COPD & THE CORONA VIRUS - MY JOURNEY

As I write this it is the 75th Aniversary of VE day and I have been watching the celebrations on the TV and seen the death rates of our poor soldiers. In World War Two over the duration of the war 385,000 British soldiers were killed in combat and the civilian death rate was 70,000. My daughters’ Great Grandfather died in the war and many of my Great Uncles but it beggers belief that in just over three months (the first cases in the UK were recorded on 29th January 2020) almost half as many people in Britain are dying of the coronavirus as civilians who died in the Second World War over a five year period!

Today we have reached 31,241 deaths in the UK due to this terrible disease. And, after watching all the programs and listening to all the experts, I still do not understand why, with all the modern medicine and experts in our country it has come to this, it is appalling. Even our Prime Minister nearly died of it. And many of our front line Doctors and nurses actually have died trying to do their job, ill equipped because of the government cut backs.

See – Front Line Workers Who Died

See Also – Doctor describes chaotic scenes Friday Bank holiday as alcohol-related incidents ‘rocket’ despite lockdown

Is the government being completely honest about the reasons of the Covid-19 death toll?

I hate it when the government make false statements telling the public how well we have done. Because we have not done well at all! Why do they lie? Is it because the Conservative Government totally drained our Heath Service over the past 10 years with their constant cutbacks or austerity as they called it. Which was made to, ‘pay back Labour debts’ (so they say). The situation we have now found ourselves in was a nightmare just waiting to happen. We were just not prepared! And we were caught with our preverbial pants down! We could not act soon enough. We did not have the means to do so we had neglected our Health and Public Services and the Government should be big enough to at least admit this as one of the reasons for this terrible death rate. It came at a time when our NHS, Ambulance Service and all associated departments were on their knees.

If you have spent any time in the hospital on a recurring basis over the past 15 years as I have done, you will have seen the gradual deterioration of the NHS yearly. I can remember going into the hospital and although I did not like my stay, everyone prefers to be at home, I did feel safe. Not being able to breathe is a terrible thing and the nurses and doctors really looked after me then. However, as the years went on it was obvious that they were stretched to the limit and were serviced a lot by bank staff who really were not familiar with the patients assigned to them and I am sorry but they did not look after them properly. I once asked a bank nurse why she didn’t apply for a permanent job she told me she got more money working for an agency, well that says it all. It must have been costing the NHS thousands in agency fees. My Consultant left for a post in Scotland where things were not quite as bad, in fact a lot of Doctors left. Eventually, I asked for my own nebulizer and I have struggled at home when I have been very bad rather than go into hospital. There is no way I will go into the hospital unless I am on my death bed now.

And then there was the Junior Doctors strike and ‘Jeremy Hunt‘, the government had given them such a bad deal and no one was clapping on a Thursday for these poor overworked Doctors, it was a terrible situation. I think Mr Hunt thought it was clever how he hung on for what he was prepared to allow them. Hundreds of London’s NHS junior doctors took to the streets in support of the British Medical Association (BMA) on February 6, 2016. The protesters were dressed in surgical masks and medical gear to bring attention to the current talks between the BMA and the government. I can remember driving to Manchester Hospital for an appointment and saw them all outside and I bibbed my horn in support. 

 

Our Care Homes were also ill-equipped and funding had been neglected for years. A lot of Care Homes as a result are short-staffed and pay low wages for long hours, and are impeded by insufficient equipment. What did they expect would happen when Coronavirus came into one of those settings. I once went to visit my mum in her care home and I had to phone her doctor because she was dehydrated the simplest thing, a drink, they could not give her! I was furious. Over the past few years there have been plenty of TV programs calling out some of our care homes and it is mostly due to poor wages and not enough qualified staff.

A doctor sent an email to Laura Cunsberge but requested to remain anonymous he stated 

“Elderly people have been denied escalation to intensive care. A considerable number have been sent back to care homes with Covid-19 still active to die there. Care homes are where the most susceptible in the community reside. This is where we are meant to be shielding poeople in their 80s and 90s and this is where we’ve been sending Covid cases.” 

HOW DO WE END THE LOCKDOWN?

 

On Sunday night  10th May, Boris Johnson is going to be speaking to the nation outlining his map for how we will get out of this lockdown safely. He will start with launching the new sign. It seems from various news reports that he will now change the approach we have been taking and this is no longer Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives. The new sign will say –

It is expected that people will now be allowed outside without huge restrictions. This time people will have to use their own initiative and if that means the debacle that we saw on Friday night in Manchester when the town went wild its not going to work! See….Doctor describes chaotic scenes on Friday Bank holiday as alcohol-related incidents ‘rocket’ despite lockdown!!

The last 6 – 7 weeks have been difficult for everyone and I would guess that for young fit people it has been worse, especially if you have a number of children off school. For me it has been hard too because I am one of the vulnerable ones and cannot go out at all. People have been making funny songs, dances you name it these celebs have come up trumps for funding for the NHS, Front Line Workers and any funding that can be promoted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Viewers tuning into BBC Big Night In were moved to tears as an emotional re-make of Peter Kay’s 2005 hit Amarillo aired on TV. It was just the thing to raise our spirits.

Fortunately, I live with my son who has kept me amused with his frustrations at not been able to go to the gym and not been able to go to the hairdressers. Wish that was my only worry! But I have also been surprised by the general publics willingness to carry out those three common rules that we all live by now, stay home, protect the NHS and save lives. It is going to be very difficult for everyone to feel safe enough to get things back to normal. Surely we should save lives and sort the economy out later.

Just a though for you to think about, should we start to get back to normal when in just the last week from the 1st of May, 4,470 people have died of the virus in the UK.

No, I think its too soon dont you?

 

There is no point in giving up with this illness! If you dont stop now with the coronavirus looming over you this could be the last summer you enjoy!!

STOP SMOKING!! MAKE IT YOUR SUMMER RESOLUTION. It is the one major beneficial thing that you can do for yourself. I have some posts on this and the following links will lead you to them and I hope they will help you to Quit like I have done.

MY STOPPING SMOKING SAGA- If I can stop anyone can!
NICOTINE ADDICTION 101 BEST PIECE I HAVE READ ON STOPPING SMOKING

Keep fighting there is no other way with this illness. Don’t just sit back and think things will get better. The following is a link to a two-part post which I have edited from My COPD Team which gives you ideas how to do this. See – How to Manage Your COPD Like a Respiratory Therapist – Part 1 and Part 2.

NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL DO YOUR PULMONARY EXERCISES!!! 

A bit of fun is always in order exercising to this song always cheers me up –

‘We Are Breathless, Not Hopeless’

 

 

CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN I AM SO THANKFUL TO HAVE THESE LITTLE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE!

My children and my Grandchildren are my greatest motivators. They enrich my life so very much you just can’t feel sorry for yourself when those little faces are about. Its awesome when you think you have created all these people.

 

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My Daughter

She has really given me some perspective over this illness she has pulled me up and yes at times ground me down However if it hadn’t been for her perseverance I don’t think I would have been able to give up the Cigs and stick to my diet and exercise. She showed me I could do it and I couldn’t let her down now could I?

 

FEATURED POSTS – SEE LEFT SIDE PANEL FOR OTHER POSTS

COPD – WHEN THINGS GET OUT OF CONTROL
How to Manage Your COPD Like a Respiratory Therapist – Part 1 and Part 2 this is a great piece by My COPD Team which is a social network for those living with COPD.
My trip to see the Wigan Warblers and the COPD Athlete  – Includes reversing the downward spiral
MY PIP EXPERIENCE – A complete fiasco!
Lung Reduction Surgery, Valves, Coils and Further New Developments
The 10-Step Program – does it work? – GREAT BOOK
A Short Walk a Day Helps COPD Patients Stay Out of the Hospital
TVs Nadia Sawalha Highlights the Struggle COPD Sufferers Have Every Day