May '10

Another spell in hospital has reminded me of something I wished to say last month - please, allow me to include it here. Given the multitude of illnesses & their complications, no medic can be expected to know immediately every conceivable cure for all complaints  However, many of the staff (chiefly quite junior!) speak with an apparent air of authority on a broad variety of medical matters. Their subsequent generalisations & refusal to listen to the actual experiences of the patient destroy any credibility for knowledge  they may have gleaned from a textbook which must, of necessity, concentrate on 'the norm' - in other words, the average patient. I, naturally, write on behalf of diabetics but the universal principle applies that we are each individuals & this should, surely, affect our treatment. When fortunate enough to discuss my illness with senior members of staff who listened keenly to my former experiences, I felt greater confidence in their healing ability - shouldn't this be standard procedure? Difficulty of ready communication with those of a different native tongue presents more problems. .
 I’ll now proceed with what I had originally planned for this month (on reflection, the opening paragraph isn‘t out of place with this theme!). One discovers that age brings not only experience but also the realisation that not all contemporary things lead to an improvement on previous life. This may cause me to be called ‘a grumpy old man’.  Unfortunately,  the 'grin & bear it' spirit of former years seems to have gone completely. A recent example of this is seen by the earlier observation about our being thrown into turmoil by adverse weather conditions when we used to cope, not always easily but we managed! A common saying is that “It’s no use voting for any of the political parties; none of them will change anything!”. Surely, any fault lies with society’s changes of attitude?
When I first began work (in ‘a job for life’), we were told that we should save for our futures by personal savings & pension contributions. I now find that the level of these is such that I can’t get a grant for such necessary (but expensive) items as a ramp & bathroom conversion to a wet room. This is particularly annoying when I consider how I’ve dutifully restricted myself (& my family) by not buying a car (excepting my first two mobility scooters) or going on a holiday abroad (seeking warmer weather? Have those who do so seen every where in this country?).
There are varied views on the current proliferation of mobile ‘phones; my first one was to seek help if needed when my scooter broke down. Would someone, please, explain their current widespread use; particularly by youngsters. Mine’s now used during ‘free’ time; I could normally manage without one, relying on the landline. I remember my parents’ first ‘phone being a ‘party line’ shared with a neighbour who had an extension in their bedroom. The toddler daughter would lift the receiver but nothing salacious was relayed! I expect the above may provoke some icy comments but my closing wishes to you all are no less warm!

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."                            - George Bernard Shaw

“The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking. “               - Albert Einstein

“No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head.”                                     - Terry Josephson

“A man is what he thinks about all day long.“ -  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A man's life is what his thoughts make of it. “                - Marcus Aurelius

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.“                - William James