Tag Archives: vaccination

What Links my Covid Vaccine with a Tree?

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Two days since my last post? I’m getting lazy.

Today I have had my Covid vaccination. The young lady in the pharmacy was disappointed to hear we have already had our flu jabs, as she could have given them both. In return I was disappointed that our GP Surgery hadn’t been able to give us Covid at the same time as the flu. On the tram on Wednesday a woman was telling her friend that he GP had  given her both at the same time. It strikes me that a bit of joined up thinking could have streamline the whole process.

Trees at Clumber park

Look at it in terms of time and traffic. It took us 25 minutes to get there, ten minutes to be done and, probably 15 minutes on the way back because there was less congestion. That’s six miles, 50 minutes and who knows how much carbon dioxide. Multiply that by four hundred (a conservative number of people vaccinated  based on the number there while we were) and halve it as not everyone would have travelled as far or used a car for their Covid jab. I need the car because I can’t walk far and I need that particular pharmacy as it has reliable parking nearby.

That works out at 1,200 car miles used, 166 hours wasted and 240,000 grams (24 kg) of carbon dioxide.

I just had an email to thank me for sponsoring a tree planting  in the Ribble valley.  When my tree is fully grown it will absorb about 25 kg of carbon dioxide a year. I promise you it’s a coincidence that the amount produced in my calculation is so close to what a tree will absorb, but it’s a sobering thought that a little inefficiency means a whole tree is needed.

Backlit Sumac Tree in the MENCAP garden

A Good Day

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The X-Ray went well. I caught the tram with time to spare and took the correct one (having written it on the back of my hand). It wasn’t too crowded (lunchtime/early afternoon looks like the time to travel) and I arrived with two minutes to spare. Nine minutes later I was walking out. All done. It would have been less if I’d remembered to take my wallet out of my right leg cargo pocket when we started.

It’s important, I think, to mention when the NHS does well. The receptionist I spoke with this morning to make a blood test appointment was very cheerful and efficient too. I was “Number One” in the telephone queue and I can’t recall the last time that happened.

Very little else happened. We had veg stew with dumplings tonight. Tomorrow it is sausage sandwiches with soup –  that will be bean and vegetable soup, which is, by coincidence, the ingredients I have left after the two stews.

Daffodils at Mencap garden

I now have a notebook full of ideas too, as it’s the first time I’ve done anything part from work and blood tests for many months.

There were very few masks in evidence. Just three on the tram and a couple in hospital. I can see problems resulting from this.

It seems we have a re-emergence of Whooping Cough as a disease of note. Lockdown and masks just about put a stop to it, so we have brought up a group of kids with no natural immunity. Add this to low vaccination rates and we are looking at a potentially serious situation. Of course, scientists always say this, as do newspapers, who are calling it “the 100 day cough” and “the Victorian disease”.  What they don’t tell you is that what they are reporting as “an explosion” of cases is merely a return to the levels we had before lockdown.

Then we have measles.  It has killed millions. It can leave you with permanent problems.  We have virtually eradicated it, but vaccination rates are a little lower than ideal. On the other hand, I had it as a kid, as did my sister, and we are fine. It’s all a question of balance and it’s easy to get hysterical about these things. I’m sure that there’s a module in Journalism courses “Hysteria and How to Provoke it”. That’s the only explanation for some of the headlines they come up with.

Forsythia

Pictures are random spring flowers from previous years – roll on spring.

Trouble at the Surgery

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I went fro my shingles vaccination today, The automatic board for booking in wasn’t working and the man in front of me was arguing with the receptionist in broken English. This isn’t a criticism, his command of the language was far better than anything I could  manage in another language. However, it did prolong the discussion. He was trying to book an appointment for a female family member who didn’t speak English and the receptionist was booking a translator. He said he was able to translate, and I’m sure he was. Unfortunately nobody would be able to tell what he was saying and it seems there is a growing problem with doctors saying one thing and family members translating it to suit their requirements.  That’s why the practice now books impartial translators as a matter of course. I presume it isn’t cheap, but it is necessary. So that’s another rabbit hole for the NHS budget.

Meanwhile, I was called through for my shingles vaccination. Then I ws told I probably didn’t qualify. It seems the TV advert is not 100% accurate and there are plenty of people in the age group who don’t actually qualify. When they say “immuno-supressed” on the advert, they are talking about people on chemotherapy and with HIV, that sort of level.

She broke the news gently that she didn’t think I would qualify and we went through all the parameters. It ws a no. Then I pointed out that I’m counted as immuno-suppressed for some purposes because of the methotrexate and she looked that up for me. If you take up 8 tablets a week you don’t qualify for vaccination. If you take ten, you do. Bingo! Because I take 10, I can be vaccinated. This, the nurse tells me, is a Good Thing. Two tint tablets, which are almost too small to grasp, are the difference.

It’s a mixed blessing, because it tells me I am ill enough to cross a threshold . . .

But I got my vaccine, so I’m happy with that. It took two minutes for vaccinations and 20 minutes to do the checking. I will let others ponder the efficiency of  the system, as Julia has just made tea and toast (with marmalade) and I feel this post needs to end.

Selfie in a teapot

Day 118

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I picked twelve empty stalks from the Spanish poppies today – the season’s total so far. There are five more in bloom today and they seem to have lasted better than most of the blooms do. I think one or two must have lasted two days now. late last summer we were lucky if they lasted six hours. I must monitor that this year and see if they follow the same pattern.

The Welsh poppy is looking good, and has a number of buds ready to take over the job of flowering. I’m not sure how long they last, but have always thought of them as quite tough. Again, I will have a chance to observe. I must make sure I end the season with enough seeds to ensure it spreads.

Meanwhile, having resisted sarcasm yesterday, I couldn’t hold it back this afternoon on the shop. There was an incident earlier in the week where one of my co-workers was, I thought, rather wasteful with some packaging. Well, today he excelled himself. Twelve items, twelve plastic sleeves. Then a board backed envelope and then two pieces of card. I maintained silence. I am, after all, just a cog in the machine. Then the printer started. He was printing three sheets of paper with screenshots of the goods he was packing. He could simply have put Banknotes (12) on a compliments slip but that wouldn’t have been wasteful enough for him.

“Why,” I asked, “don’t you just nuke a forest while you’re at it?”

He took offence at this.

My penultimate news is that my vaccination seems to have passed without incident. I had a slightly sore arm last night and woke up at about 6am this morning when I rolled over on it. It’s still slightly sore if I touch it, but, as I used to tell the kids when they did such things – don’t touch it.

Finally, cattails is out. I am on pages 83, 86, 118, 170, 173, 174. The last one is just a repeat of 170, which is the Editor’s Choice in the tanka prose section. Just thought I’d mention that as I slip from the page.

 

Blood Test

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I had a blood test this morning. It was a success as they found blood first time. The trouble was that it was difficult to stop. Hopefully this means that the Warfarin is working and I can have a couple of weeks off before the next test. By that time I’m hoping that the booster vaccination panic will be over and they will have enough nurses at the surgery to start testing there again. All these political plans are fine, but you can’t just vaccinate millions of people without someone losing out. In this case more vaccination means less blood testing.

They should have trained more vaccinators. It’s not difficult. I’ve done hundreds of thousands of chickens and. last time I was in hospital, I was taught how to inject myself with anti-coagulants. I was actually better at it than some of the nurses. The only problem is that with so many people looking to complain about vaccination they are probably scared of letting a group of volunteers loose with needles.

Vaccinations would be very different if I was in charge. I’d just have a queue of people walking past a team equipped with converted poultry vaccinating guns. Sounds a bit impersonal, but it would have got the job done quicker.

I would also have done all the politicians first to prove it was safe. Let’s face it, it’s win-win. If it works it proves it’s safe. If it isn’t safe, who’s going to miss a few politicians? You could even run a raffle for the chance of sticking a needle in Boris Johnson.

 

Notable Events of the Week

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Notable things that have happened this week include two appointments being made for me by the Anti-coagulant service without consulting me. They arrived via a text message and included me having to sign into a website I’ve never seen before. It’s bright green and it’s called DrDoctor, which didn’t fill me with confidence. However, it didn’t ask for sensitive information so I entered it and found it seems to  be OK, though I’m not sure what the appointments are all about. I have emailed to check.

I checked the website online and it seems it is a “Patient Engagement Platform” used by 30 NHS Trusts covering 10 million patients. (I will let you use your imagination on my views about jargon and patient engagement platforms.)

I think it’s a new toy and they are just getting used to it. If it is a serious attempt to make an appointment they are out of luck because I already have a blood test on Wednesday and that is more than enough time given over the the NHS. They will also be unlucky on Friday – I’m driving and won’t be answering the phone.

Then Julia’s trains were delayed. One had trouble because the lines were “slippery” and the other because a passenger, despite feeling unwell and being advised to leave the train, vomited copiously all over a carriage and it was easier to change trains than mop it up. That must have been a sight to see. Fortunately Julia was in another carriage, so was spared the sight.

I’m sure there must have been other things, but I can’t remember them. I should make notes.

Not being one to repeat scare stories about vaccination, I am not sure whether to tell you this, but my arm ached so much this morning that I wasn’t able to use it for anything strenuous. This includes using a stick or levering myself out of a chair.

The vaccination site is still sore even though everything else has worn off. This is the worst reaction I’ve had to a vaccination since some of the ones I had for foreign travel thirty years ago, so it’s not a reaction unique to covid vaccinations and it’s not a reason to go unvaccinated. In fact, if I had to do it all again tomorrow, I would. That’s how confident I am that vaccination is a good thing.

Darmstadt Friendship Medallion – twinned with Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Same Medal, different side. Real size about 39mm.

The top photo shows a Robert Burns commemoration medal, part of the collection of low grade medallions we bought last week. I’ve been putting them on steadily and sold plenty already. The Burns one, though deride by my colleagues, sold after just two days. The Darmstadt/Chesterfield medallion was one of several that sold in their first day.

The current record though, is 28 minutes. Yes, 28 minutes. I doubt if I will ever sell anything quicker than that on eBay.

 

 

 

 

Feeling more like my old self

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Since writing the word “covid” in the blog I seem to have attracted a number of people who want to make comments on the evils of vaccination. Covid made me tired, but it didn’t make me tolerant. I’m happy for you to have the freedom to express your views but I’d like you to express them where I don’t have to see them. I have found out where the Spam button is and have, to be honest, enjoyed using it.

My unscientific observations seem to show that people who have had two vaccinations (and this sample includes two 80 year olds and a man with a serious heart problem) tend to describe covid as like having a bad cold, and being very tired. They don’t, as unvaccinated people still do, tend to clog up hospital beds and die.

If I eventually find that covid was a government plot or a way to vaccinate me with mind control nanobots I will just have to accept that I was wrong. Considering that our government couldn’t organise a party in a brewery I find it unlikely that they have managed to orchestrate a massive vaccine-based attack on society.

I’m now searching for a witty and upbeat ending. I’ve tried a couple but they are all rather bleak. That’s what happens when you write about governments and death.

Instead, I will merely point you in the direction of this link. Encourage bio-diversity by helping a Hen Harrier.  I normally get annoyed when people give to animal charities when there are so many humans needing help, but I like birds and don’t mind giving a few quid to help, particularly as the wife of a well known blogger is involved in the project.

I searched for a picture of a harrier (though I only have pictures of Marsh Harriers) but kept seeing food pictures. I am still hungry . . .

It’s Afternoon Tea at Botham’s of Whitby in September 2019.

Bringing out the worst in me…

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It’s 7.57. On a normal day I would just be lacing my shoes up, ready to take Julia to work. But today isn’t a normal day. I was at hospital for 6.55, securing one of the few remaining parking spaces. Either there are an awful lot of visitors outside opening hours or the staff are using the visitor spaces. I think you know where my money would go if I were a betting man.

I had a twenty minute wait at Phlebotomy because they needed a chat about gloves and the faults with the label printing software. During this time I also noticed that although we have “social distancing” in p[lace for chairs in the waiting room, the chair I selected was not socially distanced from the store cupboard.

When one member of staff used it, we were around 3 feet apart. When four members of staff needed it at the same time, three of them with trollies, I became part of a milling crowd of phlebotomists. I’m going to take a guess here, but my conclusion is that the person who drew up the seating plan had never been to outpatients.

I could go on to offer some suggestions for improvements, and discuss management and leader ship, but I’m eating my breakfast with one hand and typing with the other, thinking is probably a step too far. Anyway, next door’s builders are using power tools and it’s difficult to concentrate.  There’s just something about getting the simple stuff wrong that really brings out the worst in me.

8.26 now. I’ve blogged, I’ve breakfasted and I’ve just checked the work eBay sales. It’s been a quiet week. I can’t see the day being distinguished by urgency and hard work.

Next time I post I will be fully vaccinated. It’s an all action day – blood test in the right arm this morning, vaccination in the left this afternoon. How’s that for advance planning? Two arms, two needles. I’m glad I don’t have a third needle to accommodate, as it would be a tricky choice.

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

 

Slight, but discernible progress

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Today has been quite a tidy type of day. I haven’t achieved a lot but I have neatened things up a bit.

One, Julia is now fully vaccinated against Covid. It all went very smoothly, though we were caught in  a traffic jam on the way back. The UK seems to be doing reasonably well in getting plenty of people vaccinated. So far she doesn’t seem to be experiencing any side effects, but we will see what happens tomorrow.

Two, the internet grocery order is in. I have just been finalising the last few bits and pieces. I made it a priority this morning, and set an alarm on my phone to make sure I was awake to make a couple of minor adjustments before the deadline. There is always something you remember at the last minute.

Three, I consulted a website about sustainable fish before ordering for this week.

Four, I used the photo from Thinking After Midnight for my biography photo, despite Google’s comments on images that look like that. I’m not going to be the only one that is using a slightly flattering and out of date picture.

Five, I will, after doing this one, have posted three times today, making up for deficiencies in the last week or two.

Six, I have made slight, but discernible, progress in preparing submissions.

Seven, after a good night’s sleep I seem to be regaining a little creativity. Sleep, I think, is the key. I must do more sleeping and less staying up at night.

Eight, I found one of my watches and got a new battery fitted. I am now equipped to re-enter the rat race. This is a shame, because life with no watch is quite relaxing.

Nine, I just remembered that I have completely forgotten to fill up the car and put air in the tyres as planned for today. Ah well, not as tidy as I thought…

Ten, sandwiches are made and overnight oats are maturing in the fridge.

Time for an early bed (see Point 7).

Grape Hyacinths

100 Rejections?

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They are getting through the vaccinations round here – people in their mid-50s are now being called in. In Nottinghamshire we are being given our second dates at the time of booking the first one. My sister, in Cambridgeshire, and a friend in Oxfordshire, are still waiting for their second dates weeks after the initial vaccinations.

Julia’s weekly test went in the post this morning as part of our “new normal” and we are hoping for the traditional clar result tomorrow morning. The current streamlined testing system is very impressive.

Lat night I read an article on writing that put forward a new way of looking at things. I may have mentioned that I try to take the view that more submissions will mean more acceptances. I may even have mentioned that when I was a salesman looking for one sale in ten visits, I used to look on the nine blanks as nine steps towards the next sale.

The article says that you should aim for 100 rejections a year. That way you can be more relaxed and the acceptances will follow.  This is in line with my thinking, though actively seeking 100 rejections is one step beyond my current plans. As an example they describe an experiment performed with a ceramics course. Half the course were told that they would be graded on a single piece of work, which should be perfect.  The other half were told they would be judged on the total weight of pottery produced. (I’m not sure if this is true or not, but it makes a good story so stick with it).

At the end of the year the group that produced the best quality pots was the group that had been told to produce quantity – they made more pots, they improved with practice and they stayed relaxed. By the end of the year they were producing better pots than he members of the group who had ben told to make one perfect pot. Members of that group were so hung up on producing one perfect piece they simply couldn’t produce to the best of their ability.

It’s certainly something to think about, though I’m not sure if I could write enough to gather 100 rejections.