse now.

But waiting for the inevitable phone call is hard even though we, as a family, know his suffering is coming to an end.

[theatreian]

Jun 14, 2024 21:01:03 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I know I am not the first to be dealing with this but am about to lose my father.

8 weeks ago he suffered a bad fall and was admitted to hospital.

2.5 weeks later he was discharged even though he was unable to stand let alone take care of himself. Within an hour, we had called the ambulance and he had to be readmitted.

Through this time, he has gone from being driving and reasonably independent to a shell of a human being with double pneumonia, bad delirium.

The care from the NHS has been woeful. There are good people there. But too many lazy ones who would rather play on their phones than engage with their patients.

Their neglect, I feel, has hastened his decline and ultimately his death.

He celebrated his 80th birthday on a ward where the staff didn't give a damn about him.

He was moved onto end of life care yesterday and so we are in the final pages of his story. He no longer knows who I am. He doesn't understand where he is. And it is heartbreaking.

I am determined to make sure no one else has an experience with the NHS as poor as we have received. It isn't necessarily a matter of money. But it is absolutely a matter of culture and that is broken.

It was bad when my mother died there 17 years ago. It is worse now.

But waiting for the inevitable phone call is hard even though we, as a family, know his suffering is coming to an end.

So Sorry to hear this.It must be heartbreaking to see someone so close go through this. It's got to be a priority for the next government although it's going to be some job to break through the culture and get staffing levels up to where they need to be .Take care of yourself and hope your father is made comfortable.I'm sure he knew he was loved.

[kallyloo]

Jun 14, 2024 21:01:03 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I know I am not the first to be dealing with this but am about to lose my father.

8 weeks ago he suffered a bad fall and was admitted to hospital.

2.5 weeks later he was discharged even though he was unable to stand let alone take care of himself. Within an hour, we had called the ambulance and he had to be readmitted.

Through this time, he has gone from being driving and reasonably independent to a shell of a human being with double pneumonia, bad delirium.

The care from the NHS has been woeful. There are good people there. But too many lazy ones who would rather play on their phones than engage with their patients.

Their neglect, I feel, has hastened his decline and ultimately his death.

He celebrated his 80th birthday on a ward where the staff didn't give a damn about him.

He was moved onto end of life care yesterday and so we are in the final pages of his story. He no longer knows who I am. He doesn't understand where he is. And it is heartbreaking.

I am determined to make sure no one else has an experience with the NHS as poor as we have received. It isn't necessarily a matter of money. But it is absolutely a matter of culture and that is broken.

It was bad when my mother died there 17 years ago. It is worse now.

But waiting for the inevitable phone call is hard even though we, as a family, know his suffering is coming to an end.

I’m so sorry for your situation and how your father has arrived at this point. It is all too common.

My own mum had delirium through lack of care twice and it absolutely ruined her health. The first time, when I visited she was talking incoherently, but apparently the nurse who checked her had noticed nothing.
Her final hospital stay, she was prescribed meds which were incompatible with her condition and pushed her health past the point of no return.
Most of the NHS try their best, but goodness save anyone from elderly care.

[oxfordsimon]

My father clearly has more fight in him than we thought as he is hanging on in there.

There are just too many reports of care failings to ignore.

Money isn't the solution. Changing the culture to one of holistic care might just work.

The thing I have noticed is that medics tend to focus on one symptom and try to deal with that rather than looking at the patient as a complete human. You must look at the whole not just a series of parts.

The other key change is the culture of communication. Too often medics hide behind one another and seek to avoid being open with patients and their families.

Through this we have been lied to by doctors and nurses alike.

That has to change.

One regret I have is that we didn't get powers of attorney in place. We were going to talk to my father about it at his birthday lunch. But we didn't get to have that.

We have started the process but it takes 4 months from application to completion. Too late.

So if you have family over 60, get this in place as soon as you can. Don't leave it too late.

[theatreian]

Jun 15, 2024 15:57:19 GMT oxfordsimon said:

So if you have family over 60, get this in place as soon as you can. Don't leave it too late.

We have started the process for my parents last week and I am delivering the forms to them on Monday for them to sign and be witnessed. We like others left it a long time and both parents are in their mid 80's.

[oxfordsimon]

Jun 15, 2024 22:23:53 GMT theatreian said:

Jun 15, 2024 15:57:19 GMT oxfordsimon said:

So if you have family over 60, get this in place as soon as you can. Don't leave it too late.

We have started the process for my parents last week and I am delivering the forms to them on Monday for them to sign and be witnessed. We like others left it a long time and both parents are in their mid 80's.

You have started now. That's the main thing.

Better to have those conversations earlier in life and to know what your loved ones want.

[hannechalk]

Jun 14, 2024 21:01:03 GMT oxfordsimon said:

I know I am not the first to be dealing with this but am about to lose my father.

8 weeks ago he suffered a bad fall and was admitted to hospital.

2.5 weeks later he was discharged even though he was unable to stand let alone take care of himself. Within an hour, we had called the ambulance and he had to be readmitted.

Through this time, he has gone from being driving and reasonably independent to a shell of a human being with double pneumonia, bad delirium.

The care from the NHS has been woeful. There are good people there. But too many lazy ones who would rather play on their phones than engage with their patients.

Their neglect, I feel, has hastened his decline and ultimately his death.

He celebrated his 80th birthday on a ward where the staff didn't give a damn about him.

He was moved onto end of life care yesterday and so we are in the final pages of his story. He no longer knows who I am. He doesn't understand where he is. And it is heartbreaking.

I am determined to make sure no one else has an experience with the NHS as poor as we have received. It isn't necessarily a matter of money. But it is absolutely a matter of culture and that is broken.

It was bad when my mother died there 17 years ago. It is worse now.

But waiting for the inevitable phone call is hard even though we, as a family, know his suffering is coming to an end.

I am so sorry to hear this. Thinking of you.

[Latecomer]

Jun 15, 2024 15:57:19 GMT oxfordsimon said:

My father clearly has more fight in him than we thought as he is hanging on in there.

There are just too many reports of care failings to ignore.

Money isn't the solution. Changing the culture to one of holistic care might just work.

The thing I have noticed is that medics tend to focus on one symptom and try to deal with that rather than looking at the patient as a complete human. You must look at the whole not just a series of parts.

The other key change is the culture of communication. Too often medics hide behind one another and seek to avoid being open with patients and their families.

Through this we have been lied to by doctors and nurses alike.

That has to change.

One regret I have is that we didn't get powers of attorney in place. We were going to talk to my father about it at his birthday lunch. But we didn't get to have that.

We have started the process but it takes 4 months from application to completion. Too late.

So if you have family over 60, get this in place as soon as you can. Don't leave it too late.

So sorry to hear about this. Sending a virtual *hug* and thinking of you all x

[oxfordsimon]

Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes.

My father passed away at 7.30 this morning. Very peaceful in the end with my sister singing Do You Hear the People Sing for him.