5 Ways to Help Out Your Grandparents In Their Old Age
I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say that our grandparents are some of the most treasured people in our lives. It’s always difficult seeing them get older because it’s a constant reminder that they’re not going to be around forever, but they are indeed getting older and as a result of that we should really do our best to help them out when they need it!
If you’re interested in ways you can help your grandparents then read on – after all, they’d do it for you!
Ask your parents how you can help
If your grandparents aren’t as spry as they used to be, there’s a good chance your parents will already be caring for them in some way – so they’ll have a better handle on the situation than you. It’s best you ask them how you can help before you just blinding go do chores around their house – otherwise the same job will be getting done twice!
Pitch in with the cleaning
As people get older their joints start to ache and they become a lot less mobile than before – so therefore their house may fall into disrepair. It’s always a good idea to offer to do their cleaning once a week. It doesn’t have to be anything drastic, give the place a quick dust, hoover up any debris and maybe even mow their grass – nobody wants to live in a dump!
Help them get around
As I mentioned previously, their mobility can become a real issue when they reach a certain age. Offering to give them lifts in your car (or even just accompanying them on the bus) can be a huge support to them when they need to get out the house.
If they value their independence (and don’t we all) it might be a good idea to get them a mobility aid. A mobility scooter is the perfect gift for anyone who suffers with getting from A to B but absolutely refuses to let anything stop them from doing just that!
Cook up a storm
It’s probably a safe bet that they’ve cooked you plenty of lovely meals of the years. So don’t you think that it’s about time you repaid the favour? Don’t go serving them up any old rubbish though, give them some proper nourishment. Oily fish and green vegetables are a tasty and healthy way to keep your body in tip-top shape – they also do a great job in improving your mental functions!
Engage in a good old chin wag
They say the youth have lost the art of conversation, well, prove ‘them’ wrong! The elderly absolutely love it when you dedicate time to listen to their stories, after all, it can get really lonely sometimes when nobody wants to devote attention to you. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two from all that sagely wisdom!
So there we have it, 5 things you can do to brighten up your grandparents day just that little bit more. Feel free to comment below if you come with any more!
Our kid’s are no longer babies and are in fact growing into handsome young men. We are often being told how polite and helpful they are. They are growing up too quickly for our liking. Two out of our three boy’s now have girlfriends and are in full-time jobs making plans for their futures. Lee has only just left college and within days has got himself a job where his brother is currently working. Bradley our youngest is just about to sit his GCSE exams and is due to leave school in the next few weeks…..Yikes, how do we stop time?
Recently we dusted off our old photo albums from the loft and we all sat and had a lovely evening reminiscing, it was lovely. We was laughing at funny moments we had captured of our boys with dinner on their head from when they was learning to feed themselves, also funny potty training moments. The boys were laughing at each others outfits before they then started laughing at photos of us. Yes the comments was coming at us of “crikey dad you had hair”, and “mum look this was before you started going grey”. It was funny and sadly yes the comments were true. Age really is starting to catch up with us.
Ian in 2001 (as the boy’s say “with hair”)
As working parents we spend our time worrying about our kids that we hardly take time-out for ourselves do we?
Well after seeing those photographs I fastly contacted my hairdresser and booked her to come and hide my grey, but poor Ian he really is going thin on top. Everyone tends to laugh at him for it and I do feel sorry for him, but he takes it in his stride and laughs it off but I know it does bother him. We have in the past bought him shampoos that have been recommended but sadly they didn’t work. I have taken to looking online and reading up on men who have suffered the same problem, most are saying that the they opted for hair treatments. I had been browsing the internet looking up on the treatments as I was curious and asked myself “how does a hair transplant work“? I came across Wayne Rooney’shair transplant results, wow what a difference.
Ian now 2018
When chatting with Ian about going thin on top he seems to think it is a receding hair-line problem. He is fully aware that there is help out there for him should he wish to get help, but for now he said he enjoys winding the boys up and blaming them for him going bald, as he say’s he had hair before they was born and they made him pull it out. Cheeky bugger, he is a wind-up merchant.
Quitting smoking is something we always nag Ian about. He say’s he will give up smoking when we give up chocolate – yeah that’s no time soon then!
I will give it to Ian he has tried on many of occasions to give up but then he slowly starts up again. He says “there are too many things that make him start again”, like:
His social circle
Habit
Routine
Lack of will power
Work stress
It’s his way of chilling out and relaxing
I must admit that smoking has never really bothered me. I never have smoked and probably never will. I’d sooner a nice glass of wine.
Here are a few tips that may help with giving up smoking
Think positive – Having the right frame of mind will go a long way when wanting to quit. You have got to want to give up yourself to have the best chances of quitting. If you’re wanting to quit then tell yourself “you can do this” and get the right support in place.
Make a plan of action – Get a date set that you’re wanting to start a new non-smoking you. Get that date set and make yourself a promise and give it all you’ve got and go kick that butt!
Make a list of your reasons to quit – Make yourself a list of reasons that you want to quit smoking. Keep it close by and keep reminding yourself of your reason to quit. You made find it a huge support if/when you’re struggling.
Identify when you smoke – Take note before you gave up on when your cravings are. This will help to put things in place to help work around them, such as avoiding going outside with the smokers in the smokers area, not allowing smoking in your house, pre-warn friends and ask for support so they are aware not to offer you a fag etc.
Get support in place – Make friends and family aware of your decision to quit. Chat with your GP to see what support is out there in your local area. See if anyone would like to join you by quitting too and support each other.
Take up a hobby – Finding something else to occupy your mind may help you to stop thinking about having a cigarette.
A lot of people say the thing they found the hardest about giving up smoking was not having a cigarette to hold. Some people like a cigarette with their coffee, watching TV, or even whilst having a soak in the bath. For that reason a lot of people make a switch from cigarettes to Vape kits just for that cigarette feel of keeping their hands busy still. Whilst some are happy to switch to nicotine patches or gum.
I first noticed my Endometriosis symptoms after I had Bradley my youngest son. I suffered real bad pains and periods to the point one day I took myself off to hospital in bad pain, I was seen by a Dr and sent for numerous tests, fastly beginning to feel like a pin cushion to then be told they wanted to admit me to hospital. Being on my own at the hospital and having my baby with me I was scared and felt alone as Ian was at work at the time, I didn’t feel the need to worry him as at the time he didn’t work local to home.
To cut a long story shorter I was told it was just a bad period and period pain and all should start to calm down given time. Did it? like heck did it!
I then went on to suffer every month from there. I went to see my GP several times who just repeated what I was told at the hospital….Just a bad period and it should calm back down….Grrrr
I then started to question myself and think is it normal, Is it just me being silly?
But NO, I knew my body wasn’t right and I knew my periods wasn’t normal but the Dr wasn’t really listening to me. I then began to start getting myself in a state and just didn’t know what way to turn.
One day I felt so down, I was in pain, I was tearful, I had three boys to look after so I contacted my GP surgery who gave me an appointment for later that day. I went along to my appointment explained my situation about whats been happening to just be sent away with anti-depressants. I really did feel like I was going mad at this point where I felt like no one was listening to me!
At this point I just felt like I had no option but to just get on with things the best I could. I knew things wasn’t right inside my body, but what could I do. Time passed and I did continue to suffer heavy painful periods to the point I was slowly becoming bed-bound for. I continued to see my GP, I was eventually offered an ultrasound scan at the hospital to see if it would show anything up, but nothing come of it to explain the pain or heavy bleeding.
I was watching morning TV one day and there was a lady on there talking about her suffering and long battle to be diagnosed with what was called “Endometriosis”. She was talking about her symptoms to help raise awareness to others who may be suffering the same or similar symptoms. My chin must have hit the floor as I had every symptom she had.
Some symptoms being:
Heavy periods
Painful periods
Chronic pelvic pain
Fatigue
Low mood
Bloating
Pain during sex
Some bleeding between periods
Painful bowel movements
I could not believe what I was watching and listening to. For the first time in ages I did not feel like I was going crazy. I went and spoke with my GP about what I had seen on the TV and explained my symptoms was the same as the lady had explained in her awareness to Endometriosis. I did not want to be ignored this time and pushed for further tests to be done. I had been bed-bound on too many occasions and my life was really being effected to the point I felt like my kid’s was missing out on a proper mum, a mum who wasn’t in pain so much.
I chatted with my GP about Endometriosis, we discussed my symptoms and then my GP went on to explain what Endometriosis is in more detail.
Endometriosis is:
Endometriosis is a very painful disorder in which tissue that would normally line the inside of the uterus – the endometrium – grows outside the uterus. Endometriosis can be known to affect the ovaries, bowel, Fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis. Endometriosis can even spread beyond the pelvic organs and stick to each other. Endometriosis is even know to sometimes cause fertility problems.
What happens is, each month cells like the ones in the lining of the womb can be found elsewhere in the body. Each month these cells act in the same way as those in the womb, building up and then breaking down, then bleeding, BUT….unlike those within the womb that have a way to leave the body as a period, THIS blood has nowhere to go.
A shocking 1.5 million women in the UK are suffering with Endometriosis. Endometriosis can affect women and even girls of childbearing age regardless of race or ethnicity.
This short video may help you understand in a better way.
Finally…
I was then referred to a gynecologist at the hospital as an out-patient. I had an appointment through within a few weeks and things finally started moving…..5 years after my first symptoms!
After a five-year battle and being misdiagnosed on many occasions I was finally under the hospital with a possible self diagnosis. An ultrasound scan was ordered but again didn’t show anything but with self research I had read that Endometriosis rarely shows up on an ultrasound scan and is mainly diagnosed via a laparoscopy procedure so this is what I pushed for.
Another referral was pushed for, I did not give up….I knew something was wrong with my body. A few months later and I got my appointment through. It was then confirmed I HAVE ENDOMETRIOSIS.
The tears started to pour down my face and I was a bag of mixed emotions. I was scared, relieved and angry all at the same time. I also wanted answers.
Questions I wanted answering…
How could this diagnosis take so long?
why was I just left to suffer?
Why did I have to self-diagnose myself?
Why the big fight all the time to get anywhere/get things moving?
Sadly it just boiled down to lack of awareness. Endometriosis needs so much more awareness.
Once I had my diagnosis I was then given the right treatment to help me cope better. This only lasted for a while sadly and before I knew it was going back downhill again. The heavy painful periods started again and I felt like I was back to square one again. My GP referred me back to the hospital again for further discussions and to get an action plan put in place. After long discussions and many appointments and counselling the next step was arranged.
A hysterectomy was booked.
I was booked in to have a hysterectomy at the age of 27. My periods got so bad and I could no longer live with the pain as it was affecting my ability to be a proper mum to my boys. I was forever having to phone in sick at work, debts started to pile up and loans was having to be taken out just to help keep the bills paid. We did look at Lendgreen on a few occasions. Enough was enough at this point. The day fastly arrived and before I knew it I was heading to the operation, nervous but I knew it had to be done.
A hysterectomy IS NOT a cure.
A hysterectomy is not a cure for Endometriosis as I am still suffering today, 8 years after my operation, 16 years after my first symptoms. I am still finding myself phoning in work unable to go in as I am in so much pain. OK the heavy periods are no longer an issue but the pain is still there. I am currently under the UCLH in London receiving treatment. I am currently receiving injections, a three-month trial of Zoladex. I am on this treatment which is an injection in my stomach once a month for three months to freeze my ovaries as my consultant has advised me that my Endometriosis is hormone fed. I had a hysterectomy but my ovaries was not taken out due to my age at the time. If this three-month trial proves to be effective and help me then it strengthens my case to have my ovaries removed.
I am currently on this Zoladex treatment and just had my second injection. Hopefully this has positive effects for me and helps to ease things for me.
I hope me sharing my Endometriosis story raises some awareness to help someone get the diagnosis they need or even helps to give some form of help or support needed. Just remember you know your body better than anyone else, if you feel something isn’t right then it probably isn’t….Don’t give up seeking for help.
Do you hibernate like me when the weather is bad. I hate the cold and I’m always looking for ways to keep warm. Being cold can really takes its toll eventually so its best to protect ourselves the best we can from the dip in temperatures. Being a support worker and looking after the elderly in the community I am always looking for the best ways to help keep them warm. Here are a few tips on how to stay warm during the cold spell.
Ten top tips on keeping warm if going out.
Have something hot to eat and drink before setting out on your journey and also drink plenty whilst out to keep your insides warm.
Layer up. There is nothing worse than not dressing appropriately for the weather.
Wear wool as wool retains the heat.
Carry a hot water bottle with you if you can. Pocket hand warmers are also good.
Wear a hat, gloves and a scarf to help protect you from the cold.
Avoid getting wet the best you can. Wear waterproof clothing. There is nothing worse than having to wear wet clothes all day.
Keep moving and avoid standing around too long. Try and use good grip shoes/boots for safety!
If you can, always try and carry a change of footwear and socks to change in to.
Check travel arrangements before leaving. Check transport times etc so you’re not left hanging around in the cold. Always keep in touch with a friend or relative in extreme conditions and/or travelling a distance. It then saves them from unnecessary worry.
In extreme weather conditions carry any urgent/needed medication with you in case of emergency/road closures etc. it’s always best to be prepared. Always carry any needed chargers to keep gadgets charged so you can keep in contact with friends and family. If travelling via car, blankets and a flask of soup always come in handy in an emergency. Also write down any important numbers and keep them safe, just in case your mobile goes flat and you are unable to charge it.
Ten tips on keeping warm when indoors
Put the heating on. Homes should be at the temperature of at least 18°C. Check if you are eligible for help with heating costs (link below), no one should be scared to have their heating on, especially on cold winter days.
Have extra blankets to hand and hot water bottles.
Block any drafts around doors and windows.
Keep windows and vents closed.
Check radiators are working properly. You may have one or two that may need bleeding. Move away any furniture obstructing the heat from the radiator.
Layer up, several thin layers work better. Wool and/or fleece preferably.
Hot regular drinks to keep your insides warm.
Keep active and this will help you to keep warm. Batch cook some meals, bake a cake or even some biscuits, that way your near the oven for extra warmth too.
Have a hot soak in the bath.
Eat well, this will help keep your body warm. Also helps to fight off any winter germs – homemade soups are a good choice.
Be prepared:
Have a good stock of flu medications at home.
Check your home is insulated properly before the winter months. This will also help keep the fuel bills down.
Speak with your GP about a flu jab.
Check windows and doors for drafts before winter.
Check if your entitled to a cold weather payment, it doesn’t hurt to check and every penny helps.
Keep an eye on the weather and stock up on your shopping, saves going out if no need in the bad weather.
Check on your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
Prepare/protect your pipes for the winter months.
Be prepared for power cuts caused by storms. Candles, batteries etc. Have them in a place ready to grab that all household members know.
Give your car if you have one a winter check.
What are your favorite items to help keep you warm on a cold winters day? >>here are ours<<
Always check on elderly neighbours and relatives. Make sure they are warm and have all they need, especially during cold spells.
Most of us are guilty of ignoring health problems because it’s difficult to try to fit a doctor’s appointment into an already busy lifestyle. Getting little aches and pains is a normal part of getting older so we often tend to just ignore them and hope they’ll go away. Most of the time they do so you don’t need to rush off to the doctor every time you get a slight twinge. But occasionally, those aches and pains turn into something more serious. Lots of illnesses start off with tiny symptoms that gradually get worse so ignoring the everyday pains you get can be dangerous. These are the top health problems that most of us are ignoring.
Back Pain
Most ageing people complain about back pain, it’s almost a rite of passage for the older generation these days. It’s just a natural part of getting older, isn’t it? That’s partly true and you aren’t going to avoid it completely but if it starts happening earlier, or gets very severe, you might need to do something about it. Most of the time, back pain is caused or at least made far worse by environmental factors. The most likely is a bad mattress. If you aren’t getting enough support from your mattress then you’ll wake up with a stiff back every day and the pain will only get worse. Luckily, there are plenty of mattresses designed specifically for a bad back. Visit Choose Mattress for some great information on the best ones. They offer much more spinal support which is the key to fighting back pain. You might also be getting worse back pains if you’re working in a job that involves a lot of heavy lifting. Health and safety isn’t exciting but you should listen to advice on proper lifting techniques if you don’t want to have a bad back for the rest of your life.
Grinding Teeth
Grinding your teeth isn’t something that people really consider a problem. It’s just something that some people do. What they don’t realize is that it can do you a lot of damage. Waking up with a stiff jaw and sore teeth is the last of your worries, the long-term damage that you’re doing to your teeth is a more pressing concern. You risk chipping and cracking them as well as wearing them down in general. You’ll start to find that your teeth are more sensitive to hot and cold and you’ll get more problems with decay if you’ve got small holes in your teeth.
Insomnia
A recent study found that 27% of people in Britain are experiencing bad sleeping patterns on a regular basis so it’s no wonder that we are starting to accept it as a normal part of modern life. But that’s risky because it’s already doing us a lot of damage and it’s more difficult to notice if you’re slipping slowly towards full-blown insomnia. Not sleeping enough contributes to all sorts of health problems including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. On top of that, it increases stress levels and makes your general brain function a lot slower. Missing out on even a few hours of sleep a night is something that you should be concerned about. See a doctor and ask if there is any medical reason you’re not sleeping, but it’s more likely to be environmental factors that are causing it. Drinking too much caffeine late in the day might be making it harder to sleep at night, and so could using your phone or laptop in bed. The light from the screen tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime and stops it from releasing hormones that encourage you to go to sleep. Why not consider reading a book instead? It’ll make it far easier to nod off later on.
Headaches
Chances are, when you get a headache you reach straight for the paracetamol and get on with your day. They’re so common and most of the time they’re probably just caused by stress, but if you keep getting them regularly, it could be more serious. It could be caused by any other medication that you’re taking if it doesn’t agree with you, or it could be a symptom of a larger health problem. Lots of small things like your posture or the amount of red meat that you eat can even bring on headaches. Even if they are stress headaches, you shouldn’t be getting them all of the time so instead of just putting it off with painkillers, do something about it.
It’s always a pain to take time out of your already busy day to get to the doctors but it could be dangerous not to.
Aside from being well-established harbingers of death and disease, there remains an abundance of misconceptions when it comes to cigarettes. The most prominent of which, of course, is people’s perceptions about nicotine. Synonymous with the cigarette, nicotine is the substance that gives them their addictive quality. But what actually is nicotine? Is it bad for you? And how much of it does a cigarette contain, and how about e-cigarettes for that matter?
Nicotine itself constitutes anywhere from 0.6% to 3% of the dry weight of tobacco. Generally speaking, a single cigarette contains around 9.5 milligrams of nicotine, around 2 milligrams of which are actually absorbed into the body. Of course, the levels of nicotine vary from brand-to-brand and which size of cigarette you opt for.
Without going into too much detail, nicotine is a naturally occurring, addictive component of tobacco. It acts as both a stimulant and a relaxant, causing the heart to beat faster and stronger, as well as increasing blood pressure temporarily. As you may have guessed, it is also responsible for all of the psychological draws and drawbacks of smoking. It reels you back in for the reward that comes with another cigarette, and then punishes you with withdrawal when you give up – anxiety, irritably, craving and even mild tremors are all to be expected.
In spite of these effects and its inextricable association with the heart and respiratory maladies of smoking, there are relatively few health effects associated with nicotine use. Its infliction of suffering is largely limited to withdrawal symptoms. The administration of nicotine via nicotine replacement therapy has been studied in great detail and numerous studies have declared it a safe undertaking. That is not to say that nicotine is without its problems though. It definitively has dangerous effects on foetal development. It has also been posited that nicotine may play a role in promoting tumours and aggravating cardiovascular conditions – but research on this is far from conclusive.
The extent to which you will struggle with quitting cigarettes, is directly related to the amount of nicotine your body is used to consuming. Methods range from going cold turkey to undergoing nicotine replacement therapy (which is nowhere near as scary as it sounds by the way) but one of the most effective routes is to adopt vaping as an alternative.
The real advantage of using an e-cigarette is that, regardless of your previous nicotine intake, you can tailor the nicotine content to appease your own needs. When kicking a heavy smoking habit, it is best to start on a higher or equivalent dose of nicotine. This will prevent the overcompensation that commonly occurs when vapors elect for too low of a dose, which invariably leads them to decide that vaping doesn’t work for them, when, in fact, it was the nicotine content that didn’t work for them.
By starting at a satisfactory dose, the nicotine content can be gradually reduced over time, which leads many ex-smokers to eventually adopt a zero-nicotine e-cigarette – how’s that for progress?! With an extensive range of e-liquids, Vapourmate is the perfect place to get started – you are sure to find a flavour you’ll love.
Your family home should be a safe space. It should be a place where you can bring up your kids to be healthy happy adults. Unfortunately, for too many of us, our homes are far from being the safe havens we would imagine. They’re filled with potential dangers like boiling water, toxic substances and dodgy wiring that could potentially make us sick or cause an accident. So, even if you think your home is a pretty safe, healthy place to be, it’s worth doing what you can to make it even healthier. Here are some tips to help you do just that:
Check Your Hot Water Heater
We all know that leaving young children alone in the bath is a bad idea because they could drown, but few of us think too much about the possibility of scalding, Unfortunately, many kids are burned by too hot bath water each year, and although most of them are not too badly affected, some will experience significant injuries. That’s why, if you have a baby or toddler in the house, it’s a good idea to check the temperature of your water heater. 120 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal because temperatures above that could scald a child in as little as 5 seconds!
Secure Your Windows
It’s shocking, but thousands of children each year are injured falling out of windows. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to install window guards on any windows that could be accessed by small children. Of course, you want to be able to open your windows quickly in the case of fire, so you should look for guards that are quick-release, just in case.
Remove Asbestos
It’s unbelievable how many homes and sheds in this country still contain asbestos. Once a popular building material due to its fire-resistant properties, asbestos is known to cause a range of devastating illnesses, including lung cancer and asbestosis. If you suspect you may have asbestos on your property, it’s important that you call in the professionals to remove it safely from your home.
Look Out for Faulty Wiring
Faulty wiring is a disaster waiting to happen. It can cause fires and electric shocks if left unattended to. Tell-tale signs of faulty wiring include flickering lights, circuit breakers, and fuses that go out on a regular basis, switches that give off shocks and burning smells. If you notice any of these things, call in a local electrician to take a look. Better safe than sorry when it comes to your family’s safety, after all.
Decorate with Chemical Free Paint
There’s nothing more satisfying that freshly painted walls that are all clean and new. Of course, the average can of paint contains all manner of toxins, which h won’t exactly do you or your family much good when breathed in. If you want your home to be as toxin free as possible, it is, therefore, a good idea to use eco-friendly chemical-free paint. Sure, they’re a little more expensive, but they’re so worth it, if only because you don’t have to put up with that horrible paint smell for days after decorating.
Install and Test Smoke Alarms
If you don’t already have smoke alarms installed in your home, please, please go out and buy some right now. A functioning smoke alarm really could save yours and your family’s lives at some point. You might think that a fire could never break out at your home, but most people who’ve had house fires think that too. It can and does happen to anyone so take precautions by installing and regularly testing an alarm today.
Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
While you’re buying that smoke alarm, pick up a carbon monoxide detector too. Carbon monoxide is so dangerous because it’s odourless and it can creep up on you without noticing. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include a headache, dizziness, and nausea and if you are exposed to it for long enough, you could die. Protect your family by installing a detector as soon as possible.
Keep the Place Clean
I know most of us hate doing household chores, but keeping your home clean and tidy is one of the best ways to prevent sickness bugs, food poisoning, allergies and the worsening of conditions like asthma. You don’t need to keep your house spotlessly clean, but don’t neglect it either or it could become a breeding ground for all kinds of nasties.
It might seem like a lot of work, but periodically checking up on your property and making any relevant changes will help you to maintain a safe, comfortable and very healthy home.
Life as a teenage boy can be hard, your noticing hormone changes and your also making important choices. You’ve life choices to make at school and you’re preparing and taking charge of your life with GCSE also taking place.
Lee was busy with all of this going on, he was happy and taking each day as it came, getting up and going to school meeting with friends along the way – after school doing any homework he had and then going out to play football with friends just like many other teenage boy’s.
This was soon to change….
One Sunday morning I had noticed Lee to be having a seizure, luckily with my job I’d had training in epilepsy awareness and noticed the signs. I took Lee straight to the hospital where they run some tests and it was confirmed Lee has had his first witnessed seizure.
Lee was referred to the epilepsy specialist where more test was run over a course of time, MRI, ECG, EEG, sleep deprived test and light tests. Lee was so brave especially with the MRI test as this really scared him, he hated the loud sounds and small space but with us in the room with him 2nd time round (we wasn’t allowed in first time) he was brave and braved it out, we couldn’t have been more prouder.
We awaited Lee’s results which was given at a follow-up consultants appointment where it was confirmed and Lee was diagnosed with Tonic-Clonic and Absence seizures.
Our poor boy…
When Lee was diagnosed he went withdrawn, we noticed a loss in his appetite and he hardly went out with friends anymore. He was put on medication (Lamotrigine) but he’d refuse to take them, he didn’t want anybody knowing about his diagnosis, he would close any conversation down quickly if we was to try and talk to him about his diagnosis, and we also noticed a change in his behavior at home and at school.
It was so upsetting to see our poor boy change before our eyes, we knew this was not Lee.
We set out to get him the help needed..
Lee found it really hard to open up so with specialist help from his epilepsy nurse we sat down with Lee and explained that he IS NOT the only teenager to be diagnosed with epilepsy and he IS NOT this alien he had pictured himself to be in his head.
Lee felt different, he felt embarrassed, he just wanted to hide away but at the same time not be on his own because he was scared. He wanted to talk about it but at the same time didn’t because he was scared and didn’t want to hear or accept the answers. He would look so drained and tired, it was so upsetting.
Lee finds it hard to accept…
Lee’s Tonic-Clonic Seizures would mainly happen at night while he was sleeping so in his eye’s he’s not seeing or witnessing anything because he’s not aware that they have happened, he just notices the side effects the next day – side effects being, loss of appetite, headache, feeling sick, aches and pains along with extreme tiredness and on some occasions unexplained bruising.
When Lee has had a seizure we would keep a close eye on him for a good few hours after, meaning we keep him home from school if it’s a school day (school being fully aware) as he needs to rest and sleep it off as it wears him out – plus for his own safety.
Putting a care plan in place…
We have had a care plan in place at his school informing his teacher’s of what to do if he was to have a seizure whilst at school. When Lee was at school it was noticed he was having absences on many occasions, this is where he blanks out for anything from a few seconds to a few minutes – side effects, headache, sudden tiredness, confusion, confusion to loss of time and to why people are asking him why is he not listening to them.
Lee has just finished his GCSES but whilst he was taking them his seizures got more frequent resulting in a visit to the hospital where we was informed stress can bring the seizures on more frequently. This put us in a very tricky situation as you can imagine. Lee was needing to take his exams but at the same time he was suffering, he did take his GCSES but we kept a very close eye on him and he would rest and unwind that bit more.
During his exams he was given extra time, this was to help with the pressure a bit, this really helped him, we worked very closely with the school and I must say the school have been fantastic with helping support Lee during his time with them.
Lee is still coming to terms with his diagnosis, he still finds some things hard to accept as changes have had to be made but he is more open and willing to talk about it now which is a huge help. He now takes his medication 150 mg twice daily with reminding but he does take them. It has been a very tough time for us all and still is but we are working through it together as a family. Lee is on the right path now to taking charge and not letting it beat him, we couldn’t be any more prouder of him.
We remember only to well our school days and the dreaded exams we had to face along with the horrid pressure that came with them. Do you remember being told as a child “preparing for exams should be your top priority” ? We do and we also find ourselves saying it to our children now.
I guess it is said because it is true.
Exam pressure is awful and if not careful can cause:
Worry
Sleepless nights
Stress
Loss of appetite
Frustration
Anger
And many more symptoms.
All of which can be avoided by:
Being prepared
Staying focused
Taking the time to forward plan
Being organised
And always asking for help if needed
Taking notes
Checking exam times and being prepared
Our top tips to anyone preparing for exams would be:
To eat well
Get plenty of sleep – lack of sleep means lack of concentration
Drink plenty of water
Revise
Test yourself or get someone to test you
Take breaks – clear your head and then re-approach with a clearer head
Get plenty of exercise – it’s a great stress buster
Switch off all distractions – TV, phone etc
Seek help from home tutors, one being an English tutor
Making sure you take plenty of time out of revising is just as important because:
Exams can seem pointless and boring at the time but:
For anyone preparing for their GCSE and would like to seek further help and advice there is a free downloadable revision guide to help with healthy study techniques. The guide has expert tips on how to enhance your brain power through exam periods and also advice on sleep patterns and a healthy diet whilst studying.
There is currently a campaign #thechokeables which is aimed at raising awareness with St John Ambulance and The Chokeables, around the risks of children choking and how to help a choking child. St John Ambulance believe that everyone should have the skill and also the confidence to know what to do in an emergency.
I am sure that all of us parents share the same fear of our child choking – St John Ambulance have found that over 40% have witnessed their child choke and when quizzed on their first aid it was found that almost four-fifths didn’t know what to do in this situation which is pretty scary.
To help raise awareness St John Ambulance have made a short animation movie The Chokeables, this animated film features the voices of:
David Walliams
David Mitchell
Johnny Vegas
Sir John Hurt
St. John’s ambulance are asking for us all to share the film online to all help each other to possibly learn how to save a life. In The Chokeables the celebrities take on the characters of animated objects that could potentially choke a child: a small princess toy, a pen lid, a jelly baby and a peanut. They’ve joined together because they’ve had enough and want to show how easy it is to save a choking child.
Do you have 40 seconds to learn how to save a choking child, this video could make a big difference.
As a small gift you now have the chance to win a first aid kit with St John Ambulance And The Chokeables.
To enter the competition all you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below, the competition is open to UK residents only, you must be over 18 to enter. All entries will be checked and they must be valid at the end of the competition. Good luck to all that enter. Ends 14/10/2015
The first aid kit contains:
First aid emergency booklet
Washproof plasters pk10
Number 16 eye pad first aid dressing – Sterile
Disposable triangular bandage 90 x 90 x 130cm – Non sterile
Kid’s unfortunately don’t come with an instruction manual, we are all learning the best we can along the way. Peer pressure is a horrible thing that has probably effected us all when we was growing up, it can have a positive effect on our life’s and it can also have a negative effect, it all comes down to choice and whether we let it have that negative effect. How can we best help and guide our children when coping with peer pressure at school?
Peer pressure can lead our kid’s to act out of character and do things that us parents know is not how our kid’s would not normally act. Coping with peer pressure can be a major worry for us parents.
I remember my days as a teenager and that feeling of wanting to be accepted and to feel like I belonged, I also remember being dared to do things and then doing them even though I knew in my head that it was wrong but still doing it just to be noticed and feel like I belonged…Stupid I know but that’s how it was!
When the boy’s started school I noticed a change of character, this soon settled down and then progressed again once they started secondary school, I then asked myself “is this just their character coming out or is it due to peer pressure”? it was hard to tell.
Signs of peer pressure:
Behaviour changes, suddenly becoming more rude, aggressive or even becoming more withdrawn or secretive.
Sudden changes in school grades or skipping classes.
Changes in different friends.
Changes of habits and going out at different times or suddenly returning home late.
Spending time doing things you know are odd for your child such as things that you know do not interest your child.
Change of style, such as hair and clothes.
As parents it’s our job to protect them and we are the most important influence in our children’s lives, all we can do is guide our children and hope they take our advice and the right path in life.
How would you guide and protect your children from peer pressure? would you intervene or would you wait for them to open up to you?
We have been guiding our boy’s by:
We have let our boys have their chosen friends round for dinner so we can get to know them better and so we can see who they are spending time with.
We talk to our boy’s about their day and explain to them that they can ALWAYS talk to us about anything.
We also get to know their friends parents and keep in touch regularly, we look out for each others kid’s where we can.
We have regular contact with the school to keep an eye on the boy’s behaviour within the school…..We have even asked for our boy’s to be seated somewhere different, before now they have been seated next to a child who is known to the school to be disruptive and this had a bad effect on our child and his grades was dropping so action had to be taken, having our child seated somewhere else seemed to be the best option. With working together with the school on this problem made things easier and more effective.
We make sure that the boy’s are aware that we have noticed good behaviour, good decision-making, good grades at school, good time-keeping etc and then reward them in some way.
We have always told our boy’s that it is ok to say NO to anything that they don’t feel comfortable with.
We’ve also told our boy’s and made it very clear “there is always someone who they can talk to about anything if they don’t feel comfortable talking to us, there is always a family member, friend, teacher or anyone else that they feel comfortable talking to”.
We have told our boy’s to “think about the consequences of what it is they are about to do before they do it” THINK will this get me into trouble? if the answer is yes or I’m not sure then don’t do it!
The effects of peer pressure are horrible, it can get our children in some awful states and situations, sometimes in a lot of trouble.
It can:
Cause depression
Effect grades
Loss of good friends
Add pressure on relationships with family
Cause our children to lie to us
Risky behaviours such as drug and/or alcohol abuse
Truancy from school
Smoking
Under age sex
Become aggressive
Vandalism
Stealing
Criminal record
Effect eating habits
These are just some of the effects of peer pressure and I am sure there are many more.
Way’s to help our kid’s through this:
Help build their self-esteem back up, this will help them feel more confident in themselves again.
Help them with way’s of saying no to bad situations.
Perhaps see if they would like to join a self-defence class, it may help them feel safer.
Tell them they can always ring or text if they feel they are in a tricky situation.
Let your child have friends home after school if they wish, that way you are nearby for tricky situations.
Book an appointment to see the teacher with your child to discuss the situation so your child is aware the school are also keeping an eye out too. The more eye’s keeping a look out the better.
Try and get them involved in out of school activities that way they can mix with other children away from school and form other friendships.
We have recently helped one of our boy’s through coping with peer pressure, it was an awful time for us all, it was hard, the hardest part was seeing our child doing things we knew he was not comfortable with doing, he was in tears and felt controlled by these children. We saw the signs and alerted the school, we worked together with the school, with the support in place and our child knowing the support was there to help he then felt safe enough to break away from them. We knew it was not something that was going to happen overnight, we knew we had to sit back and wait for him to do it in his own time in his way but we got him through.
Don’t get me wrong I love the nice hot sunny days and glad they are here, well we all love and enjoy the sunshine don’t we? But how well are you coping with the heat side of the weather? I for one hate the heat side of it for many reasons the main being it get’s too uncomfortable.
Coping with the heat is the one thing I hate about summer, I love and welcome the summer but HATE the heat. the lovely weather never lasts long so we have to make the most of it whilst it’s here, let’s face it hot sunny weather in Britain is a rarity and never lasts long does it.
So the question is “are you coping with the heat ?” Here are some ideas that may help you during the heatwave.
Always make sure you are drinking plenty of water so you stay well hydrated and always have a drink to hand.
Stay in shady areas to keep out of direct sun.
Wear a sun hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes.
No one likes cooking in the heat but always make sure you have eaten even if it’s something light. Salads and fruit is a good choice, light and refreshing.
Try and keep your rooms nice and cool, you can simply do this by closing your curtains/blinds, use a fan as well if you have one, ours are a godsend.
Always remember to check on the vulnerable, whether it be a neighbour, relative or friend, they also need keeping cool. Check that they have access to enough fluids and food.
So my kid’s water stays cold for longer when at school they put bottled water in the freezer at home over night so it defrosts throughout the day and stays cooler for longer, they then top the bottle back up at school with more water if needed.
Wearing lightweight clothing also helps. I find cotton clothing helps to keep me cool on a hot day.
Ouch! How painful can a sunburn be, never forget your sun protection. I always remind my kid’s but ALWAYS forget my own.
Have fans to hand for when your feeling hot. The shops have some handy little hand-held ones, I love mine and always have in my bag for when I’m feeling a little hot.
One thing I always enjoy doing is putting my feet in a bucket of cold water and a nice damp towel round my neck, have you ever tried it ? Oh my if you haven’t then next time your feeling hot give it a try.
I also leave any unnecessary jobs until it’s cooler and save any energy for keeping myself cool.
This may sound stupid but it’s a true story, have you checked your heating is switched off? I went into a vulnerable person to check on them and their heating was still set to come on and it was roasting in their house. It’s so easily done, we all forget things. (check your timer).
Yikes! guess what? I only went and weighed-in at my 3st loss. Yes there was tears, silly I know but this means so much to me. A new me is now in sight!
This now means I need to lose another 2st and then I will be at my target, I am so excited. My weight-loss journey so far has been fun with lost of ups and downs along the way. I don’t feel as if I am on a diet, with Slimming World we still get to have our treats (limited of course).
To be honest all I have done is make a few food changes (healthy swaps), watch my food intake (Doing a food diary) and exercise (Body magic)…..Oh yes and not consume the amount of alcohol I once used to have. Before attending Slimming World I could have quite easily had a good few glasses of wine once opened, now I can happily have just the one or two glasses.
Admittedly my weight-loss journey has not been a loss every week, I have been to weigh-in before and put on 3.5lb….Whoops! when this happens I just give myself a good talking to rather than let it get me down, this helps and makes me more determined to get that loss the following week. I just reminded myself why I joined Slimming World in the first place.
I am loving that the new me is now in sight, I have now started to notice body changes, I now fit in clothes two sizes smaller than I once used to wear, I am now feeling much healthier, I have more energy, I don’t get half as breathless as I once use to, confidence in myself is starting to come back, but the one thing that is making me smile most out of it all is having the energy to do things more with my boy’s.
I do hope to reach my target for my birthday in August but to be honest I am not fussed when it happens as long as it comes off that is all I wish for. I did set out to do it for my birthday as a birthday gift to myself, but being close to it will be good enough for me!
Me last June
Me today. A new me is now in sight.
Here is to the next 2st!
One thing I will admit to not doing before I started my weight-loss journey was keep an eye on my weight and BMI. I never actually checked to see what my healthy weight should be. Is this something you keep an eye on? I keep a very close eye on mine now….Admitedly I am not happy with mine but it is something I am working on using this hight/weight chart from the NHS.
Chart credit to NHS
***Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way to write this post***
I have recently been having a few words with myself since my last weigh-in, you may or may not know that I have been attending Slimming world since October 2014, since then there have been good weeks and there have been bad weeks. Last week saw a gain and I felt awful, I guess it was to be expected but I still felt bad and have since had a few words with myself.
I am thinking this gain came from a few naughty treats or possibly the past few weekends catching up with me…..Whoops! well it was needed and I really enjoyed letting my hair down for a while.
After having a few words with myself I have made a promise to myself to get back on track and get focused again. I would love to get to target for my birthday in August, this would be awesome and the best gift to myself ever, this would mean that I would need to lose 2 lb a week between now and my birthday (if no gains get in the way). This may sound easy for some and harder for others but all I can and WILL do is try my best, after all this girl loves a challenge.
My losses have been lowest 1/2 lb and my highest 5 lb in a week. There have also been gains in-between these losses on the odd week here and there.
I have now been using my syn box a lot more as this slipped a bit. This is a box that I have been using to put all my daily allowance treats in (measured), when the box is empty I would then know that I was at my daily allowance of syns, I find this really helps me to keep track of what I have had that day.
So far I have lost 2 st 8 lbs and I really don’t want to ruin my weight loss by putting it back on. Since I have lost my weight that I have lost so far I already feel more healthier, happy and confident in myself and this is with only loosing half of what I want to lose.
So since I have had a few words with myself I made a promise to myself to get back on track, I went back to treating my weight loss like it was a first week again, used my syn box a lot more, I even put pictures on the fridge of before my journey and a more recent one, now I see these pictures everyday and see how far I have come so far, I also remembered my reasons for wanting to join Slimming World and that feeling of my first loss and how amazing I felt.
Moving forward a week and my weigh-in night, guess what it has all paid off I have gone and lost 4 lb this week and I feel amazing, yes I beat myself up a little over last weeks gain but I needed that kick up the bum to get me fully focused again.
The challenge is now on, I am going to try my best to get a minimum of 2 lb loss every week between now and August so I can be at my target weight for my birthday…..Fingers crossed!
This was me last June.
This was me this week. I’ve still a long way to go but I’m feeling much more healthier, confident and happy in myself, this is after 25 weeks.
***Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way to write this post***
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Thank you.
Anita & Ian
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