Very chesty after a cold.

[RATTER15]

I had a horrible cold a fortnight ago, I am over that but I still have a horrible crackly chest and coughing up phlegm and just cant seem to shift it. Any ideas or do I need antibiotics.

[anneasquith]

what colour is/was the phlegm ratter ?

[RATTER15]

Ann, pale green

[anneasquith]

im no doc :) green sputum a sign of infection. keep taking the tablets ratter :) hi cara ♥

[LoftyLottie]

RATTER, I understand completely what you are saying about the care home. If you really care about the residents you become a problem and the checks they do are a complete farce.

Good luck in your new job.

(I am still coughing a bit and I have an underlying chest complaint. I sometimes get fearful about copd, but then pull myself together and realise that worrying isn't gong to help me one bit - and I won't get tested 'cos I'm an ostrich. Personally I think that I had a rather nasty virus, that you probably have got too. But mine was acquired in Russia!!)

[tonyav]

How are you getting on in the new job, RATTER ?

[anneasquith]

hi lottie, russia ? excuse me ratter.

[daisya]

Sorry to hear you're suffering this problem Ratter. Have just found out that milk makes phlegm production worse (and thicker). Since my sis stopped having cereal for breakfast after hearing about this, her lung congestion is much easier to manage. I don't know if you have much milk at all but if you do maybe a trial of leaving it off for a few days to see if it helps. Google milk and phlegm (yuk) it tells you about it.

[LoftyLottie]

Yep, Russia Anne. My spouse is of Russian extraction. We went on a river cruise from Moscow to Leningrad and it was wonderful.

[LoftyLottie]

Daisy is right RATTER. Stear clear of dairy produce for a while.

[RATTER15]

Tony, the new job is going really well at the moment, its a little frustrating that im on induction and I am not permitted to do anything during this training period and due to the nature of these clients I am not permitted to be left alone with them, a few of them are 2 staff to one client ratio.I have spent 2 days just reading policies and procedures and I have to have a 5 day course on Physical Intervention before I can be let loose.

LL, I have worked with CQC on a few issues, the problem is they are so limited to what they are told by staff and residents, when you have staff and residents telling them all is fine and dandy due to fear of reprisal and the manager keeps all the bookwork in order, all the staff are behaving impeccably in the presence of the inspectors there isnt much else they can see, they really have an impossible task to find the truth. I have been told by CQC that they cant act without witnesses and the witnesses are just not willing to put their job on the line.

[tonyav]

How long does the training period last for RATTER ?.

[RATTER15]

I cant have dairy products!!! I have whole milk on my cereal, I had a bowl full of custard last night and we have cream in the fridge.

Can I just have the cream? Im not sure if Devonians can survive without regular administrations of fresh cream!!

[LoftyLottie]

I'm afraid I could never keep quiet Ratter. I would have to disclose everything and be a witness. It makes me so angry. I can understand how the poor staff feel. They are paid so badly and really need their jobs. It's all disgusting how care staff are treated and in some cases if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. They deserve to get paid really well and the job needs to be high profile in my opinion - it seems to be held in the same esteem as cleaner!! Dreadful.

[RATTER15]

Tony, I think it could be a few weeks by the time I have done my PI training, meanwhile I will be shadowing another member of staff..

[LoftyLottie]

NO DAIRY PRODUCE!! (Well perhaps a bit of milk in your tea and coffee!!)

[RATTER15]

Totally agree LL, the work is often very physically and mentally demanding but its a job that we often get very little respect for and often on minimum wage, just over £6.00 an hour. It is not right!!

[tonyav]

Righto RATTER, only a couple of weeks and then you will be off the leash.

[RATTER15]

LL. I drink my coffee black and I dont drink tea, I will stick to hot honey and lemon, im kind of convincing myself that it will help.

[Carakeel]

Hi everyone!Hi Anne <3! I think his chest is starting to get a little better and I will try and make sure he stays away from dairy produce as much as possible (nearly an impossibility with my ratter, lol!) I am so glad he is now in a company that sees the residents' rights, safety, support, independence and quality care as top priorities ... at least that is what it seems like to us. This is what Ian was fighting for all along, as you know! I am so proud of him for sticking to his guns, but there does come a time when you realise you have done all you can do and it is time to leave. So, I am delighted he did leave his old employer and has now landed with this new one!