Yikes. It’s been a while

 I ended up not updating the blog this year for a number of reasons:

1) The Keyworker Petition Campaign took off in a BIG way, leading to over a hundred thousand supporters on the Change platform. It was handed into 10 Downing Street in March, but the London trip took so much out of me I’ve been in a relapse ever since, though up until August, I was involved in a number of other long Covid projects, with Long Covid Scotland, as well as the Scottish Healthcare Workers’ Coalition, who are a core participant of the Scottish Covid Inquiry. Confidentiality reasons mean I can’t say too much about that, but I can tell you that there is now a survey (which I originally drafted) for any health or social care worker to complete, with or without Long Covid. I was advised I was near burnout and had to stop 95% of advocacy. I’m hoping to get back in the saddle, but that’s dependent on a number of other things getting done first.

2) I finally lost my job in August. Medical termination. I knew it was coming, but it’s still been a shock. I also came off the U.K. nursing register at the end of the same month, so I’m no longer a registered nurse. I’ve only been qualified 12 years, so it’s been a very nasty and frustrating shock to the system and something that is entirely down to my Covid infection in 2020 and the lack of proper support and care since.

3) I am currently trying to sort out my home, as it’s looking very much likely that I will have to sell. I am, at least, on the council housing register, but the chance of staying in this area is remote. The best case scenario for me is that I can stay put until I qualify for sheltered housing and see if I can’t move back to the area I grew up in - which is still close to where I am now and there’s a good chance my GP practice would let me stay with them (and it’s on a direct bus route to them). However, when you’ve got relapsing and remitting symptoms on the daily, with severe PEM and PESE, trying to clear said home is extremely difficult. However I have now gone through about 80% of my books and a van load of things recently went off to charity shops. I’m also going through my shoes, accessories and bags etc, as well as clothing, again to try and slim that down. The final load will be ready to go to charity or sale in the Spring, whether I’m still here or not. I’ve also identified furniture I am going to let go as well. I suspect that once I’ve completely gone through all my cupboards and lockup, all that is gone and everything is more manageable I will feel a lot better. It’s just chaotic at the moment, which I absolutely hate, but there’s not much I can do about it and it all has to be done very, very slowly, lest I end up in bed for days on end. 

4) Shenigans with local health providers continues: One appointment got pushed back nearly four months, due to their closing the local testing clinic without warning and the next closest didn’t have any appointments for another 10 weeks. Then, as I cannot get equipment back to another clinic within 24 hours, they’ve cancelled those appointments and put me back on the waiting list for an inpatient appointment and that’s got an 18 month waiting list, less the four months I’ve been on it. Still no word about the exception for a medication. And then there was the farce over my flu vaccination. The Costumeer is VERY displeased with all this and no, I do not take this passively: A complaint has been put in about the horror show that is my nearest mass vaccination clinic. My MSP is also involved. 

5) I am still crafting when I feel able. I recently finished two greyhound jumpers and am now working on a replacement blanket for myself - it’s called a memory blanket (but the Hue Afghan by Knit Picks is very similar) - that has a cunning method meaning you can make this as small or big as you like and each square of it is constructed by partially or entirely picking up stitches from what you have already knitted - this means less sewing up (ie exertion) and I’m also making good use of another technique that means you partially incorporate loose ends as you’re knitting so there shouldn’t be too much of that either. I’m getting through anywhere between 3 and 6 squares a day. I managed to weaken this morning and buy more yarn and a pattern for a sweater I saw. It’s a bit more of a challenge as it’s a jumper for me, longer length and a chevron-style patterns, meaning you are increasing and decreasing on the same rows. I shall be using lots and lots of stitch markers! I’ve also promised some more dog jumpers to friends, but in most cases we are waiting as they’re mostly puppies or I need to see how much yarn is left from projects I’ve just completed or am working on. As the squares of this blanket are a bit smaller than I wanted, I’ve got to decide on how I’m going to make it a bit bigger before I use my grey yarn to knit the borders, but given the yardage used so far and what I’ve got left, I don’t think this is going to be an issue. Plus, once the main section is completed, it’s a case of dividing each colour left in half by weight, so equal amounts go on top and bottom edges. I was going to do smaller squares in the same method, but by the point I’m done with this main 11 or 12 x 11 stripe sequence, I think I’ll be over it and just want some stripes! I’m hoping that my 80cm circular needle will work for this, but I’m resigned to possibly purchasing a much longer one if needs be. I’ve got plans to cut out and sew up three or four garments - as two (or three, if I do two colourways of the knickerbockers) are autumn/fall style, but I’ve really got to adjust the pattern (I am MacGyvering my own from two - basically I’m altering the leg to that of another one and it’s not gone well. I may end up with the black ones, rather than the wool check, as the former fabric is cheaper so I won’t be too upset if it doesn’t go completely to plan). I’ve also drafted an 18th century short cloak and I’ve got the fabric for that, plus lining for the hood and some cheap metal closures. I’m not yet sure if I will be able to get away with leaving the edges unbound, but if the cloth is as lightly fulled as I think it is, it means it’s not a woven that will fray, so, as per historical ones, I can leave it. My replacement Star Wars dress or possibly trousers I am leaving till next year - the other one was given to my Aussie pal as it’s too big for me but fit her perfectly, but I bought replacement fabric. I keep searching for inexpensive, lightly fulled broadcloth wool mix fabric to make another long cloak out of, as mine is a bit too heavy a weight to drape properly, but I still haven’t seen any in a colour I want. The short cloak I intend to make non-costume use out of. Eventually I hope to trim it in Ribbon, fyi, but I don’t know when. If I do have to bind the edges, I’m just going to use plain old bias and I’ve got two colours to pick from. But it will probably be black. As most of you know, I tend to start knitting socks when the weather turns - I’ve got plenty of sock yarn to use! I’ve also got a lot of worsted/aran left from the dog jumper projects, so I will be knitting up a pair of slippers for myself, probably using two strands to achieve a chunky weight. I’ve got a pair of slipper soles, but my source recently closed down, though Bergere De France also do two types. 

6) Financials. I’m expecting to get 12 weeks redundancy plus my AL and they said that works out to a similar length of time. If I get it in one payment, unfortunately that’ll be taxed silly. I’ll get back the tax at the end of the year, but by that point I’ll just be out of the non-contributory stage of Employment Support Allowance, so whatever I get from tax back will be taken off my contributory based benefits. I am still waiting to hear about which group I’m supposed to be in, as there’s not only a different level of support, but also activities to engage with, though I will appeal if they consider me able to do some work at the moment as I can’t leave the house most of the time, let alone get through most days without a long rest and nap. I haven’t heard about Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - which I wasn’t expecting to get - so I’m calling that agency on Monday to find out what’s going on. In terms of the Scottish benefits agency, I found out two weeks ago that despite having my paperwork for nearly four months, they haven’t even got to the point of assessing my change form (and knowing my luck, they won’t have got to it by January when my current award expires, meaning that I’ll end up completing two change forms, essentially). I have been warned it’s taking more than eight months for these things to be sorted out (worse than when it was being handled by the U.K. agency, which is widely regarded as awful), which is extremely stressful to hear when you’ve lost your job and need to know what your income is likely to look like going forwards. I don’t know if the Pensions Agency have received my paperwork, but they’re also taking at least six months or more to decide if they will or will not award you early retirement, with mine not being worth much as I’ve only been working 12 years as a nurse. As for my legal case, there’s no word yet. I do have to forward on some information I got via my MSP, as it’s pertinent - not least the level of ableism displayed towards most people with chronic conditions in respect of management risk assessments. But I’ll need to look at the Covid age thing again, as there’s a very pertinent line in there about managers taking into account local prevalence of virus when deciding on non-shielding staff. 

I try to remain optimistic, even though I now need a wheelchair and I’m waiting for that appointment. Today has been a high pain day and I’m reminded of the levels of recycling that need done. I also need to get to the local grocery store. I’m also thinking of vlogging and learning how to edit. 

Friends, I hope you’re well. Should I remember, I will be posting some advice/shortcuts/things I use for bad days. 

If I remember… 

Plans For The New Year

 Plans for the new year in respect of crafting include knitting the vintage jumper, finishing off the sock yarn stash and tackling the short cloak pattern. My sister has also requested a pair of slippers (so I am looking at slipper soles and yarns for those). 

I am also mindful of finishing altering the two Regency petticoats and cut out the short cloak. I also would like to get going on the new Regency dress I have planned, which means locating the particular pattern and putting it together with the fabric, that’s been kicking around in my stash FOREVER. I also have my eye on an old cotton sateen navy duvet set for a waistcoat, possibly with a long skirt attachment to make an over-robe. As the duvet set is a king size and I bought at least two pillowcases, the possibilities are ENDLESS. I am reminded I need to sort out the lacing on the regency corset to make it easier to get into and I WOULD like to play around with my pattern to give myself more of a short stays set. If I added a skirt to that and made a shift with a flap that sits over the stays…. I need to stop letting my head try and work out those things. But research planning will be fun.

I also ALWAYS plan on using up the designated 18th century stash and fixing my Outlander (S1) plaid skirt and making up both a bonnet and at least one or two caps. I have been saying this for at least 5 years, so if any progress is made on those, I will be very surprised. I DID find both my behind pads and shift that didn’t work, so that’s a win. I’m not sure what to do about the latter - any pattern needs adjustment for the shoulders and a full sleeve and gusset redo, meaning I might as well look up some extant sources and actually pattern the thing with the measurements I took for me. I will likely MacGyver this using the neckline of a pattern I bought. 

I am trying to restrain myself from buying up lots more fabric; I definitely want to redo the Stars Wars dress in a smaller size, but that’s pricy fabric and my job situation is up in the air. I am also trying to restrain myself from buying lots of Christmas fabric in the sale to make a new set of Christmas PJs and tunic dress, but it IS £1 a metre. I’ve also been looking at patterns to round out my basic library, which include a basic set of classic PJs for adults, though I much prefer to cheat on the button holes etc. my hands don’t work that well tbh, so modifying patterns is what I am about. I should also REALLY read the guide AGAIN and properly figure out button holes on my Janome. Which I have owned for nearly 13 years. 

I am also still hunting for my saw and sandpaper, so I can cut down a paint stick for a busk. The one I ordered off Etsy never arrived and there was no contact from the seller at all. Etsy kindly refunded me, but I think I’ll stick to the paint stick method where possible or use my existing Mantua Maker one for long stays. 

I really should make a list and then what I need to purchase for that list, if I need it. 😬

The other side of the plans is relating to life and activism. For various reasons, I am having to complete an application to go on my local council housing list. As this would be for a one bedroom place, this would mean having to drastically downsize pretty much everything. I also have to make some calls about my nursing registration, proper benefits advice and what not. I’m desperately hoping I won’t have to leave my home, but I have to plan for that eventuality. I am still not fit for work and I can’t see effective rehab happening any time soon, given the last (almost three) years of lack of support from my local healthcare providers. A major letter of negative feedback requires to be sent, once I have redrafted and edited what I have saved. I am also attending our legislature for a closed session next week with some fellow local Long Covid advocates. I’ve also made a contribution to a major media programme on the condition, but I don’t know if the videos I made will be used. On top of that, our petition for compensation and pension for key workers with long Covid is finally taking off, so there’s a planning session coming for that. I am thinking drafts of letters/emails for people to send to their elected representatives and local newspaper editors. 

Yes, I have a whiteboard. Yes I make lists of things to tick off. Yes I think I need a lot of help. 

Stay cool.

Christmas knitting and so forth

 So after the poncho disaster, I passed this on to my niece (9) and it fits her perfectly, I estimate that she’ll likely be wearing that until she’s probably at least 14 or so, if not longer. She also really appreciated her knitted socks. Unsurprisingly, not only does N want to do more sewing, but she wants to learn how to knit, so she’s off to find the knitting book my mother gave me, which I passed on to my nephew and at some point this year, we will be doing the basics.

I also finished up some baby cardigans for my mother’s cousin’s grandkid and great-niece. One of these has been handed in and the other I need to post with the baby hats I made last summer for both of them. The surprise baby I didn’t know about has received a tiny baby hat I made last year and which he LOVES wearing.

The rest of the knitting projects were me using up a good portion of the sock wool in different weights, so I’ve made two pairs of chunky wool mix socks. (One is a Lion Brand pattern, for everyday socks and the other is a Hobbii pattern) As well as that, I made two pairs from my West Yorkshire Spinners hollyberry and cherry drop yarns which you can find here. As I’ve been experimenting with heel types and sizes, the first pair turned out too big for me, but which are currently being appreciated by a friend as a gift. The pair for me was knitted up in a slightly different pattern, with a short row shaped toe, which I like doing a LOT, despite the grafting at the end. Both pairs used the cherry drop red yarn for top ribbing, heels and toes. I also used this yarn from Hobbii (though the colourway I used, being limited edition, is now sold out) to make a double rib pair. I used the cherry drop again for the heels and toes here. I am now working on another pair for myself, using Debbie Bliss Toast yarn in 4ply, but I think this may have been discontinued as I now can’t find it. It’s in a gorgeous teal shade, with red heels (using the cherry drop - I am getting a LOT of use out of that). 

I am enjoying trying out different techniques and patterns: Most of my socks use a standard heel flap or boomerang heel, but for this pair I am trying out a modified yo-yo heel, which doesn’t use two rows all around of knitting between the decreases and increases. I am doing this using two circular needles - again a technique I have never used before. I think I both like and dislike using two circular needles (for example, I am already back to two DPN needles for the underside of the foot, but that’s more the poor quality of existing short circulars I currently own), but I think I do like the use of short circulars for the top side of the foot. This is mainly because I find it easier to knit any kind of heel and also maintain the pattern, if used, across the top side of the foot.

One of the reasons I wanted to try out the modified yo yo heel (using a technique from this video by Suzanne Bryan was because I am finally increasing my sock pattern skills to use lace. I initially started using a Cascade heritage lace Shannon’s socks pattern, but was finding it slow going and frustrating (as it really needs knitted on 5 DPNs, magic loop or two short circulars and I only have a basic set of 4 DPNs AND started knitting them in a size too large needles, which has not helped), so I ripped this back and am now knitting up a pair with a simple lace strip down the outside upper edge of each sock. It’s the Let It Shine (v 1.0) pattern by Sarah Youde (aka A Dorky Emu) and I probably found this on Ravelry. If I move to a more full lace sock pattern, I think I’ll find something a smidge easier than the Shannon’s socks and work my way up! I haven’t decided on the toe yet, but I fancy the one in the pattern, a standard wedge or round toe. 

So that’s the seventh pair of socks I’m currently knitting. I’ve got yarn for THREE more pairs of the things too and I am definitely keen to use up leftovers of what I’ve got, so I am thinking of knitting up some shortie or anklets using up the remains of the pairs so far. I have been SERIOUSLY impressed with being able to get two pairs out of a standard WYS 100g ball, when using contrast rib, toe and heels. Will I continue on with socks after this pair? I don’t know. Half of me wants to get all the yarn used up (and see if the Toast will extend onto another  pair for contrast) but I also have a LOT of yarn in the stash I would like to get used up and a powerful need to knit up a vintage pattern redo in 4ply I have kicking around. Which, being 4ply and a short-sleeve sweater will probably take FOREVER and need some consideration as to whether I need to lengthen the body FOR REASONS. I also have some chunky wool cast on at the moment to see how much length I can get from one ball of Paintbox Simply Chunky (which is basically a large swatch as part of the adult poncho planning). 

I am planning on writing up the poncho pattern and putting it on either Ravelry or Ko-fi, but I will then have to abduct the niece (and poncho) for a photo shoot, because I forgot to take photos. Because of course I did. 

Happy new year to all of you! (And yes, I knitted two pairs of slippers for a friend as light relief from socks)

Knitting Disasters

 So, one of the projects on my list to knit (for myself) has been a poncho. I had a look through a few patterns and realised that I’d probably have to come up with something I designed myself.

This may have been my first mistake. 

I wanted a fairly square-shaped construction, meaning two panels and every pattern I looked at called for two panels of approx 40 by 70cm, with border, to achieve this. I’d already slightly sized up from a pattern I liked the look of anyway. So I knitted up the panels in Paintbox wool super wash worsted (a genuinely lovely and cost-effective Aran/Worsted weight yarn, if you want to know), did the rest of it and tried it on. 

And…it’s fine. But a smidge on the smaller side and doesn’t come far enough down my arms as I’d like (it’s sitting just above my elbows, feeling Ok across the chest, if I don’t wear anything under it and then neckline is probably a smidge tighter than I’d like, but more than fine and I can get it over my head). 

For reference, I’m currently about a size 18-20 UK. This means that the knitting patterns I’ve seen are for those possibly up to a size 16. Grrrrr. I’d have had to develop my own pattern anyway. 

In case you’re wondering, now that I’ve knitted up the borders, neckband, stitched the thing together I am NOT undoing all this and starting again. It will just have to be a gift for some other lucky soul. What I AM going to do is reknit this, in black (I wanted black, useful for wearing out) but I am undecided if I will do this in worsted/aran again or something a bit chunkier - which would be less smart, but fulfil a purpose. 

But here’s what I have figured out (so far): 

1) The panels need to be both wider AND longer (excluding the knitted borders, which are added after)

2) The length of the panels needs to take into account a slightly wider neckline required - between 2-5cm overall (for reference, the 40x70cm panels is relatively tight, so I reckon adding 2-5cm would be a good balance)

3) If I decide to make life a little easier and add in a border to the panels, this should NOT be included in the length of the panels (if that makes sense) and would only be on one end of the panels.

So, that’s where I am at with this. If I determine that this pattern will fit a smaller adult, then I can use it as a base for my first knitted pattern, but that needs lots of photos taken and diagrams done for a PDF which I am not good at. If this doesn’t, then I know it would fit an older child/young teen (and N, one of my nerflings will be getting something else for Christmas, especially as I remain unconvinced the sweater I knitted is going to fit her).

In other news, I weakened and bought a bunch more sock wool from Hobbii as they had a sale on. I have also finished the first pair of thicker socks, so I’m actively considering which pair to start now - Christmas wool or chunky?! I’m probably to knit up a pair of Christmas socks to be fair, but I am also mindful that chunky, worsted or DK wool knits up a really quick pair of socks and I have just had to throw out EVERYTHING in my sock drawer due to the fungal infection currently being treated (although I did treat my existing hand knit socks with a fungal treatment and disinfectant rinse, so I have hopes I might have saved them). I have also just been devouring a new sock knitting book I treated myself to called The Sock Knitting Bible by Lynne Rowe (bought in paperback, following the customer reviews) and you can find this here and have been watching many videos on YouTube about German short row heels and also how to modify them for larger insteps. I still have some maths and swatching to do, but I am grimly determined to find the right recipe for me. I’m also feeling confident I can move to GSR heels proper, aka Boomerang heels, as I now know how to create double stitches. 

Here’s the recent completion of projects, less the poncho as I don’t have a model for it. Happy weekend and peace, out.

Life on Hold. Again. And Again. And Again.

 I think the absolute worst thing about living with Long Covid is the fact that it is so unpredictable and that you cannot catch a break; I distrust the days where I feel I have energy. This is because even if I pace myself well, chances are I am cruising for a crash. I don’t know why. I probably should have put off an impromptu visit yesterday, given I had a LOOOONG set of MRI scans on Monday, but hey ho, it is what it is.

This means progress on that short cloak and re-patterning the regency short stays (even fan-lacing the new ones) has halted, as has the rejig of the petticoat, as well as the ongoing plan for a new regency dress (that’s more 1790s-1805 in design. Sort of). 

I have done a LOT of knitting though. I’ve finished two cardigans for cousins’s babies (cursing the fact there’s now ANOTHER one in the same family line. Not really, but I feel I must knit), knitted up a sweater which, despite my following instructions, does NOT look like it will fit a 9 y.o. - which led to the rushed buying of some expensive wool (in the sale!) to knit up a pair of FANTASTIC fox socks, complete with ears and bad embroidery for said 9 y.o. This meant that I could finally get on and knit myself a pair of winter thick socks ahead of the impending sad event that is the disposal of my entire sock wardrobe due to the sodding fungal nail infection that took hold following Covid. Oh yes. Everything’s gotta go and I get to disinfect my shoes every time as well. New slippers, everything. I also completed a pair of leggings for myself, forgetting my rule of using a smaller set of needles to handle my crap tension, so I may undo the top and reknit several rows with a) double rib and b) needles at least two sizes smaller. They’re being held up with two garters made of very cheap elastic and it’s now a long term plan to design my own pair and I have IDEAS. 

So this morning I won’t be doing my singing thing, as that leaves me tired and I also need to do SOMETHING with our Change petition, which is a campaign for key workers who caught covid, developing Long Covid (as a result of their jobs) get compensation. The recent news release of the IIAC makes it really hard for people to actually get Industrial Injury Benefit, unfortunately, plus a lot of us are getting turned down for pensions too. 

I am trying not to despair. I’m looking at the towel I want to get finished that’s been sat on a needle for two years. I’m planning to do the 13 row pattern repeat, one block a day. If I’m lucky, this means it will be finished next week. 

So, couple of phone calls to make, explaining I can’t accommodate either the costs or impact of travel and can we please do either video or more local appointments, pretty please, with cherries on top. 

Sigh. 

Peace, out.

PS I cannot add photos, due to there not being enough disk space. Sorry and I’ll try and post the, on the blog later on. 

Short Cloaks, Politics and Long Covid

 Look, if by now you haven’t figured that Long Covid gets a mention almost every time, I’m going to think you don’t actually know me 😁.

Since I last posted, I’ve taken arrival of a couple of patterns (one of which I Had when finishing the short stays) and I’m also planning on changing that lacing up to fan lacing, per Kleidung am 1800. I will also change the pattern a little too: I think I can do it with fewer pieces and if I do decide that I want to make them even shorter (so more like a bra), that will take some thought. 

I have been reading one of my other favourite costume online resources: www.marquise.de which is a brilliant resource for historical costume and particularly the 18th century. One of the things it has a description of patterning is a mantelet, or short cape. There are also detailed grid patterns and chapters on this and the more familiar long hooded cloak in Costume Close-Up - yet another part of my historical costuming p0rn collection. 

I have a long red cloak, sized up from Costume Close Up, but it never really worked as I picked the wrong kind of wool for it (you need a broadcloth that’s fulled, so it doesn’t fray really) and it sheds, but I am still pretty proud of it, even if I never got around to whipping the seams down lightly. I despaired over patterning it, until I realised that I just needed to pattern the cut-outs and hood; the rest was about precise measurements and use of a chalk pencil attached to a string (really). I also learned I need to position the arm slits a bit lower for my height, but it’s remarkably warm really and great for Red Riding Hood costumes. I also have a short cape that I got from Jas Townsend, which is black, lined and has no hood. I need me a hood. They used to be a lot cheaper (and I always regretted not buying the long, red cloak when it was cheaper). So something I have coveted for a long time is a short cloak with a hood. I decided to go with something that’s not strictly historically accurate and make a modified mantelet. The mantelet is a short cloak commonly made out of lighter materials, but it does have a hood. I have a piece of brown wool I bought specifically for the purpose and I think it doesn’t fray too badly. I looked at Costume Close-Up and my two other sources and then spent an AGE figuring out what an ell was in measurement online. This may have been a mistake: The number of regional variations nearly ended me. I also realised I could use my existing neck piece cutout and the larger hood from the longer Costume Close-Up cloak, so these were my starting points. I was also pretty specific about the style - both Marquise and the book have the detailed period drawing showing the rough outline of the mantelet body pattern piece. I decided that the best plan was to take some measurements: back neck to waist, front neck to waist and side neck to elbow and then plot these onto my usual paper. I placed the side measurement roughly half way between the front and back measurements. I also took an approximate circumference measurement too. Once I’d plotted those measurements (adding to include a seam allowance at the neck: I am hoping I can either bind or leave raw the lower edge. The hood will have a lining), I then roughly sketched out the shape I wanted, similar to the cutting diagrams. This is half the pattern, as it will be cut with fabric on the fold for the body and, hopefully, the hood as well, but piecing is period correct. I’m hoping to get this cut out in the coming weeks, but not this week and I promise I’ll start taking some photos of everything once I do and posting them, so you can get an idea of what I have done. Not this week however. This week has one online AGM,  two phone appointments, one singing long Covid thing and a hospital appointment and then my surrogate nerfling will be here for cake pop and Halloween nonsense on Friday. I am so, so excited about this. (It’s always time to watch Hocus Pocus and this year there’s TWO films to watch!). I taught the nerfling to bake (seriously, she came over two christmases for baking-related shenanigans, decorated things and for her 6th birthday, all she wanted was to see one specific pal and bake with me *melts*). 

Anyway, chances of feeling like the unalived for the first week in November are high.

In other news, politically speaking, I am convinced that tofu (credit Chris Bryant) or the wet lettuce (thank you Daily Star for that online feed 🤣) would make a better PM and I am not surprised that BoJo is Back (or trying to be). Please no to all of this. In other political news, I accidentally got returned unopposed to a seat on a British political party federal council and am a candidate for another seat on it (don’t ask) AND the board as well. I only stood because I was so angry that bigots are trying to hijack the party. Anyway, this is a new body and I have the distinction of being the first non-binary, disabled, pansexual elected to this body, amongst other demographics, but I am whiter than white compared to other candidates in terms of skin colour. 

I have also been working hard with my tremendous friends and surrogate sisters, R & S, to start a campaign for compensation and pension scheme for U.K. key workers with long covid, who likely caught it as a result of their work. It’s a huge issue, to be honest and given nearly three years since the pandemic began, it’s not good enough that our governments have done absolutely nothing to support those of us too disabled to work. If you want to read more about it, it’s on the Change website. 

In terms of the Long Covid, I’m much the same as ever, needing the two hour rest periods or naps a day. My cats are fascinated by my new heated throw and I’m becoming ever-parsimonious over power usage. I should update this soon, but likely not for a couple of weeks. I do, however, update my Tiktok quite regularly (my current biggest achievement is learning how to Green Screen. I am so proud of my 47 y.o. Self). I’m perfectlyimperfect7505 over there.

Peace, out.

Long Covid - What Else Is New?

 Today I wish I was writing a happier or more constructive post. This isn’t it. 

I had a check in with my boss, who’s just back at work after THE VIRUS. Funnily enough, they’re not feeling right. I advised Berocca, pacing and lots of rest. Not overdoing it.

Anyhoo, I explained how the referral to neurology went awry for some reason, so I’m not where I should be on the waiting list. Also explained how my unreliable meat-sack now has cysts where I don’t want them. And my immune system is so shot to pieces I have a nasty fungal nail infection, with bonus gammy toe issue (goodbye £50 for private podiatry because 18 months after referral to the NHS podiatry for a different foot problem, I STILL don’t have an appointment). Then there’s the obvious cognitive problems after just a couple of hours of doing anything. And the fact I can’t stand up for more than 10 minutes (I am in an office job, but still). The clinical trial I am in - the only one I found that I qualify for - is lifestyle intervention and I feel much more fatigued on it. That could also be the medication for the fungal infection. 

I don’t know what to do. I keep taking my supplements and, to be honest, I’m going to start with low res exercise, even tho everyone has told me not to. At the current time, I just can’t see myself ever getting back to work full time as a nurse. I see myself losing my job and therefore my home in a matter of months. This fear and stress is ever-present and it is NOT doing me any good. 

While I can’t talk about it, this feeling of having my back to the wall did prompt me, following some counselling, to deal with my anger around how I got infected more constructively and, with my union’s assistance, I’m now looking into it. I cannot say more than that. I literally feel like it’s similar to Luke Skywalker being the Last Hope for the Galaxy. 

I am going to be constructive, speaking to friends about what else we can do to raise awareness of the situation Key Workers are in: Governments utterly failed us during the pandemic, putting many of us at unacceptable risk. Now they look like they’re ignoring us, hoping we go away and many are finding themselves facing the ableist attitude of “If you can’t keep up with everyone else, then out the door you go”. 

I’ll keep you as posted as I can about the things I can, but rest assured that the brain fog is back, plus the tachycardia and fatigue, as well as interrupted sleep never ends.