My So-Called Life
the random and not-so-random musings of a twenty-something history geek
My So-Called Lifethe random and not-so-random musings of a twenty-something history geek |
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| About Lizzie: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Lizzie is a fully qualified history teacher having finished her course at Canterbury Christ Church University. She's also a geek who was secretary of the University of Kent Computing Society during her three year BA at the University of Kent. She is very much in love with her shiny Husband, though she is sad that he doesn't glow bloo :( More about her on her website: http://carina.org.uk |
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| Jul. 7th, 2008 @ 12:10 am Apostrophail | |||
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Mum, Phil, Ben and I went to the Cemetary today to do some general housekeeping on daddy's grave - cleaning the headstone, fresh flowers and stuff while generally remembering him and having a rather nice time. His birthday would have been tomorrow (or today! - 7th July) and even if we only go once a year we generally try and time it around his birthday. Anyway, walking the quarter of a mile or so back from daddy's grave to the main gate Ben spotted this spectacular error in grammar.  As Phil said, you would really think that people would check things are correct before going and actually etching it in to stone. It's not as if gravestones are particularly cheap. |
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| Jul. 5th, 2008 @ 01:42 pm Happy Birthday NHS | |||
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Today the NHS turns 60, and I want to wish it a very happy birthday and wish it well for the next 60. I know there are plenty of problems with it, I am not blinkered enough to say that there could not be improvements, but I believe that it is one of the greatest achievements of this country, especially in the post-World War II period. Here's why. In 1900 (that's only 108 years ago) in this country: * Life expectancy was below 50 years * 163 out of every 1000 babies born died before they reached the age of 1 (that's 16.3%) * The majority of families could not afford to see a doctor The government refused to interfere as the emphasis at this point in time was on a "laissez-faire" country, meaning that things should be left to take their own course. It was believed that interference by the Government would strangle the economy, so generally people were left to sink or swim as they could. During the latter years of the 19th Century, and the early years of the 20th Century many reports began to come out which drew attention to the plight of the poor, which was reinforced by something of a recruitment crisis for the army during the Boer War. Of those who volunteered 35% (over a third) were rejected as medically unfit, generally because of problems related to poverty. This changed in 1906 when the Liberal Party was elected, with David Lloyd George as their Chancellor of the Exchequor, and what followed was a package of reforms that ultimately led to a constitutional crisis. The reforms included the setting up of Old Age Pensions, free school meals (which went quite some way to tackling malnutrition among the poor), slum clearance programmes and Labour Exchanges (see here for more information). The most pertinent reform to what I'm discussing today was the 1911 National Health Insurance act, which brought in various safeguards for those in employment who could afford to contribute to a scheme, which would then pay for them to go see a doctor if ill, and pay a small sum every week if the contributor were unemployed or unable to work. The government paid a sum to the scheme, as did the employer. The limitations of this scheme were numerous. It only covered those able to work, which at this period were mostly men, and even then the only hospitalisation it payed for was sanitorium treatment for TB. It did not cover those earning too little to be able to afford to contribute, children, the elderly, women, and those who were chronically and mentally ill. As a result, many still relied on the quack remedies that they had done before the scheme came in to force. The sad truth was that despite the advances in Medicine that had taken place, most people could not access it. The major problems with NHI showed themselves in the 1930s during the Great Depression when so many were out of work, and so many accounts in arrears (upwards of 4 million) that the companies running the schemes made no profit, which was compounded when the government reduced its contribution. The turning point came with the Second World War. The Government were in possession of some rather terrifying figures about expected casualty rates as a result of any enemy bombing action, which thankfully never came to pass, though the Government did not know this at the start of the war. ( Expected Casualties (because I found this during my dissertation research and I think it's really interesting) ) As a result the Government planned various strategies to deal with the expected casualties (including a stockpile of cardboard coffins). The one relevant to this "History of the NHS", is the Emergency Hospital Scheme, which was funded and run by the Government and was "designed to serve the purpose of a moment" - to look after those injured in the war, especially bombing victims. Under this scheme any treatment needed, including hospitalisation, was free. It was during this period, in 1942, the the Beveridge Report was published which proposed a "free national health service" as a way of combating the five 'Giant Evils' of Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness. The Conservatives, who nominally had the majority in the Commons at this time (though there was actually a "Government of National Unity" in power) refused to commit to putting in place the reforms, which was one of the reasons why they were beaten so comprehensively by the Labour party in the 1945 General Election. One of their first acts when they got in to power was the 1946 National Health Service Act, which provided in law for a free and comprehensive health care system. The first day of this National Health Service was to be 5th July 1948 but there was an enormous amount of work that had to take place before it could start, including the nationalisation of Hospitals, the creation of health centres, the better/fairer distribution of doctors around the country and the creation of a new salary structure. On top of all this work, there was a huge amount of opposition (as with any large and sudden change). Most Local Authorities and Charitable Organisations who had previously run hospitals were opposed, as were doctors, who did not want to be employed by the government, or told where to work. In fact, at the beginning of 1948 90% of doctors said that they would not co-operate with the NHS. There was also opposition from many who were scared by the huge costs involved, but Aneurin Bevan who was Minister for Health at this time argued that Britain could afford it, and had to afford it. Bevan worked extremely hard to ensure the creation of the NHS, and by hook or by crook (he allowed doctors to work for the NHS and keep private patients while getting the public to sign up with doctors for the NHS - if a doctor didn't sign the form, he risked losing the patient [and the funding that came with them] to a doctor who would), made sure that over 90% of doctors had signed up by the opening day. The benefits of the NHS were visible very quickly, especially in those groups which had not been covered until its creation. Maternal and infant mortality levels fell very quickly and life expectancy rose, especially as the new techniques and drugs (such as Penicillin) became available at no cost to people who would have died for want of them. In 2008 we're looking at: * An average life expectancy of 77 years, with more and more living until 100. * An average of 5.2 out of every 1000 babies dying before the age of 1 (0.52%) [figures from 2006] * Everyone can see a doctor, irrespective of whether they can pay What I'm trying to say in an incredibly long winded way is that the NHS may not be perfect, but in comparison to what we have had before it is amazing, and I sometimes think we lose sight of just how brilliant it is amongst all the complaining about the things that are wrong and the compromises that sometimes have to be made. My dad was chronically ill with Type 1 Diabetes most of his life, and we did not have to pay towards his care. His final illness and the two weeks spent in intensive care did not bankrupt us. When my mum hurt her back and she was in bed for 6 weeks her care (a physio, home help twice a day, doctors visits, nurse visits) did not cost us. When my mum was pregnant with me and was kept in hospital for most of those 9 months my parents did not have to check her out because they were worried about the cost, nor did they have to worry about the bill they were getting at the end. When I was ill with depression I did not have to worry about the cost of my prescriptions or my counselling. The times Phil has injured himself we have not had to worry about the bill from the Hospital for getting him checked out. Ben and I have not had to worry that while I've been off work I've been without coverage for my health (or traded electricity/food/rent for insurance coverage). I think there's a lot to be said for that. So Happy Birthday NHS, here's to many many more. ETA: Pretty much 1500 words. I wrote as much as that in some of my degree essays. Sorry guys! |
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| Jul. 7th, 2005 @ 07:37 pm Stuff | |||
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Mostly feeling:
I wanted to mention something on this journal about contemplativeNow Playing: Channel 4 News  my dad who would have been 58 today. This brings with it its own difficulties and grief but owing to the events in London today I don't feel that I can possibly wallow in it. Instead there is a teeny mention of this wonderful man, my father, Phillip Robert Overal, who is still greatly missed by his family. As for London, the dead and injured were just ordinary people doing ordinary things. They were people who were thinking about the weather, or work, or what was for dinner tonight and that is the tragedy that hurts so many people but I will not grieve for them. Instead I grieve for the people who are left behind and the years of pain they face. Despite the attacks today I still think ID cards are a very bad idea, as is the further removal of our human rights. That is the only way in which the terrorists will win. |
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| Mar. 9th, 2005 @ 09:18 am Islet transplants | |||
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Mostly feeling:
Islet transplants are being shown to be successful in Curing Diabetes type I. I don't feel anything I can say on the subject will have as much impact as what my mother posted on her blog about it this morning so I am pointing you all there to get some sort of idea what this means to us as a family. hopefulI will also reiterate what she says at the end: "The Islet cells that were transplanted into this gentleman were cadaveric ones, they had come from a dead body. That raises again the number of bits of you that are of use to someone else when your life has come to an end. On my driving licence it says that doctors are free to take whatever they want of me to improve someone else's life...when I am done with them, and I'd just like to ask those of you out there to think about whether, if you aren't already you could become a potential donor." |
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| Dec. 26th, 2002 @ 07:24 pm Boxing Day, oddly enough devoid of boxes... | |||
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Mostly feeling:
Finished watching Highlander last night (2am) so I was up late - slept in till 11 when I was woken by my mamma sitting on the side of my bed and Philip yelling through the door "MAYBE WE SHOULD USE A BIG STICK TO WAKE HER UP THEN MUM". For those of you wondering where the big stick thing came from, look no further than my brother. Anyway seeing as I was awake I thought I may as well get up and dressed so I did that (I'm wearing a skirt for the 3rd day in a row!!! A shock to me so heavan only knows what those of you who know me well would think!) and then played on the net for an hour. Had brunchfast while watching some lotr then went for a drive with mamma round Redhill and Reigate cos both she and I were going stir crazy and then came back and watched the end of lotr. Then read a book and listened to the radio a bit before looking thru lj entries. Was a bit disturbed to find that one of skel's had dissappeared. I'm a bit depressed so I thought it best to stay out of people's way, especially mamma's. Then watched tv. I think Phil knows something is up cos I haven't beed fighting for the net today. Anyways, moped in my bedroom a bit then came back on to irc cos Philip went to watch anime downstairs only to find that I'd missed Pete by 2 minutes on irc. I wasn't a happy bunny. Became embarrased bunny when I found out the reason skel's entry had dissappeared was that I had forgotten I wasn't logged in. Anyway, watched a crap version of the parent trap on bbc1 and now just awaiting dinner. I may go for a drive afterwards. I hate being in the house when i feel like this. sadNow Playing: Queen Greatest Hits Platinum Edition |
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| Dec. 25th, 2002 @ 10:43 pm Christmas Day | |||
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Mostly feeling:
Well, I've just about made it. I always get a feeling of relief when I get to this time and have had no really negative feelings tho these usually seem to come in the days afterwards so we'll have to wait and see what the run up to new year brings. weirdNow Playing: Queen: No-one But You (only the good die young) in a loop Ah...today...Well, was woken at 5.30 to open Santa presents by my brother then I jibbled off back to bed having recieved from Santa: A Kittens Calendar, A chocolate selection thingy, A double CD of Chopin music, A notelet set, Bilbo's Last Song, 10 Coloured minidisks with 80mins of Recording time, A Hyacynth growing kit, pillow with a cat picture on it, Bagpuss socks, A bycicle bell, A silver bracelet, White musk stuff from the body shop, A photo frame, A stationary set including elastic bands, paper clips and pins, A miniture manicure kit, A set of hair stuff (claw clip, hair slides, scrunchees and butterflies), Miniture claw clips with roses on them, Bike Lights, A watch, A silver ring in style of russian wedding ring, A purse in the shape of a piggy face, A set of wooded bead things on a pink shoelace that spell my name (helpful if I ever get so drunk I forget my name ;)), A set of 36 incence cones. mmm... nice!, A money tin. It says on it "Please give generously so that I can: Live on Pizzas and pints, buy clothes that aren't second hand, get a set of wheels, party all weekend." How do they know these things?! Have they been spying on me?!?!? :P, A pair of jammies with teddies on, A wooden ball and cup game, A sparkly blue top, A wooden lion keyring, Coloured writing paper and envolopes, A wooden key ring with an "E" on it and A rollerball pen. Wow. More than I thought! Lucky me! Anyway, went back to bed and slept late-ish then got up and showered and dressed in time for luch which is when we had christmas dinner and then had 2 glasses of wine while we opened our under the tree pressies and got sleepy drunk. Mamma cried over the stuff flit and I got here and Philip is hero worshipping his new dressing gown so I think I mase the right choices. I certainly liked what I got there was some really good stuff. Mamma: A silver bangle and matching thumb ring Philip: blue cubic zirconia earrings Uncle David and Auntie Sue and Richard: Hat and Gloves Kerrie and Amy: A going out type bag Chris: A Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring collectors edition dvd set! :D and a Hardback copy of The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide Auntie Pat and Uncle Alan: Robbie Williams new album (escapology), £10 Waterstone's voucher and a hardback copy of The Lord of the Rings The Making of the Movie Trilogy Book. Stephanie: A very cool print of bunnywabbits and a lovely card. Laura: A gorgeous Parker rollerball and Lord of the Rings poster Employers: A box of thornton's continentals. Auntie Lee and Uncle Brad: £50 Reading back through the list i think some people know me too well! Anyway, like I said, I got sleepy drunk and tried to watch my lotr but was asleep before the end of the bit in the shire. BAH! I'll try again later methinks. I slept for about 4 hours and then watched Alistar McGowan with mamma. Like I said, Haven't got really depressed yet tho I think I feel it coming on. I think I'll go try watching my Lord of the Rings again. Thanks to those who sent me good wishes. I really appreciate them and they helped me. Anyway, Merry Christmas and goodnight. |
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| Dec. 25th, 2002 @ 10:53 am Merry Christmas | |||
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Mostly feeling:
Well, just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you all and to say to my friends that I'm thinking of you today. I hope this day is as good for you as it has been so far for me. I still can't believe it's been 11 years tho. contemplativeNow Playing: Christmas Songs |
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tired
grateful