http://goingtogalicia.blogspot.com/2008/08/last-days-of-caravaning.html
Today one year ago we were all packed and ready for a sailing on 13th Aug, gale force winds rain rain rain a river running through the caravan site....on the same day this year it is pretty windy in Galicia however it is 28C with a clear blue sky and I have come inside to cool off for a while. A year seems to have been a long epic journey that in some ways seems to have passed by in a flash. We have done a lot and a lot has not got done - will think on it all and try and post an anniversary post tomorrow although we are going to hospital to get Rowan's blood test for Lyme disease results and have a lot on in the afternoon too.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Telefonica troubles
At last my ear infection is on the mend, I can hear well enough to use Skype and the phone actually it is a good job I have been deaf we received a letter from telefonica a while back ignored it recieved another one and a phone call urging us to return it and after some advice we selected the option "deseo realizar las llamadas locales y a numeracion de red intelegente con telefonica" that to me and google translate means "I wish to make local calls and network numbering intelegente with telefonica" Our next bill for one month soared to almost 300 euros, we usually have international calls to the UK for free via TalkTalk... well for 15 euros flat rate a month. I guess whatever it is talktalk do counts as "numeracion de red intelegente" We are now talking to talktalk and intend moving to their full package ADSL + calls leaving only the line in telefonica's hands and if I could move that to another provider I would do it ASAP too.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
more plasticine
Callum is really getting into the plasticine modeling, every day new things appear - people, puppies, cats, swans, sheep, pizzas, a beehive and bees, bowl full of bones etc etc. He has not decided on a storyline for a film yet but he is getting a good set of characters ready.
removing ticks
This post contains information relating to potentially serious and long term outcomes from tick bites; the information provided is my own personal opinion and should not be relied on as a sole source of advice. I do not accept any liability for consequences arising for others who follow my own advice.
Removing ticks rapidly and effectively seems to be critical and is also one of the most contentious aspects of the Lyme's disease issue. The advice we received from the hospital was to use a small amount of alcohol or preferably petrol to anaesthetise the tick before removing with tweezers. This goes against the advice on many websites although is endorsed on some. My own trawl of the web has taken me through many hundreds of pages, if ticks are why you have stumbled across this blog I advise taking a look here http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/information/tick_removal.htm the site seems one of the best in my opinion. They sell tick removers that cost very little and should prob be carried by anyone tracking in the hills or bush during warm weather- carrying a couple of little bits of plastic is far more practical than herding your ow flock of guinea fowl wherever you go. The site contains some important advice:
Do Nots
* Do Not use your fingers.
* Do Not squeeze the tick.
* Do Not use a burning match.
* Do Not use a cigarette.
* Do Not use petroleum jelly.
* Do Not use cleaning fluid.
Again the following advice is my own opinion - it seems rapid removal is important; rapid as in within a few hours of the tick attaching, if you don't notice a tick I guess under armpits or groin or anywhere it is likely that it will be squeezed accidentally in some way by natural body movements or even undressing, this might well increase the chance of infection.
1. If you are in tick country be self aware of any irritation and carry out a whole body inspection especially of children within 4 hours or every 4 hours.
2. if you find a tick and do not have a removal device to hand you may have to use tweezers or if you have them long fingernails. Personally I have removed a fair few over the last 40 years intact by using long fingernails. I start a few mm away from the tick rucking the skin into a little ridge as I close in on it. As the nail contacts the tick I start twisting anticlockwise as I lift the tick out via a fairly rapid extraction. Keep the tick if possible, this might be useful for medics if you do get an infection.
3. Inspect with a magnifying lense if possible - a Swiss Army knife comes in handy. You are looking to see if any mouth parts have been left behind - these are really tiny but can cause a range of infections. I have seen these destroyed in the field by a red hot knife end and also cut out with a sharp knife end - I do not know if either strategy is advisable but they would seem sensible actions to me. If anyone has any advice on this please leave a comment.
4. If you are in an area where Lyme's disease is known to be prevalent take the tick with you to a medic and explain what has happened. If you don't have any grounds for suspecting Lyme's infection you should keep an eye out for a spreading rash that can develop over the next 3 - 7 days. This is characterised by a red outer ring expanding away from the bite site. If the rash develops go straight to a medic do not delay but do not panic or rush or call an ambulance either. At this stage antibiotic treatment should defeat any infections and reduce the potential for any long term problems.
5. Not every one develops the rash, keep vigilant for other symptoms - aching joints, fever, irrational or unusually moody behaviour seem to be prime symptoms - not relating these (or a host of other nervous system symptoms) to the tick bite episode seems to be one of the main causes of misdiagnosis. Unfortunately these symptoms may not manifest for weeks, months or even years.
Lyme's disease is serious and can lead to heart block, facial paralysis, para or quadriplegia, and a very wide range of conditions associated with the nervous system. it is thought that many cases go unreported and undiagnosed - if you are at all suspicious of any insect bite you should seek medical advice - being wrong and finding there is no problem is a great outcome; if you ignore a potentially life changing bite you might regret it for the rest of your life.
Removing ticks rapidly and effectively seems to be critical and is also one of the most contentious aspects of the Lyme's disease issue. The advice we received from the hospital was to use a small amount of alcohol or preferably petrol to anaesthetise the tick before removing with tweezers. This goes against the advice on many websites although is endorsed on some. My own trawl of the web has taken me through many hundreds of pages, if ticks are why you have stumbled across this blog I advise taking a look here http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/information/tick_removal.htm the site seems one of the best in my opinion. They sell tick removers that cost very little and should prob be carried by anyone tracking in the hills or bush during warm weather- carrying a couple of little bits of plastic is far more practical than herding your ow flock of guinea fowl wherever you go. The site contains some important advice:
Do Nots
* Do Not use your fingers.
* Do Not squeeze the tick.
* Do Not use a burning match.
* Do Not use a cigarette.
* Do Not use petroleum jelly.
* Do Not use cleaning fluid.
Again the following advice is my own opinion - it seems rapid removal is important; rapid as in within a few hours of the tick attaching, if you don't notice a tick I guess under armpits or groin or anywhere it is likely that it will be squeezed accidentally in some way by natural body movements or even undressing, this might well increase the chance of infection.
1. If you are in tick country be self aware of any irritation and carry out a whole body inspection especially of children within 4 hours or every 4 hours.
2. if you find a tick and do not have a removal device to hand you may have to use tweezers or if you have them long fingernails. Personally I have removed a fair few over the last 40 years intact by using long fingernails. I start a few mm away from the tick rucking the skin into a little ridge as I close in on it. As the nail contacts the tick I start twisting anticlockwise as I lift the tick out via a fairly rapid extraction. Keep the tick if possible, this might be useful for medics if you do get an infection.
3. Inspect with a magnifying lense if possible - a Swiss Army knife comes in handy. You are looking to see if any mouth parts have been left behind - these are really tiny but can cause a range of infections. I have seen these destroyed in the field by a red hot knife end and also cut out with a sharp knife end - I do not know if either strategy is advisable but they would seem sensible actions to me. If anyone has any advice on this please leave a comment.
4. If you are in an area where Lyme's disease is known to be prevalent take the tick with you to a medic and explain what has happened. If you don't have any grounds for suspecting Lyme's infection you should keep an eye out for a spreading rash that can develop over the next 3 - 7 days. This is characterised by a red outer ring expanding away from the bite site. If the rash develops go straight to a medic do not delay but do not panic or rush or call an ambulance either. At this stage antibiotic treatment should defeat any infections and reduce the potential for any long term problems.
5. Not every one develops the rash, keep vigilant for other symptoms - aching joints, fever, irrational or unusually moody behaviour seem to be prime symptoms - not relating these (or a host of other nervous system symptoms) to the tick bite episode seems to be one of the main causes of misdiagnosis. Unfortunately these symptoms may not manifest for weeks, months or even years.
Lyme's disease is serious and can lead to heart block, facial paralysis, para or quadriplegia, and a very wide range of conditions associated with the nervous system. it is thought that many cases go unreported and undiagnosed - if you are at all suspicious of any insect bite you should seek medical advice - being wrong and finding there is no problem is a great outcome; if you ignore a potentially life changing bite you might regret it for the rest of your life.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Clover windmills
Since we found our first four leaved clover in the garden the van stopped working, we have had two bouts of chicken pox, one of Lyme's Disease and I have the worst ear infection I have ever had, we have now found the plant that produces the four leafed clovers and have started giving them to our friends. Hopefully things will be looking up soon, I have always taken a scientific outlook but occasionally would love to believe things are otherwise than they seem however the clover does seem to be turning out to be just another plant. Ah well life is what you make it and relying on luck and good fortune may well be less effective than many of us would like to believe. 
However I have been reading Don Quixote, a large old version with the Dore illustrations, he is about to set out on a flying wooden horse; as a reader the deception is so obvious - to the good Don it is a feasible reality, poor Sancho sees the deception but his belief in his fate to be one day the governor of an island draws him into the accepting the journey and overriding his own judgement he mounts Clavinelo behind his master and abandons his life to a fate beyond his own understanding. Striving to take an objective view of life can help us see through the deceptions of others and those self-imposed by our own underlying governing values, that seems a sensible approach. If we always acted out life based on objective perceptions it could help us avoid appearing as fools but it could also take us down routes less rich, less diverse and where chance might not provide the opportunity to experience the governorship of whatever islands, real or imagined, we aspire too.
However I have been reading Don Quixote, a large old version with the Dore illustrations, he is about to set out on a flying wooden horse; as a reader the deception is so obvious - to the good Don it is a feasible reality, poor Sancho sees the deception but his belief in his fate to be one day the governor of an island draws him into the accepting the journey and overriding his own judgement he mounts Clavinelo behind his master and abandons his life to a fate beyond his own understanding. Striving to take an objective view of life can help us see through the deceptions of others and those self-imposed by our own underlying governing values, that seems a sensible approach. If we always acted out life based on objective perceptions it could help us avoid appearing as fools but it could also take us down routes less rich, less diverse and where chance might not provide the opportunity to experience the governorship of whatever islands, real or imagined, we aspire too.
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