The deal has been done. The new car will be with us next weekend. I now need to get on with selling the old one. I asked for name suggestions yesterday but I wasn’t flooded with ideas. Don’t worry yourselves though, it may be that one has manifested itself from the number plate. Part of it reads ‘FLE’, so I think our new arrival will be ‘The Flea’ and yes, you may want to flee for your lives as I emerge from our drive – remember the madwoman in the motorhome from a few days back?
On a less positive note, the fibro/arthritis is definitely heading back into high flare. I know I predicted it would earlier in the week but one always hopes not to be right. For those of you lucky enough not to be afflicted by these conditions, I will try to explain how it feels. Firstly, there is higher pain levels in the areas of your body that may have additional irritations like osteoarthritis. Then in my case, my hands become very swollen, sensitive and painful (can you hear me saying ouch, ouch ouch as I type this?). Both of these things are pretty yucky but let me add in the feeling that my batteries have been taken out. This is extreme fatigue which is so overwhelming that you feel sick. Don’t let me forget the psoriasis which becomes much more active, so lots of painful itchiness. Oh and last but not least comes the depression/ anxiety (never sure which label is correct) as you have the looping thoughts about never feeling well again and ‘how can I live with the pain?’ I never know whether to give in to a flare or push through?
As I listen to the news this morning, I find myself wondering how to feel about what they are saying. The reporters seemed to find it appalling that the Welfare Budget was larger than the Defence Budget. Although I am not against any competent Government reviewing at how budgets are managed, I am not sure I like those managing the pennies, or those reporting on ‘them that manage the pennies’, being more interested in spending money on weapons than on the welfare of it’s people. I know that it is much more complicated than Welfare good, Defence Bad. We do have to have some defence and I know that there are areas in the welfare budgets that really need looking at, but why are the Government attacking the old and the sick/disabled first? Could it be that they are the easy win? Could it be that improving health and social care may have the bigger effect on the welfare budgets but it is much harder to do? Could it be that it is all just being communicated badly? I think I perhaps have to switch off the news channels and listen to calming music. What do you think?
