Times - they are a-changing

Okay - so lets start with a warning - I am getting on my soapbox here and need to vent!

View from the church hall

Nicknamed "Colditz"

When I took early retirement it was from a small village secondary school - the sort that most people don't seem to believe still existed.  Staff had no concerns about giving students keys to offices / cars to go and get forgotten items - there was an absolute trust which was rarely abused.  Some of our students came from damaged backgrounds and we wanted to show them another way.  Our fences were small and our gates always open - we wanted the village to feel free to pop in and talk to us about any concerns - safe in the knowledge that something would be done about it.  You can therefore imagine the consternation when these fences were erected!

Within the school there were many wonderful staff - both teachers and support staff.  One member of the support team worked with both students and families to ensure that the children were safe and could access the education we provided - she even went to some length to get a house carpeted with second hand carpets and a new fridge and cooker - all donated from other parents - we were a huge family supporting each other.  Looking at her facebook comments, however, it would appear that this member of staff is getting increasingly depressed - clearly the new academy does not value this aspect of school life.  As a nation we have a choice - all schools can become exam factories where those who fail are discarded with no low skill jobs to prop them up - or we can pay attention to the emotional intelligence of our youngsters and produce good citizens.  Since only one route is reflected in a league table then I guess that I know which way we will go but ..........

So - that's rant number 1 over but here goes rant number 2.......

I went to the doctors about my swollen head and the only appointment I could get was with the nurse practitioner - not a problem - I have always found them as useful as the doctors.  She believed that the swelling indicated that the Temporal Arteritis was back and that I should blast it with 40 mg of steroids (currently I am on 2 mg and once you've used such a large dose you can't suddenly go back - its a gradual reduction so clearly I was concerned at this plan - but if it was TA then I could go blind so I guess you pay your money and take your choice!)  To be on the safe side she also wanted me to get a friend to drive me to A & E so that they could examine my eyesight and check what's going on behind my eye.  So, off I went (I drove myself of course!)  After a two hour wait I was seen by a doctor who declared the nurse to be wrong, its not TA, I should stay on 2mg of steroids but monitor and if the pain increases then go back to the doctors / Scunthorpe A & E where they have a neurology department - all very confusing.  He also pointed out that they didn't have the equipment to look at the eye.  But here comes the rant - the doctor was very overweight, hardly fitted in the chair and smelt of BO - not nice things to say I know but it gives you the background behind his comment about my weight (which I agreed with) and his hypothesis that I sleep too much on my left side and am putting all my weight on my temples.  Now let's just think about that one - I can only think of a bat which might sleep in that position - if only they didn't hang - how ridiculous!  Suffice it to say I am no better off that when I started but I am dammed if I am going to increase the steroids unless its absolutely necessarily!

So - grumpy old woman over - its been a stressful day!!  On a more positive note Dangermouse is back at 6pm on CBBC and Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two is back at 6:30pm on BBC 2 - what bliss!