YES!! Knighthood!

I'm writing just a short post today, mostly in reference to my most recent post. I provided you the link for the petition against Dr Wessely's proposed knighthood, should you wish to sign it, and explained why I find myself a little reluctant to do so.

Someone came up with a beautiful alternative. Well, they didn't intend it to be an alternative actually, they suggested both signing that petition, and ...  doing this:

Recommend someone else for knighthood.

As I understand it, when someone is proposed for a knighthood, they are compared with others in the same field who have also been nominated. I could be completely wrong in that, so don't quote me on it, but I think that is what I have read somewhere.

My immediate reaction was to suggest the wonderful journalist, Sonia Poulton, for her hard work writing about M.E., describing it's difficulties so perfectly within the public eye. She's become patron of the Cheltenham "Fibro, ME/CFS Babes & Guys!" group you know! I would also personally include her awesome work raising awareness of how screwed up the benefits system is. You can read some of her work:
here

here

here

and here

BUT, I have a sneaky suspicion that because Sonia Poulton is a journalist, she would not be considered comparable to The Weasel. In fact, she's raising awareness of how treacherous M.E. is, when he is (supposedly) performing research (and downplaying how serious it is). Plus, it is not just M.E. alone that he is being considered upon.

Someone else has suggested recommending Professor Hooper for knighthood instead. I felt a little embarrassed that I had never before heard of Hooper, so I did a little research. A few clicks later I had found that he has worked on M.E. (CFS) and Gulf War Syndrome amongst other conditions; so he is directly comparable to The Weasel. He is the Medical Advisor to the Grace Charity for M.E.; I would be very surprised if any M.E. organisation is associated with Wessely (unless it is one that he has created). Hooper has also stood in direct opposition to Wessely on his stance towards M.E./CFS, which of course will make him a very attractive alternative to many. I did also find, however, that there has been a review into him, and that there are also people who dislike him as strongly as I and many others dislike Dr Weasel. Personally, I don't feel that I have found out enough about him to recommend him for knighthood myself. But I would certainly say 'yes' he's a good alternative to ... you know who ... and that if you wish to recommend someone to be in direct opposition, then Professor Hooper is probably the right person for the job.

I, myself, think I will stick to recommending a certain journalist. I have a feeling she might turn down the post if she was offered it. That, however, would be as worth seeing, as seeing her receive it!

So, how do we go about recommending someone for a Knighthood? It's actually very simple.

Download the form from here.

There is a choice of format in which you can download the form. I would suggest PDF, as most computers have a PDF reader. You then print the form out, fill it in, and post it off to the address on the website. Couldn't be simpler, could it? Well yes, since the form is rather long and complicated. 

... and sitting on my desk still waiting to be filled in.

I'm gonna miss my doctor!

So, I went to see my doctor yesterday. It's the first time he's seen me so ill, as usually I cancel appointments rather than force myself out of the house. It's the first time he's actually seen me use the stick too. Usually I'm too embarrassed, but given how ill I am right now I figured I should be completely utterly honest with him. I didn't actually need to say anything; as soon as I walked into his office he knew. I'm not my usual bouncy, positive self at the moment. He knew the right words to express my wanting to end everything too. It alarmed me a little when he said that we have to hit rock bottom before we can go back up though; last time he said that I wasn't as bad as I am now ... so technically, things can get worse.

We talked about my visit to the rheumatologist. He isn't very happy with her recommendations. We're going to try the Amitriptyline, but only for a few days to start with. If it affects me like it did last time, we'll be stopping. He's prescribed the Tramadol as recommended too, but there was another drug she suggested which he has decided we should give a miss. He's not overly keen on the Tramadol either. I've not looked into it, but suspect this may be something to do with my wanting to fall asleep and never wake up again.

He was unhappy that she did not wish to discuss M.E. at all, but understood why she instructed me to not mention it to the physiotherapists when I'm finally referred. He has decided that despite the waiting lists, and the distance, he is going to refer me to the Nuneaton CFS Specialist unit. When I get my appointment I'll just have to beg someone to take me. He's going to see if I can go in privately to shorten my waiting time. And he's going to stay late on Friday to see me, because he wants to be sure I'm ok with the new medications. I'm allowed to stay with the practice for two further weeks after I've moved house. I will miss him.

I hate this. I hate that I am so ill that I have to question myself before being honest with anyone about how bad things are. It is second nature to play things up. When someone asks you how you are they expect you to say 'fine thank you'. If you respond with anything else you tend to receive a strange reaction. Well, I'm not ok. I desperately need help, and have no idea how to get it. So I had to be honest with him.

I made him a bird out of my snotty tissues. I think he was grateful.

Proud but Pissed!

I'm kind of proud of what I've done today, but at the same time I'm all pissed off. I really need to google strategies for coping with anger, but keep forgetting.

I woke up this morning to cramping in my tummy. I wondered what had happened to my period. It started a few days ago, but vanished again after about three hours. The cramps were HURTING me already, so I took a bunch of pain killers and buried my head under a pillow.

I was woken up at about 12:45 by a phone call from my lovely doctor. He had received my urine test results, and indeed I have e coli causing me cystitis, which would explain why I'm in PAIN. He had surmised that it was probably e coli when I saw him on Tuesday, but now that we have proof he can prescribe me the most suited anti biotic. The reason I still have cystitis after the first course of anti biotics a couple of weeks ago is because e coli is becoming resistant to the standard anti biotic being prescribed for it. The anti biotic I actually need (and have a prescription for) is Nitrofurantoin. Never heard of it before. He has also written me a prescription for Mefanamic Acid, since I was complaining of the agony I am in with period pain.

I was happy. In pain, but happy. I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, did my best to not look like I have manky greasy hair, and drove myself over to the doctors to get the prescription. Picked it up, went to the pharmacist, where I hit the problem. 'It's the pharmacists lunch hour, you can come back in an hour and collect it!'. Actually, I can't. I was struggling to stand up, as she could see, in a lot of pain, already groggy and shouldn't be driving; I'd be worse later on. I asked about prescription delivery; oh sure, yes they do that ... they could deliver it next Wednesday. So I asked if she knew which pharmacy would be open now ... she offered me the one in the centre of town as an idea; one I'd have to walk to .. when I was evidently in no state to be walking. I left the chemist feeling frustrated, sat in the car and cried, and came home. I am basically going to have to settle for being in pain til tomorrow :( By then of course I'll not need the Mefanamic Acid. Doh. Oh well, at least I'll have it for next erm ... menstruation.

Well, the good that came from this is that whilst at the chemist I picked up the number to phone in order to change the name on my medical exemption certificate. So I came home and phoned them to ask how to go about changing my name. So I have written the letter, and included the right documents etc. And since I was in the mood for doing so, I prepared the letter to change my name with the DWP, and to send my driving license back to have them amend their error too. I phoned my solicitor to find out why he wanted to speak to me, but no one was available. I made an appointment with my dentist for next week. Made an appointment with Doctor Niklaus so that I'll have a sick note in time. And phoned HSBC.

My intention in phoning HSBC was to find out how to go about changing my name with them. First of all, there is no specific department that deals with this. Second of all I was put through to India, where the lady I spoke to at first didn't seem to understand the concept of changing my name. She put me on hold to go and ask someone for help, and I got cut off while she was gone. Sooo, I spent ages going through their frustrating phone system to speak to someone again, and whilst SHE was gone seeking help, the first person I'd been speaking to tried to phone back. She tried my mobile first, and then the land line, so since I was on hold on my mobile I answered ... and explained to her that I was on the phone with someone already. I was basically trying to find an address to send all the documents to in order to change my name, because with my health being the way it is at the moment I'm unconvinced of my ability to get to any of the HSBC branches that are around here ... basically, they're all a hike from their nearest car park! Eventually I was put through to a Customer Solutions Department in the UK. The lady I spoke to was lovely; she completely understood the limitations of M.E., and really did try to help. She contacted my nearest HSBC to request a home visit so that I'd be able to do it here, and phoned me later to see if a solution had been reached. The local branch contacted me to say that they can't do that though. What I didn't realise is that they actually have to witness you signing the new signature. So as it stands I will be unable to change my name at the bank until I can physically go in and do it. They should offer a Skype service! The lady did put my mind at ease by telling me that when benefits payments go through they only use your account number, rather than your name, so it shouldn't make a difference.

And now I'm completely wiped out. No chance I could have gone and collected the prescription if I had left it with them.