Barriers in Womens Healthcare

Today sees the start of Cervical Screening Awareness Week, with Jo's Trust and The Eve Appeal joining forces to hopefully encourage us all to ensure we have a smear test.  Whilst the Jade Goody effect saw more younger women heading to their GP's for their often dreaded appointment, older women are still not taking up the chance of an appointment.  Cervical cancer is not just a young womans disease, even though prevalence is greater in the under thirties age group.  

As a woman in now in her...ahem...forties, finding time for that appointment is difficult.  Even though I am only expected to attend every three years and it only takes five minutes, there are barriers.  Unfortunately my GP's surgery doesn't open beyond 6pm, which really doesn't fit with my working hours, as I am never home before 7pm.  Getting through the automated answer service to actually speak to a receptionist requires a degree and then the voice at the end of the phone is often condescending as you explain you can only attend on a particular date.  Just trying to work out exactly which date is complicated, making sure it is mid cycle and on my rota'd day off!  Perhaps Occupational Health at my NHS Trust could offer appointments for women to have their smear test, making it easier for the hundreds of women working at the hospital, avoiding those barriers that delay or prevent an appointment being made.

An even scarier thought is if I had symptoms that indicated signs of gynaecological cancers is the time it would take to make that first visit to the GP.  Getting an appointment to see a female doctor is nye on impossible, at my surgery they seem to only work part time.  Nevermind negoiating with the receptionist, who readily asks far more questions than necessary and beyond their need to know just to book me an appointment.  

So before we tut or get cross at women for not attending their smear tests or not getting to the doctors sooner with symptoms, we need to make womens healthcare services more accessible.  This is the 21st century, we should not have to use valuable annual leave to have a very necessary test, that could save our lives.  As I have said before, do not ignore that dreaded letter, inviting you for a test that you would rather not have. Getting through the barriers and having your smear test can really save your life.  

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
xo

Learner Drivers - When Your Children Turn 17

Maybe one day!

image source

In the midst of finishing my degree my eldest son turned 17.  For Connor this is incredibly exciting as he can learn to drive, counting down over the past few years to this moment.  Whilst learning to drive seems a right of passage the moment you turn seventeen, it is certainly an expensive one.  Driving lessons are not cheap, to the extent that I slightly envy a driving instructors wage.  Although in all honesty I could not teach people to drive! A single hours lesson seems to be avoided these days, with a compulsory two hour lesson, preferably on a weekly basis.  Block bookings are no longer encouraged with no discounts for booking ten hours in advance.

But the spiraling cost does not stop at the lessons.  Before even booking a lesson Connor of course needed a provisional licence. Next up was booking his theory test, thankfully that was only £25. After just four hours of lessons, his instructor told him that a total of 30 hours should see him to pass his driving test.  Which actually isn't to bad as I think the average is about 40, so hopefully saving us £250.  Extra practice time in my car will help, so today I will be contacting my insurance company to see how much this will add to my monthly direct debit.  

Whilst the pounds vanish I keep reminding myself how important learning to drive is, especially to Connor, who has eagerly awaited this moment for a long time.  Giving him the freedom that a driving licence provides is essential, especially when we live in the Suffolk countryside.  He will be able to drive to school, to a part time job, to help Andy and I with the various drop offs and pick ups of his siblings.  Having not learnt to drive until I was 33, having not managed to pass before heading off to uni at 18 then never quite getting around to it in the following years, I know the freedom that being able to drive provides.  So for the next few weeks I will smile as I hand over another bundle of ten pound notes!

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
xo

Finished My Degree!

Well that's it, I have finished my degree. Yesterday I worked my final shift as a student radiographer. Emotions only got the better of me when I said my thank yous and goodbye to my clinical lecturer.  Over the past three years she has been there, when it all got too much, when I really wasn't sure I would make it to the end.  Without her I am not sure yesterday would have happened, that I actually finished.  To have a good clinical lecturer is a blessing and I actually feel I should have handed her a bottle of good champagne rather than flowers yesterday, as she wasn't just good she was incredible and feel very fortunate to call her a friend and to be working with her very soon.

Deciding to start the degree took time, there were days when I walked in to the hospital and questioned myself, my decision to retrain.  Taking any degree is hard, but taking a health degree can be incredibly tough.  Deadlines loom when you are in the middle of a ten week placement block, the job you do is stressful and you are constantly learning during every shift you work. Throw homelife in to the mix, teenage tantrums, GCSE's and AS exams, new schools, as well as everybody getting used to me not being around so much.  Nevermind giving up an income and getting used to commuting to placement. Whilst my clinical lecturer was there when I had a wobble, Andy and the children were my support at home.  Without encouraging words, a shoulder to cry on, an understanding look when I was particuarly stressed with my dissertation, I may not have made it.  Andy is my rock and his support these past three years has been incredible.  Even on my most stressful days my children made me laugh, reminded me that they were one of the reasons I chose to retrain.

But I did it, I finished and three weeks today I will qualify.  When people ask what I do for a living I can proudly say, 'I'm a radiographer'.  

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

  

The Feast Collective at Camp Bestival

Obviously the music is the main reason I go to festivals but being a bit of a foodie, the food is a big draw for me too.  Last year saw the arrival of the Feast Collective at Camp Bestival and boy what a feast we had!  Our taste buds went on travels across continents as we all tried many dishes over the weekend.  For me the shashuka is still my favourite dish of the festival and I now regularly make it at home.  Andy and the boys loved the delicious burgers from DJ BBQ and the tandori fries from Baba G.  

Looking at the foodie line up for this year I know we will not be disappointed, as some old favourites return.  Even more exciting is the new additions to the Feast Collective - Happy Maki, Seadog, Shrimpy, The Thoroughly Wild Meat Co. to name a few. Nevermind Caravan Coffee to feed our coffee addiction and the fabulous Helen of the Knackered Mothers Wine Club is hosting another wine tasting.  

The best thing of all about the Feast Collective is that it is affordable.  When feeding a small tribe of hungry children at a festival you don't want to have to remortgage your house.  So delicious food, with flavours from around the world, that fills us all up and we get some change in our pocket too.

Did you head to the Feast Collective last year? Who was your favourite vendor?  I would love to know.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

Disclosure - This year I am one of the official Camp Bestival bloggers, working with them to share my top tips and reviewing the festival.  They have kindly given us a family weekend ticket, however all opinions are my own.

Wow What A Week!

Well it has been a very busy couple of weeks and really quite stressful too, but all worth it.  Last week I visited another hospital to see some treatments that we don't do at my clinical placement site.  Heading to London on the train was a welcome break from my normal commute and I actually caught up on reading my favourite magazines.  A warm welcome greeted me when I arrived and it was really informative seeing how a different radiotherapy worked.  Taking time to organise elective placements was important to me and I still have a couple more in the next few weeks.  So if you are offered the chance for electives, take it, go somewhere that does something that you haven't seen, ask questions, be interested in other staffs and departments approaches to treatment.

This week has been even busier and really quite stressful.  My final assignment was due in on Friday and I had my first interview for a newly qualified radiographer job.  No pressure then! Also just to add to the mix, dissertation results were released on Thursday, just hours before my interview.  I managed to get the assignment done and dusted by Wednesday and finished off revising for my interview on my study day.  With shaking hands I nervously logged on to the uni website at 6am on Thursday to get my dissertation results......a 1+.....I had to look three times to be certain.  To be honest it still hasn't quite sunk in but I am absolutely thrilled, all the hard work paid off.  For months I had given up my weekends, reading journal articles, getting to grips with research methodologies, writing my dissertation.

Off I headed for interview, nervously entering my placement hospital, hoping that I could perform well enough to be offered a job.  I came away feeling it had gone well but not convinced I would get the job, having got in muddle about a planning technique!  Also having prepared for all sorts of scenario questions I was disappointed that the interview questions hadn't really covered these.  But there was no need to panic, I got the job.  I am so pleased to be joining the team at my placement hospital as a Band 5 radiographer, I am sure knowing the staff and how things are done within the department will be very beneficial as I start my new career.

So a busy week indeed! Whilst I can't guess my final degree classification I am closer to being awarded a first.  I never dreamed of that when I began this journey nearly three years ago.  Just five more weeks and I will know the outcome.

Good luck to all student radiographers heading off to interviews in the coming weeks and for results day.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
xo

Camp Bestival - Official Blogger

Yes it's true I will be joining the fantabulous Camp Bestival team again as an official blogger.  I am thrilled to be working with the team again and we are all very excited already.  Nevermind how amazing the line up is, Kaiser Chiefs, The Shires, Soul II Soul (need I say more?!), Camp Bestival is our favourite festival and truly is the place where memories are made that will be cherished forever.  

Over the coming weeks I will be bringing you the latest news and any additions to the line up as well as my top tips and the things we are planning to do.  In the meantime you can read about our adventures at Camp Bestival last summer before booking your tickets at www.campbestival.net!

Have a fabulous weekend and until next time take care.

Zoe

xo

Inspiring A Future Generation of Radiographers

Last term Kitty was learning about the human body as part of her Year 3 science topic and was very interested in naming bones and discovering how different things inside her worked.  Obviously I was thrilled to see such enthusiasm and answered her many questions each evening.  Towards the end of term she asked if I could come in and talk about seeing inside our bodies as her interest in my new career has continued.  Of course I jumped at the chance, I have always loved spending time in the classroom and relished the opportunity to talk about x-rays to 7 and 8 year olds.  Thankfully Kitty's teacher was as keen for me to visit, so soon after handing in my dissertation I planned my talk. Getting Kitty involved in preparing a short powerpoint presentation helped me gauge what her friends would be interested in.  Soon we were searching for x-rays of animals, child friendly x-ray machines and CT scanners, as well as some interesting fracture images.

  

By keeping it simple, asking about the childrens own experience of x-rays and giving them an insight into how we can see inside our bodies, kept their interest.  Hands were raised with numerous questions waiting to be asked.  For me this was exciting to see such enthusiasm about radiography at a young age.  Whilst universities regularly visit careers events for GCSE and A level students to promote courses in both diagnostic and therapeutic radiography I believe we are missing more exposure for our profession. The national curriculum and the exam syllabuses offer us ample opportunities to share our knowledge and grab the attention of the future radiography workforce. Quick, simple talks in primary schools for Kitty's age group when they are learning about the human body, radiation is part of the GCSE Physics syllabus, Lucy learnt all about cancer and radiotherapy in her Year 9 biology lessons.  I truly believe with some planning there is great opportunity for radiographers to be involved with schools when discussing these more specialist areas of the curriculum, 

Perhaps this is what the national curriculum lacks, the collaborations with various professionals. But that's a another post entirely!

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo