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Tuesday 7 February 2017

DIARY OF LIFE AND RNIB REALLY? BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good evening Bloggets. Well, the dentist? Waggs was amazing, she guided us as if she knew we were on an important mission. Hub was not looking feeling or sounding good. No mistakes Waggs? And no mistakes she made. Our dogs know when they have to be on their best behaviour.

We got there early, passing a lady who at first I thought she was either on her phone, or talking to a friend near her, but turned out, she was wanting to ask us a question. I think she was Chinese. I didn’t understand what she was saying at first as couldn’t hear her we were right next to the dreaded road. Then I realised she wanted me to give her instructions on how to get to our big shopping centre. So, I told her whilst pointing as didn’t know how much she would understand using words only. Well, I hope she understood, she said thanks and went on her way.
The wrong way. Hahahaha. I said to Hub, maybe she is going to collect her children or child from school first?

The sun was shining and in our house I was so warm. But once outside, oh my it was freezing, but thankfully didn’t come across ice.

It was a twenty-minute walk and both dogs did so well but there was a step in Waggatails paws that I don’t feel often. She weaved me in and out of obstacles and stopped at steps, mind you, it really helps me knowing where they are. That is the difference in my first dog and second. My first had no confidents at all and was a wreck bless her and with me being so as well, well, it used to go very wrong, but today I was proud of my girl and apart from my knee, I walked as fast as a sighted person. Well in my mind, smile.

We waited about fifteen minutes and Hubs name was called. I looked after the two dogs and as soon as LF saw Hub leave, he wrapped his two front paws around my leg and put his head on my foot. I wasn’t going anywhere without him, bless him. Each time the door opened, LF jumped up to see if it were his Dad. But it wasn’t, doors opened and closed I knew that other Dentists were being called in to Hubs room. I felt sick. The dogs were so good. Then one hour and twenty minutes later, Hub came out, he wasn’t sounding well. It wasn’t the best news.

What happened to him was barbaric. Long and short of it, his treatment which by the way hasn’t even started yet even though over an hour he was in the torture chair, could cost up to £2000. So to my Bloggets in the US, it’s about $2,500 and I know to you guys, that is nothing as you pay so much money to be seen to, but for us in the UK that is a lot, as we are blessed with NHS, though I do call it, it’s not the NHS’s fault, it’s the people who opened our hospital and Doctors care and knowledge to foreign tourists, people who travel to the UK to get free treatment. I wrote in a blog not long ago, how a lady came to London pregnant, two days after she arrived, she gave birth and because she was ill, she needed three weeks of hospital stay and treatment. She had triplets, so three babies who were born premature who were in hospital six weeks. Her bill was over £300,000 and of course she would never pay it back. It’s the cheek of it I don’t like. The whatever attitude. A charity put her up for three weeks whilst she waited for her babies to be well. Gave her clothing for her and her babies. Food and even transport to the hospital and back. When we go abroad, we have to have insurance. Hospitals won’t treat us without it, but England have been too soft for too long, just as I watched a program last night showing an accident and emergency department, there were people waiting up to 12 hours in corridors because there were no seats in the waiting room. Sheer volume of people. Our resources will run out.

So tonight, hub was in a lot of deep thought about what to do next, he has decisions to be made and fast.

I was right about not being seen though, I have no confidence in the dentist. She was not out of University long enough for my liking, having said that, the two other dentists who were more mature, one at retirement age, also couldn’t help him, so now he has another hole in his tooth. He still has the infection but no more antibiotics will get rid of it, it has to be dealt with as in the tooth first.

Phone calls? Well I have had two of late, one today with my lovely Kinzy. She is an old friend of mine, the lady whose Husband is the amazing photographer. He took our wedding pictures. I love that family. Bless her, she has sent my birthday gift and has told me to expect it today. She is so kind. Her poor daughter is going through hell right now my heart aches for her. And on the other hand, the night before, Hub and I had a real laugh, perhaps it was a little manic, on my behalf anyway, especially because it involved our friend from school. She didn’t help with her ever so dry sense of humour. It’s the way in which she speaks. She makes me laugh. Well what was part of the subject? I say part, because it would be naughty if I told you the other part, as it involved someone we just are a little, let’s say, cross with at the moment. But our conversation went onto what Hub was reading about on line. Oh, my days? We looked at the catalogue from the RNIB. For the blind, an organisation which used to have such a good reputation before five years ago, Worldwide, it was respected, then the good and the experts started to leave, and the fools took over. You should see what they have for sale for visually sight impaired people now?

So, in the kitchen. A ratchet salad spinner? Okay, why do blind and partially sighted people need a special salad spinner? Especially for £24? Surely you put your salad in a normal spinner and, well, spin?
A weighted two-piece cutlery set? How much? £23? Nooooooooooo
Why do we need a special heavy knife and blooming fork? If we do, you can buy them anywhere, and not for that price for blooming two?
Spill stopper silicone lid? Oh my, now we are talking? And how much? £14.99.
Just buy a baby mug if you miss your mouth… Pay a fiver.
“Slip sloped two piece dining set? Almost £30? Oh, what a rip off.
And a easy grab dish? Hahaha, sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. I know there are people out there who may need this kind of help, I just haven’t met blind or partially sighted people who do? Maybe it’s the generation I’m from? In our days, there was nothing, we just had to get on with life, and we moved from that to tech. It’s the price as well, just under twenty pounds for a easy grab dish… They are ripping people off.
A tactile measuring jug which is a great accessory around the kitchen, I bought one when my baby was needing milk measured for his bottles, I think I used it twice mind you, by the time I learned about it he was finished with bottles. But they are good. When I bought mine, it was just over £4. Now? Same jug? £17.99
For the bathroom? A duel rotating grab rail.
Rotating bath stool with tray. What’s all this with rotating? So, I’m now thinking this isn’t for people with just sight problems, but much wider difficulties, right? I have never needed to well, rotate, in the bath, Okay, a crane perhaps has been almost needed or at least the fire brigade, hahaha, but never yet, have I needed to rotate.
Super multiple pill organiser with alarms? I don’t even want to imagine what that is? Sounds cool, though right? If you forget to take your tablet, because us blind folk are forgetful… Does the siren sound and do your pills vibrate? Not sure but it’s about £17 so I’m thinking it’s not that advanced yet, so what are we paying that much for?
They do some great things though, like talking ear and head thermometer and talking blood pressure thermometer. Now they are good, but very expensive. For the summer, a picnic basket with all your easy grip and slope free dishes in. Smile, now, how do we get to where we can have a picnic? Haha. I mock and between the three of us, we did have a laugh, especially after reading about the hearing aid vacuum and the rubber cushion… If you are tempted? Here is the link.

http://shop.rnib.org.uk/home-and-leisure/home.html






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