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An Adventure at the Hospital

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The logo of NHS Wales

The logo of NHS Wales (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may know that there’s a measles epidemic based in Swansea, & that it’s spreading. It seems to be the result of children not receiving the MMR vaccine in the light of the 1998 Wakefield debacle where MMR was falsely linked to autism & bowel disease, herd immunity now wearing off & a misinformed campaign by a local newspaper.

We live too close to be unconcerned. Jake & Ellie have just turned 3 & are starting pre-school in 2 weeks. There may well be infected children there!

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease, spread respiratorily. It is at its most infectious for 4 days before any symptoms appear. Complications can affect as many as 1 in 15 & can result in permanent disability, even death. Roald Dahl‘s 7-year-old daughter, for instance, died from encephalitis – inflammation of the brain – as a result of catching measles.

So we’re taking no chances! Jallie were due their 2nd jab in July but following official advice from Public Health Wales in response to the epidemic we brought it forward. We’ve just come back from the hospital where a special vaccination session has been organised.

Even though we arrived at the starting time of 10am there was already a queue outside at least 60m long!

It was heartening to see that so many have responded. It will slow the spread of the epidemic, & will very likely have prevented serious illness, disability & maybe even death for the children there & others they will come into contact with.

It would have been better for us if there were fewer there though!

Jake & Ellie were great. They’re very good at making their own fun. They’re very sociable & were going up to other children in the queue, chatting away. There was space enough to run around in & they were soon playing with another boy & girl who we thought were also twins but who were in fact cousins. There were walls to hide behind, sticks to wave around, spinning to be done.

It was sunny, but cold: they didn’t seem to mind at all. I love how sociable & fun-loving they are!

It was an hour before we got inside, & by this time the queue looked to be at least 100m long. It was very crowded, but staff there were efficient & organised. There were some great little toys & books there so they were quite happy.

They were seen quickly, & didn’t even seem that bothered by a needle in their shoulder muscles. Jake cried a little bit, but they were both fine afterwards. Especially after as many mini chocolate eggs as they wanted! They were so good: they deserved it!

After being there for an hour & a half we finally headed home, the twins quickly drifting into a much-needed nap.

I guess we should be annoyed with the people who caused the epidemic. The corrupt Wakefield for his falsified ‘research’, the media who promulgated his lies, & the many ‘misinformed’ parents who have – & still do – put mistrust of authority & belief in unlikely conspiracies ahead of solid scientific evidence.

But actually we just feel relieved. We’ve only lost 2 1/2 hours of 1 weekend, & the twins actually seemed to have fun. And got to eat lots of chocolate mini-eggs.

No, we can now be 98% certain that they are safe from a catching a dreadful disease, safe from the horrible complications it can cause, safe even from possible death.

And that’s got to be worth a bit of queuing.

I’d like to say a huge Thank You to Public Health Wales for their quick & efficient response to the crisis. And to the many NHS staff, at hospitals & GPs’ surgeries all over the region, for their hard work & for their time & effort. The NHS has its problems, & I for one have been vocal about them, but here they’ve really come through for us, & for that we are grateful.   

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IMPORTANT: Public Health Wales’ Advice on Measles Epidemic

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I was going to make this a series of tweets but I think this information is important enough that it should have a more permanent place here on my blog.

If you’ve been following the news you will know that there is currently a measles epidemic centred around Swansea in south Wales.

As of today there have been 541 cases, of which at least 51 have resulted in hospitalisation. The figures have gone up by more than 100 in a week and health experts are urging parents to ensure their children receive the MMR vaccine.

Public Health Wales warn that the risk of unvaccinated children coming into contact with those already infected is “increasing every day”.

It added that it was “just a matter of time” before a child was left with serious and permanent complications, such as eye disorders, deafness or brain damage, or even dies.

The full story is here.

The following is vital information about who should be vaccinated & when if you live in or have recently been in the outbreak area. It is copied from an email I received from Public Health Wales this afternoon.

Outbreak Area: Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Llanelli

The following is guidance for those residing in or travelling to an area where there is an outbreak of measles

Age < 6 mths 6 – 12 mths   13mths – 3 yrs 4 mths   Unvaccinated children over 3 yrs 4m and adults < 45 years Adults > 45 years
  No previous MMR No Previous MMR 1 previous dose of MMR
No vaccination Give one dose of MMR vaccine. Another 2 doses (at 13 months and 3-5 years) will be required in line with UK schedule.   Give one MMR and follow with 2nd dose at recommended schedule (3 yrs and 4 mths) Bring forward second dose. There must be at least a month gap between doses. If child under 18 mths and if second dose given within 3 mths of the first  give  third dose at recommended schedule (3 yrs and four months) 2 doses of MMR at least 1 month apart Are likely to be immune. However MMR can be offered

 

There is a free MMR vaccination session on Saturday, 6 April from 10:00 to 16:00 BST at the Princess of Wales (Bridgend) paediatric outpatients department. It is aimed at children but jabs will be available for anyone born after 1970 and who has not had measles or been vaccinated against it.

GPs’ surgeries & clinics in & around the outbreak area also have drop-in sessions.

If you might be affected please don’t play Russian Roulette with your children’s health: please make sure they, &  others around them,  are protected!

Thank you for reading.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible

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An update on Jake

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For those who saw my tweet / update on Saturday night about A&E – & especially for those who expressed their concern (Thank You) – I just thought I’d write a brief update about Jake.

We took him in because he seemed to have a high temperature & was very lethargic, to the point where he seemed to be lapsing into unconsciousness. We were worried. He’d perked up by the time we got there but he was clearly not right. At the hospital they advised us to keep treating his temperature with Calpol & Ibuprofen, give him plenty of liquids & to bring him in again if necessary.

He’s been sleeping restlessly the last 2 nights & has got very hot. We’ve brought his temperature down as advised; how parents coped before that stuff I don’t know!

Yesterday he was in good spirits but unusually tired. His appetite was off, & we had to continue with the medicine to keep his temperature down.

As instructed at the A&E – he’s had a urinary tract infection before -this morning we managed to coerce him into peeing into ‘a special potty’, the contents of which are now at our GPs’ surgery. Ellie of course insisted on using it as well! It’s a twin thing. And they both got ‘special stickers’.

Because he still seemed unwell we decided that he would stay home with me today so I could look after him, while Ellie went on her own to ‘Karen’ s.

Although not his usual energetic self he was in good spirits, & we had a great time together. Because he was unwell I let him have (within limits) free choice of what we’d do. So we watched children’s TV (including a really good Dora about books & a Wonder Pets featuring the 3 little pigs – 3x each) & he fiddled about with my iPod Touch! Actually he didn’t seem to have the energy for anything more active.

Worryingly he hardly ate a thing, although he did have a good drink of apple juice. They still have a daily nap, usually late morning, & by 1145 he was sound asleep on my shoulder. I’d given him Calpol about half an hour earlier as he felt too hot.

Three hours later when the Mummy came home with Ellie he was still fast asleep: that’s almost unheard-of. He was hot as well, so we gave him Ibuprofen. After that he seemed back to his normal self & had a really good snack & more juice.  The Mummy however was so concerned she managed to get a doctor to see him.

Of course by the time he saw her he was happily jumping up & down & devouring his bag of Organix Goodies! Despite this she thought that we were right to bring him in & that we should keep on monitoring him carefully & giving him medication if necessary.

He’s been fine since, eating a really good dinner & playing happily, so we’re hoping he’ll be back to normal tomorrow.

Not my most exciting post! I just thought some people might like to know how he’s getting on.

Thanks for reading :)

Music Monday: Birthday

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One of the things you lovely people out there in the blogosphere & the twitterverse may have noticed is that something I sometimes eloquently articulate upon bang on about with insightful  profundity monotonous regularity is music, my love of it, how I listen to it a lot, how my iPod Touch is now up to (just a sec…) 8,735 tracks so far, & how I should have been a singer in a rock’n'roll band. I even have a twitter account specifically for tweeting what I’m playing on my iPod, via YouTube. At least I don’t drunkenly tweet random lyrics late at night anymore as much as I used to…

So it makes sense for me to feature music in my blog. With the sad demise of Musodad’s blog I feel moved to blatantly take advantage try to pick up where he left off & do a post where I put up a few songs that have recently taken my fancy for one reason or another & write some words about them.

And… some may also have heard me mention that it’s Jallie’s 2nd Birthday today (yay!). So that gives me an obvious theme then for my first, & possibly last:

Warning: may contain traces of soppiness. I’ll try to add a little sarcasm & some bad jokes where appropriate.

Altered Images: Happy Birthday

An obvious place to start: it was either this or the Bjork-lead Sugarcubes’ “Birthday”. Altered Images’ lead singer was the scrumptious Clare Grogan: not only Gregory’s Girl, the object of Dave Lister‘s unrequited love (& the true Kochanski), but also the scourge of Craggy Island & Father Ted when she turned up there to tell him & the boys a thing or 2. So I’ll take her over Bjork any day! Also: Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” is a bit rubbish. And I don’t care if it’s about Martin Luther King.

U2: Two Hearts (Beat As One)

Say what you like about U2 & Bono, & most of us do, this is just a great rock song; from the pre-Joshua Tree “War” album. You know what I think of now when I hear this? Jake & Ellie inside their Mummy, entwined together, separate yet one, apart but together now & always, like two hearts that beat as one.

There ya go: soppiness, with rock’n'roll!

Steve Miller Band: The Joker

This was Jake’s early theme song. Yes, we give our children theme songs: doesn’t everyone? From a very early age he’s exhibited a terrific sense of humour, getting & making jokes long before we’d have thought a young child would. OK, some of the lyrics aren’t appropriate: if I find he’s a smoker or a midnight toker I may have to have words. And I don’t know what the “pompitous of love” is but I’m pretty sure I disapprove. But it’s a good song.

Elton John: Tiny Dancer

I adore this song: Elton John at his very best. It’s almost worth watching the film “Almost Famous”, about the ’70s music scene, just for the Tiny Dancer sequence. Shows the ’70s wasn’t just prog, punk & disco!

My Tiny Dancer, of course, is Ellie. This was my early theme song for her. She’s loved to dance virtually since she could stand, & has been much better at it than her Dad for at least that time. She’s always sung beautifully too.

I also used to jig her about to this, substituting in “Ellie!” & lifting her high up in the air at the appropriate moment. She loved it! Then she’d usually throw up all over me. Happy Days.

Bob Dylan: Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)

Jake’s current theme song: “Come on the juice, come on the cake: you’ll not see nothin’ like the mighty Jake”.  He has a great sense of humour; it’s sometimes a mystery where he gets it from…

Donovan: Mellow Yellow

Ellie’s current theme song: “They call her ‘Ellie-belly’ “…

I’m starting to think that the quality of the songs we choose for our children may be on the wane…

Beyoncé: Halo

From the ridiculous to…

Beyoncé: a bona-fide Superstar, supremely talented, ravishingly beautiful, jaw-droppingly sexy: you name it, she’s got it. And this song is just epic, beautiful & moving. Her music was playing in the operating theatre during their birth, & I’m pretty sure ‘Halo’ was playing as they were delivered into the world. I even gave it its own little post.

I can’t now listen to this already beautiful song without being profoundly moved. It’s Their Song. It always takes me back to those mad, magical moments when they came into the world & into our lives. They were so wanted for so long, & it took so many tears & trials before they finally became a part of us. When they did ‘it was like we’d been awakened’: “Baby, I can see your halo: you know you’re my saving grace”.

Happy Birthday, Jake & Ellie. We love you.

I warned you that there might be soppiness! I can’t think of any sarcasm or bad jokes at this point, sorry. Maybe next week…


The Gallery: My Awesome Photo

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Yeah, it’s about time I took part again in Tara Cain’s wonderful Gallery.

And I knew I had to when I saw this week’s theme.

I know I’ve featured this photo, & others in the sequence, on this blog before  - but for “My Awesome Photo” there can be only one:

Jake & Ellie, 1 day old, born 3 weeks prematurely: Together then, now & forever.

It’s Just Not Healthy!

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As we were trying to get ourselves & the twins ready to go out to Twins Club this morning we had a ‘phone call. It was from a very smug Doctor from Birmingham Children’s Hospital, responding to a message we’d left

- in November.

She seemed to think that this was perfectly OK, & only apologised when pressed. It was about trying to get the promised follow-up appointment that they seemed to have forgotten for Jallie’s reflux problems.

They’re OK now, basically because they’re several months older!

Sadly this level of dis-service, incompetence & rudeness seems to be considered acceptable, even the norm for the NHS; at least in my neck of the woods.

The human shoulder joint

Image via Wikipedi

Anyone who has been reading my “Dear So & Sos” will know that I’ve been having huge problems trying to get a much-needed shoulder operation done (ruptured tendon, probably the result of a fractured clavicle). It’s been at least 2 years – to be honest I’ve lost track – since I first went to the GP about it. After referrals, physio, X-rays, lost x-rays, redone x-rays, a scan, consultations I finally got a date for it: June last year. Unfortunately in the time they took for all this to happen my wife had become pregnant & given birth to twins, then 3 months old!

Even with the 2 of us at home 24 hours we were struggling. There was no way I could just ‘take time off’ for 6 weeks, even with 1 arm available. So I had to postpone & was given a Pre-Op Assessment for early September, which I passed, with the Op a month later.

3 weeks later though I’d come down with a seasonal allergic catarrh & chesty cough. Having been told I shouldn’t have the Op if I had a chest infection, I spent an incredibly frustrating week of ‘phone calls where I was transferred to every department & back again, messages left on voice-mails, many “I’ll ‘phone you back” lies & still I couldn’t find anyone who could advise me as to whether or not I should proceed. The day before the Op I finally got to speak to a Pre-Op Nurse, who said I shouldn’t. I then phoned the Waiting List Co-ordinator for the millionth time, who then had a go at me for leaving it so late to cancel! She’s lucky she wasn’t within my ‘phone throwing range. At least she didn’t transfer me to Cardiac that time, although I was getting to the point where I needed to be.

I was postponed ’til  November, then December, then November again. Lots more ‘phone calls & aggravation. Unfortunately by November I was still chesty: bumped again! Patient Liaison told me that they thought it was a deliberate scam just to clear room on the waiting lists.

More ‘phone calls, transfers etc. etc. later & I was given appointments to see the Anaesthetist & the Surgeon on December 20th & 22nd. They both cleared me immediately, & I was told that I was at the top of the waiting list.

A month later & I still didn’t have a date. I had made it clear over & over that January was the latest I could have the Op due to ending parental leave & looming work commitments. More ‘phone calls, aggravation, less hair & more wrinkles later & I was finally given another Pre-Op for: February 1st! We’d actually managed to push the deadline back a month so February would have OK,  just. What Op date did they give me? March 22nd! 3 months after being cleared by the Surgeon, nearly 5 months after the last Op date!

I’ve given up.

The incompetence, stupidity, callous bureaucratic indifference & rudeness I’ve encountered has been staggering; bad even by British business standards. To stay I’m p*ssed off about this is 1 of the century’s understatements. My shoulder is painful & getting worse, & I’m having to carry two increasingly heavy & active babies around, & up & down 2 flights of stairs several times per day.

I am aware that there are many much more badly affected than me: people, including babies, have died needlessly due to negligence & incompetence here.

Even so, the NHS has badly let me down.

Sadly in my experience this is pretty typical NHS. Its clinical staff are among, if not the, best in the world; the admin & managerial staff are mostly utterly useless.

Believe it or not the point of this post isn’t just to have a rant. From where I’m sitting it’s clear that the NHS – to use a phrase from the last Government – is not “fit for purpose”. It needs radical reform.

I know the coalition Government are shaking things up; to be honest I don’t know the details. What I do know is that its hard to find anyone who thinks they’re doing the right thing.

Please don’t misunderstand me: free universal health care is something this country should always be proud of; an example to, & often the envy of, the world.

But that’s not much good to me when I can’t get the operation I badly need, or to the thousands of others who have had similar or worse experiences.

In its present form it’s just not working. What’s the solution? I don’t know. But it has to change.

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The Gallery: Children

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This week’s subject for Tara Cain’s Gallery at Sticky Fingers is an even tougher one for me, maybe the toughest yet.

Children.

You’d think it would be easy, right? Not for me.

My children are the reason for this blog.

For the 10 months of their lives & for most of the time they were inside their Mummy they have been my life – & have lit up my life.

Not only that, they’re now pretty much the main reason for my existence.

Virtually any post I make here could be an entry.

So I’ve tried to select a photo that encapsulates this. I wanted it to be one I hadn’t used before, but I really can’t think of a better one than this.

Me, holding my newborn twins for the first time, when they’re literally minutes old.

Happiest day of my life.

Hello children!

 

This image was originally posted in “What a Day!“, still this blog’s most viewed post, the first of 2 about Jallie’s dramatic birth.

Why not have at look at all other entries on Children in this week’s Gallery: it never fails to disappoint.

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Dear So & So: Violence, Legal Action & Security. Plus Some Nice Birdies

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Dear So and So...

Dear Jallie babies

Thank you for respecting my request for a lessening of the bollocks-kicking activity. I think I’m on the mend now.

However when you wake up overnight & we’re good enough to let you sleep with us, please don’t wake me up at 5am with kung-fu kicks to my head.  Not hitting me while I’m trying to get you back to sleep would be nice too. And I know it’s with open palms, but it still kinda hurts.  (Yes, I’m looking at you, Jake…).

Love,

Bruised Daddy

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NHS logo

Image via Wikipedia

Dear Good Hope Hospital

I think a rebranding exercise is in order, don’t you? You need a brand, an identity, that more accurately reflects who you are & what you have to offer the British public.

I suggest: “No Hope Hospital”.

Or how about “Bloody Hopeless”?

I even have a slogan worked out for you. Writ large over your front entrance: “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here”.

Otherwise  someone may sue you under the Trades Descriptions Act.

It won’t be me ‘though: I’m already busy suing you under every other Law I can think of, you nasty psychopath.

You are a disgrace. It’s places like you that give the NHS a bad name…*

Sore Daddy. But you may call me “The Plaintiff”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chris Packham

Image via Wikipedia

Dear Chris Packham & the Autumnwatch team

Thank you for your earlier suggestions for bird-foods for this time of year. They’ve gone down very well here, especially those niger seeds.

Did you mention sunflower hearts too? Also mixes specifically for ground-feeding birds? They’re also very popular here.

There are a lot of happier & less hungry birds here now thanks to you, & to shops like Wilkinsons & Tesco who stock their food

Birdy Daddy

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Jallie

Sorry to bother you again.

Just an update on the security situation.

We’ve got some nice new door gates so we don’t keep having to keep all your doors shut, shutting out that nice shiny light that you like & making us all feel a bit claustrophobic. Or piling doorways with Pampers box bunkers  that would make a World War 1 soldier proud, or your old Moses basket full of toys. Especially as you eventually seem to be able to figure out how to get through them. You little monkeys!
We also now have bed-guards, so we can all co-sleep together instead of Mummy & Daddy having 1 of you each surrounded by, admittedly impressive,  pillow fortresses. If you rolled over onto a wooden floor you really wouldn’t be very happy, trust me! And neither would we.

Now, I know you don’t like being penned in; but it’s for your own safety, honestly. One day you’ll understand.

Also: I’m nearly finished converting the storage room into a big old play room: you’ll love it, believe me!

Love,

Safety-conscious Daddy

"We shall, we shall be FREE!!"

* I have to point out that whenever we’ve had problems or health concerns with Jallie they’ve been excellent. And the surgical team who delivered them were outstanding. So I guess they’re not all bad. My main problem is with its administration & the admin staff; they’re just abysmal.

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Dear So & So: Coughing, Rubbish, Dirt, Yelling & Kicking. With Cupcakes

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Dear Jake

I hate you coughing at night: please get better. You & your sister are welcome to sleep with Mummy & Daddy any time you like if it makes you feel better.

Love, Daddy (& Mummy)

————————————–

Dear ‘family who stayed with us this week’:

Thank you for your company, & for your help with the babies, & for your cooking & cleaning. But especially for the cupcakes.

Love, grateful me

———————————-

Dear Birmingham Council

Well done for finally collecting our rubbish. Although I do like to think it was because I yelled at you & threatened all sorts of legal action.

Now: the recycling?

Slightly less smelly me

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Dear neighbours’ contractors

Well done for finally filling in the ditch you dug in my front garden. Although I think it was because I yelled at you &… well, you get the idea.

And you were so smegging polite I couldn’t even be mad at you

Relieved me

——————————————

Dear Hospital

Still waiting for a date for my Op. Looks like my yelling at you wasn’t enough. Playing hardball eh? Well I feel a strongly worded letter coming on! So there!

Still sore me

——————————————-

Dear babies

Thanks for not kicking me in the bollocks recently

Slightly less sore me

Dear So and So...

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Dear So & So

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Dear Dear So & So

Everything’s pretty good at the moment: sorry.

I know the general idea is to have a moan about things that bug you, but I’m pretty happy with life in general at the moment. Sorry to disappoint, especially as this my first “Dear So & So”

Give it time, I’ll sure I’ll have  more to moan about soon. See you around :)

‘Annoyingly content’ me

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Although, now that I think of it:

Dear Babies

When we put you down in a room could you please not immediately crawl towards anything that could cut / electrocute / bludgeon / choke  / etc. which we thought we had carefully hidden away from you

And please stop kicking me in the bollocks. We’ve talked about this. It hurts. Quite a lot.

Thank you

‘You’re so cute when you do it so I don’t mind really’ me

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Dear neighbours’ contractors

You know that big ditch you illegally dug on my property about 3 months ago, without my permission or even knowledge? It would be nice if you would come over & fill it in.

‘A bit miffed’ me

———————————

Dear B&Q delivery people

You know that curtain rail you clattered? It fell off & I can’t figure out how to put it back up.

Thanks a bunch

‘Starting to get a little bit annoyed’ me

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Dear Birmingham Council

It would be nice if you would collect our rubbish some time in the next decade. I currently have 9 bags out the front, many of them full of very dirty nappies, & there are 3 more on the way tomorrow.

‘Actually quite annoyed now’ me

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Dear Hospital

You know that shoulder op I’ve been trying to get? For about 2 years now? That has been postponed at least 3 times? That MUST be done this month? That you told me before Christmas that I was on the shortlist for? A phone call would be nice.

‘Really quite cross now’ me

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Dear people nearby who are letting off fireworks

Can’t you do some of those ones that go “whoosh” & make pretty patterns in the sky? Instead of one after another that goes “BANG BANG BANG feckin BANG”?

You woke up my baby. Who then kicked me in the bollocks

‘REALLY FECKIN ANGRY!’ me

————————————

Smeg! I was in a good mood before I wrote this…

Dear So and So...