On the merry go round again! I know I’m no poet but just wanted to share!

[Aime]

Time passes, no matter what,

Seconds, minutes, days not caught,

We have come through a difficult year

Some are safe, some no longer here.

We still carry on, day by day,

Life starts to improve for some in a way.

Meeting friends for talk and teas,

Getting exercise for feet and knees.

Waiting times for appointments and ops,

Stretch beyond our desperate hopes,

But we have to show we are still strong,

Feeling sorry for oneself, seems so wrong.

At least we are alive and here,

We can sing, dance and have a beer.

Friends and families still in mourning,

For those they miss night and morning.

Our lives have changed with more jabs and tests,

Cotton buds up noses, swab throats, what next?

A fear underlies all that we do,

Is it him, her or me or you?

Masks in shops and crowded places,

Heat builds up around our faces.

Harder to breath and take in air,

Are there others, who really don’t care?

Not seeing gps face to face,

Must speak to him today, just in case.

My other problems have not gone away.

Because Covid is here, every day.

Mobility is harder with no warm pool,

Getting stiffer, sorer, walk like a fool!

Pain is stronger and tires me out,

Painkillers help me get about.

My iron and hematocrit are so low,

My arms and legs move so slow.

Some iron pills to get me going,

Now my blood is thick, it’s flow is slowing.

Venesection helps my head and heat,

My heart is faster and misses no beat.

My head is clearer, my body cool,

But asking for iron, was I a fool?

I’m back on top of that Merry Go Round,

Days pass as I go up and around.

COVID numbers are up, Covid numbers are down,

Todays reports make me frown!

But things are better than last year

We hope to have some Christmas cheer.

To go and visit my new grandson,

On my list to do, it’s number 1!

Those little smiles and cuddles too,

Will make the darkened skies turn blue.

Days will get bright and even longer,

Covid will have made us stronger.

We will bounce back and we’ll be stronger,

Alive and allowed to live much longer.

Days so dark are getting lighter,

Our thoughts and feelings, getting brighter.

I wish you all a great Christmas and New Year

And lots of love and loads of cheer!

Hope your health is as you good as it can be,

And that 2022 becomes covid free.

[JediReject]

I dunno about not being a poet Aime , , your words capture a great deal of what Covid has brought and continues to affect in our daily lives. And not forgetting those who sadly aren't with us and the impact on families and friends. You're right that overall so far things are better than last year and we need to remain positive in the light of the latest information /misinformation.

One stand out thing for me , I've had a good number of beers lately and planning many more but the singing comes afterwards!

Enjoy your precious time with your new Grandson.

Merry Christmas - Chris x

[Aime in reply to JediReject]

Thanks Chris. Have a great time too and stay well.xx😻😻

[Inca in reply to Aime]

Aime ,'you are a poet but you do not know it'!!!I seem to remember from somewhere,certainly you made me smile on a very painful day,Thankyou for that, poet or not you got it right.Have a peaceful ,safe festive season,look forward to your new grandchild. Sending ehugs & warm sunshine......yes warm sunshine here & I am stuck in my bed sun shining thru my window tho.....maybe that is a hopeful sign in these difficult times.😻😻😻😃😃😃😃Very Best to you & family.Sally

[JediReject in reply to Inca]

Hey sorry to read you're struggling right now Sally , , , hope you're soon up and about . Chris

[Inca in reply to JediReject]

Thanks Chris ,I should not moan & I usually push thru things,at the moment my osteo arthrose is painful & on top of that I have an ear problem so I am swaying about like a drunken sailor on stormy seas !!!I am trying to keep going but had to give in yesterday.Cannot take a Nurofen or similar as I have heart Meds .Aime got it so right ,tho I can see my G P & Consultant face to face. have as Good a Xmas as possible you & family....that's another depression...Macron has stopped Brits coming in 👹 we were hoping our daughter would get to us......no chance now.What an awful time this is!Very Very Best to you.😍😍

[Aime in reply to Inca]

Oh that’s rotten not getting to see family. You take it easy and don’t feel bad about giving in and resting. Will raise a glass to you on Xmas day, so you know I’ll be thinking about you.xx😻😻😻😻😻

[Inca in reply to Aime]

I will do the same for you Aime.....'Sante ' 😻😍😻

[Aime in reply to Inca]

Just something else I meant to say in respect of anyone with osteoarthritis - Lizzie you may find this helpful too, unless you have already tried it. My other knee has got OA in each compartment and the consultant said it’s not quite at the severe stage yet and referred me to another consultant, who advised me to try PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections. This is where they take a sample of your blood, then separate the platelets and plasma and inject this back into your knee. It’s still in the early stages of development but becoming more widely used as it’s encouraging the body to heal itself. After about 2 weeks, I have certainly seen an improvement and going for my second jab in January. I think it’s a course of 2/3 depending on results.

I was a wee bit concerned it could interfere with my blood counts but consultant assured me that it would not. The only side effects I had were fatigue for 2 days and a bit of extra pain. Obviously check with your haems, medics, etc if you want to give it a try but so far, I can recommend it.

Kindest regards Aime xx😻😻

[Inca in reply to Aime]

Oh ,that's interesting Aime. I remember being told I could have cortisone injections a long time ago before I fractured my femur 5 yrs ago,since then my leg hip to ankle is much worse & subsequent xrays etc confirm osteo arthrose.....I will ask about your treatment .Just a walk on the level now can cause awful pain,which you well know is so debilitating.Good Luck with your injections.😻😻😻😻😻

[Aime in reply to Inca]

I’ve had a variety of jabs into my knee. The first cortisone worked for over a year, second one was a hyaluronic acid one, which has worked in the past but didn’t this time. Fingers crossed with this PRP, sounds amazing if they can encourage our bodies to heal ourselves. It was interesting watching them spin blood and separate, etc. Hope, that if it works for a while, will be available on nhs in Scotland. Only a few nhs trusts allow it in England, I think and not sure about elsewhere. My insurance were pretty fair. They paid the amount they would have done for the other injections, including consultants fee, so I have a smaller amount to pay for.xx😻😻

[Inca in reply to Aime]

They are usually in to new Meds here,we pay a health insurance top up as well,I was fortunate to be given Rux before it was available in U K,so will ask my consultant about it,sounds amazing.😻😻😻

[Aime in reply to Inca]

I’ll keep you updated how things go. My second jab is 11th January. Kindest regards Aime xx😻😻

[Aime]

Thank you Sally. I’m happy if I make people smile. You take care.xxxx😻😻

[Inca in reply to Aime]

You certainly helped me yesterday Aime,Thankyou.😍😍😻😻

[mhos61]

Thanks Aime, lots of lines in there we can all relate to!

Happy Xmas to you and yours. Xx

[Aime in reply to mhos61]

Thank you, take care.xx😻😻

[Yakety_Yak]

That's beautiful actually. I think you are a poet and should keep writing them and make people think and smile❤️

[Aime in reply to Yakety_Yak]

Thank you for your kind words. X😻

[Superwoman]

Well written Aime, and so true. Todays figures are certainly worrying, don't know how much more of this we can take, just hoping we do not lock down before Christmas.Lets hope the sun comes out soon, and brightens our days once again.

Jean x

[Stevesmum42]

Thank you Aime. What a great description of our times, you convey the frustration and difficulties of life as it is at present.Here’s hoping that the new year will see an improvement for everyone. Especially our health service which is strained beyond belief. Bless all those who care

All we can do is take care in where we go and what we do, and try to keep as healthy as possible.

I hope you can get to see your new grandson at Christmas for a very important cuddle.

Peace , love and good health to everyone .

Stay well.

With best wishes everyone.

Much love ,Sandy xxx

[Inca in reply to Stevesmum42]

Was a cheer up Sandy,she really lifted me & made me realise too how lucky I am .Can see my Dr of many years immediately I ask,I know the new variant is in Fr but not anywhere near us at the mo.Best to you & keep safe .😍

[Stevesmum42 in reply to Inca]

Hi Sally . I hope you are feeling better soon.. the sun must help a tiny bit, I hope so. So sad you can’t see your daughter this year. I know it’s possible to communicate via zoom etc. But not the same as a real life hug, such a tonic always.

We will all hope for better things.

Stay safe.

All good wishes Sandy x

[Foodies]

Thank you Aine, we’ll said. Have a safe and happy Christmas everyone.

[Tilly_Rose]

👏👏👏 that was brilliant lovely to wake up and read Thank you

[lizzziep]

Lovely true words! I know what you mean about getting stiff! I need two knee replacements, I’ve been going to aqua fit to try and help my joints at my local swimming pool, but it is cold! There are signs up that say whatever it is they put in the water kills covid and we’re well spaced apart.Hopefully we will see our young granddaughter over Christmas, hope you see your grandson.

Here’s hoping everyone has a wonderful 2022.

Merry Christmas!

X

[Aime in reply to lizzziep]

Lizzie, thank you for kind words. I find that the temp in an ordinary pool doesn’t help my joints but the hydrotherapy pool does. The heat allows you to relax properly and the water is thicker (for want of a better word!) so it supports you much more than cooler water. I definitely recommend to anyone with sore joints. My only down side is my skin is itchier after it, so I have a shower asap and moisturise a lot! Xx😻😁

[Cja1956]

What a lovely and thoughtful poem! You described the year perfectly and ended on a positive note. Enjoy your time with your grandson and Merry Christmas!

[Aime in reply to Cja1956]

😻😻

[lizzziep in reply to Aime]

I’ve been trying to get an appointment so I can use the hydrotherapy pool at my local health centre, but I’ve got more chance of an audience with the Pope! My doctor isn’t doing face to face appointments and won’t recommend without seeing you, plus there’s a waiting list, even longer now they’re limited on numbers, so I’ve given up on that for now.

[Aime in reply to lizzziep]

Tell your gp he doesn’t need to see you to recommend you attend hydrotherapy. Anyone with stiffness, sore joints, post op, poor circulation, etc, the warm water will help them to take less painkillers, which is surely a bonus for our bodies and the nhs purse! They use it for top racehorses, dogs, cats, etc. Well not the same pool as I go to but you know what I mean.!🤣😻😼🤣

[lizzziep in reply to Aime]

our old lab had hydrotherapy which helped his arthritic joints!

[Aime in reply to lizzziep]

Yes, yet gps and consultants hardly ever suggest it to patients, which is annoying. I recommend it to anyone and everyone! Xx😻🐶🐴🐯

[azaelea]

Wonderful poem Aime! Wishing you and yours a lovely happy Christmas and health and happiness in 2022. - Franxx

[Aime in reply to azaelea]

Thank you Fran.xx😻😻

[jointpain]

Very thought provoking Aime, my darling wife is having an iron infusion on Tuesday, every trip to the hospital makes us worry, as we don't know what else we may come home with. Though her Hb is a good 117 her iron stores are very low, hence the infusion.Send a copy to Boris, I don't think he knows how awful this covid is or could be for many. Since he has had covid he is very cavalier with the way he is.

[Aime in reply to jointpain]

Hope your wife improves soon. I know what you mean about visiting places you have to but I think if we are all careful, we should be ok. I don’t think Boris would bother reading it! He doesn’t care about “normal” people. Take care, thinking of you both, x😻

[Janll]

Reading your poem made me focus on your words and enjoy . What we are all going through isn’t nice and to have a distraction like you poem is sweet therapy. I am grateful for every day. May this Christmas bring peace to you all. Jan

[Tintins]

Aime. Your poem is beautiful. It helps to bring clarity and some humour to a challenging time. I felt happier reading your words.

Thank you and keep writing!

[Mazcd Partner MPNVoice]

Hi Aime, thank you for such a lovely poem, such thoughtful words that we call all relate to. Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas. Best wishes, Maz x

[Aime in reply to Mazcd]

Thank you Maz, hope you have a good time at Christmas and new Year too - as good as we can make it anyway.xx😻😻