P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Bin man]

Thankyou Annie C for your reply . Pretty much correct what you say but many bridges to cross . Really saw how much pressure the nhs is under .Doctors were not a lot of help and hospital did get me going with the drugs etc but wonder how this will affect our cruising although nothing till July 23 and 24 as I moved everything dare  not take the risk 

[AnnieC]

24 minutes ago, Bin man said:

Thankyou Annie C for your reply . Pretty much correct what you say but many bridges to cross . Really saw how much pressure the nhs is under .Doctors were not a lot of help and hospital did get me going with the drugs etc but wonder how this will affect our cruising although nothing till July 23 and 24 as I moved everything dare  not take the risk 

Have you told your holiday insurer, if you have one at the moment? Don't worry long term about insurance - my relative now has no problem and it's simply covered as a pre-existing condition with quite a low loading. As for cruising and other holidays, you'll have a much clearer picture of how things are going in a few months, but it shouldn't preclude you cruising - in our experience flare-ups severe enough to be hospitalised don't just appear suddenly out of the blue - they build up gradually and you should get quite a bit of warning that things are not as they should be.

 

As for gastro doctors, like everyone else they are a mixed bunch. She had a brilliant one who retired, the next one arbitarily struck her from his list when she didn't turn up for a routine appointment that, due to illness, I had rung up and cancelled, and she now has another brilliant one, but he was doing the rounds on the ward last time she was an in-patient, so she knew how good he was before asking to be referred to him.

 

Take care and take it slowly. A bad flare-up, which you've clearly had, leaves you exhausted and then, to top it all off, you got covid. Not a happy combination.

[Bin man]

No not told insurance held off till renewal as I'm not going anywhere soon .Although may change back to my old insurance who were very good on a claim for broken ankle 2 years ago and couldn't cruise .

[Guest ccpm]

7 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

it’s not the mask wearing that bothers me. It’s when I get something different to what I booked/orders with no ownership to update. I’m hoping yours was an isolated requirement as if it’s happening all the time they need to update the website. Luckily I’m not on a coach. Just have to suffer the 4 hour drive with my monsters instead. It’s all too late to back out now so just going to have to worry about it when it happens.
Knowing my luck I’ll not pass the testing when we get down there. 

I went in November and was worried but to be honest it was not a problem

[Guest ccpm]

9 hours ago, Bin man said:

Well after being unwell since February had to cancel all cruises this year and wax lucky to be able to move them to summer 2024 with p and o realising early .Being diagnosed with ulcerated colitis .Ended in hospital out last week then tested positive covid caught in hospital. Anyone out there got any tips at moment eating like a horse after 

losing 2 stone guess its the steroids .Still very weak .Many thanks 

Steroids are the devils work and how you react to them can be massively different. However wanting to eat the world is a key effect. Major point when you reach your weight pre event you need to stop extra eating or hello dieting. I had weight loss surgery was fine for years then major problem steroid treatment  I gained weight but luckily I was being monitored very closely after surgery and I sucked it up. You I am sure were never 35 stones + but I was and nope not ever going back there so even though I could have eaten my own arm on a daily basis I just had to stop and smell the coffee or in my case the scent of the undertakers  and stop eating. It is dreadful and it took 9 months for me to get back on track. I dreamed of food, I wanted food, I was so angry without food but I wanted more to keep healthy and not die at the drop of a hat. As I say you won't be in this extreme position I am sure. Look up your calorie intake suggested for your weight etc. Then eat just above that to gain back weight slowly. You will even out BUT you will be hungry no doubt about that. Try to stave that off with loads of water

Edited April 15, 2022 by ccpm

[Bin man]

Many thanks for reply .I have always been around 10.5 stone after falling ill was below 8. After week in hospital gained to 9 but although eating like a horse dropped back to 8.5 stone .Following plan set by hospital and weaning slowly off steroids till June and they have signed me off back to doctors so monitoring how things are going .

[Guest ccpm]

It is almost 7pm and I am the only living being in my home awake!!!!!! Brother is upstairs sleeping, 3 dogs have been fed and sleeping in their room. I often think well I live alone it will be quiet but what the heck I have dogs and company and they are all comatose!!!.

 

So .............. no idea how to rebel but I feel I should - best effort I have rung the Indian in Briston and ordered a massive feast and get me I am driving 3 mies to fetch it (after leaving a note for the snoozers of course would not want Brother to think I had been abducted).  Plus fizz the co-op is next door. Is this my best effort at rebellion at 68????? I don't know but think I could do much better. Watch this space. Any suggestions welcome.

[purplesea]

I decided to order fish and chips and then sent hubby to collect it! Bottle of fizz sounds good😃

[Guest ccpm]

1 minute ago, Bin man said:

Many thanks for reply .I have always been around 10.5 stone after falling ill was below 8. After week in hospital gained to 9 but although eating like a horse dropped back to 8.5 stone .Following plan set by hospital and weaning slowly off steroids till June and they have signed me off back to doctors so monitoring how things are going .

I don't think you will have my problems at all. I'm sure you will eat normally or a bit extra and gradually ease your weight back to your normal. Monitoring is very key. For me there is with my weight problems no normal unless I get it screwed down. Steroids do mess your metabolism up and it can take an age to get things back on track. I hope that you both feel better and get your weight back on track. As a retired Doctor I am a previous failure in the weight department but have managed even after steroidgate to keep below 10stone for 12 years but its is hard. 

[Harry Peterson]

25 minutes ago, Bin man said:

Many thanks for reply .I have always been around 10.5 stone after falling ill was below 8. After week in hospital gained to 9 but although eating like a horse dropped back to 8.5 stone .Following plan set by hospital and weaning slowly off steroids till June and they have signed me off back to doctors so monitoring how things are going .

If the plan is to wean you off those steroids by June you may not have the weight gain problems they can cause.  If it's any consolation, I was lucky enough not to be affected too much by them when I was on a high dose, and they've now been almost replaced by a different type of drug that does much the same thing.

 

You're already aware of the issue, and that's half the battle!  They're not the nicest of drugs, but they're a life saver in some circumstances and that's the important thing.  Hope the recovery continues to go well.

[Bin man]

Many thanks Harry. I seem to be progressing but muscle mass just shot although never very muscley finding hard to get legs going but getting there slowly .Arms the same .

[Guest ccpm]

Very quiet here today. Still no hint of why Brother is here. Yep could just ask him but we are a family who just don't. Today it turns out that I am taking my rotary friend to something locally. There is lunch and wine. My friend is 98 I applaud his service, his family lives miles away so just happy to ferry him there. He firmly believe he asked me at the Rotary  lunch last Tuesday. He did not but lets be honest I have very rarely anything on. George will be in my car at 1pm

 

To be honest Brother went down multiple points in my estimation. He was very cross with me as I rearranged the morning to do this. Honestly you can't pick your family and believe me he is the best of them.

 

New  topic where I am asking for feedback. George, my Rotarian friend, has said I am missing a trick by not having a rail card. Do you have one? Do you use it? I know it is not cruse related but please let me know if you can 

[Josy1953]

56 minutes ago, ccpm said:

New  topic where I am asking for feedback. George, my Rotarian friend, has said I am missing a trick by not having a rail card. Do you have one? Do you use it? I know it is not cruse related but please let me know if you can 

I don't have one because I rarely travel by train but one of my friends has one because she regularly goes to Manchester for shopping and says that it is well worth the money.  I would say that if you are considering getting one then work out how often you use the train and the annual cost of those trips and see if it is more than the cost of the rail card.  When I looked into it last year an over 60s annual card was around £30 and you get a third off every journey that you make.

[Eddie99]

If you’re a Tesco shopper and have their Clubcard then purchasing a Railcard is an excellent use of your Clubcard points.

iirc £1 of points gives £3 of Railcard

All done smoothly on line

[Dermotsgirl]

My husband and myself like doing days out on the train, so we have the Senior Railcard.

 

I bought my first three year railcard for £70, as soon as I turned 60. That was March 2020...... so probably wasn't the best time to be thinking of days out, but even so, the savings I've made on fares already covers the outlay. 

 

I would recommend this card, and it's easy to apply online 

[purplesea]

I have had a senior railcards, pre pandemic, and although I didn't use it a great deal it paid for itself when going up to Southampton and the odd trip up to Plymouth. I used Tesco vouchers to purchase it so that made it even better value!

[brian1]

We are lucky our London OAP bus pass includes trains and tube right out to zone 6 which is a big area.If we go to our daughter in Sevenoaks we just pay the difference from zone 6 which a few years back was only 3 quid each.Our car is in Italy for most of this year so we will probably make use of the bus pass a lot more but not enough to warrant a senior rail card,cheers,Brian.

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, brian1 said:

We are lucky our London OAP bus pass includes trains and tube right out to zone 6 which is a big area.If we go to our daughter in Sevenoaks we just pay the difference from zone 6 which a few years back was only 3 quid each.Our car is in Italy for most of this year so we will probably make use of the bus pass a lot more but not enough to warrant a senior rail card,cheers,Brian.

I have a bus pass but we no longer have a bus service.  I got my bus pass because my sister-in-law told me that she was able to use hers when they went to Devon and Cornwall last year because there are reciprocal agreements in p!ace.

[Splice the mainbrace]

Iona should be departing at about 7.30.

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

22 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I have a bus pass but we no longer have a bus service.  I got my bus pass because my sister-in-law told me that she was able to use hers when they went to Devon and Cornwall last year because there are reciprocal agreements in p!ace.

Same here with the disappearing bus services, though we have been left with one a day.  Handy to have though for using across England, including London of course. Not sure about Scotland and Wales though.

[gadabout60]

I got but my bus pass just over a year ago when I turned 60. I live in Glasgow and can use it all over Scotland - as well as local trips I have been to Aberdeen, Perth and Dundee using it.

i bought a 3 year rail card about 2 months ago when they where on special offer - got the 3 years for £49. I haven’t used it yet but am sure I’ll get value over the next few years.

[gadabout60]

I’ve had a bit of a TV catch up day today. I’ve never been a fan of Susan Calman but am really enjoying her cruising shows. She seems to have a great sense of fun.

On the other hand I haven’t really liked Jane McDonald’s Caribbean trips. Am fed up hearing about her packing her pants! Would love to know the cost of these holidays with private planes and luxury villas. I’m obviously sorry for her that her partner died but I think she is overegging the solo holidays a bit 

[grapau27]

Good evening.

Nice sunny 18°C day.

We had a gorgeous dinner tonight.

Tomorrow would be Pauline's late mam's 100th birthday.

Graham.

[purplesea]

We aren't able to get our bus passes down here until we get to 66. Not a lot of good either unless you want a direct trip into Penzance, St. Ives or Truro, but to take a bus there takes over an hour (they take the scenic route through all the villages).  Trains are a bit better but not all of them stop at my nearest station. 

[Eddie99]