Philip (Phil) England

APRIL 3RD: Woke up with thumping headache at 3am, my back in excruciating pain and left hip feels like it's itchy inside, want to crack it open and scoop the itch out, and got trapped wind too. Couldn't get back off to sleep. As day went on pain subsided just a bit, mostly due in part to gabapentin and CBD oil.

2nd April : Trying to juggle fibromyalgia and helping my Dad who's not well is really getting to me. It's all falling on me to help keep the house tidy, keep the kitchen clean, and try to push the house forward to get sorted and moved along. Sometimes I just want to go to my sister's and shout at her entire family (I know that will cause more issues than it will solve), I'm not well and having to do it all is really annoying.  I have some wonderful friends who have been a massive help along the way, such as Neil, who helped me clean when Dad was in the hospital and after he got out for a vit. And then there's Carl, who was a star and a massive help as he got the kitchen cupboards on the wall.  I also have friends who listen to my outpourings. Thank you to those, Neil and Carl.... big time.  I try to push on through the Fibro and pain, but am very aware of my limits and know I do push through them, then wonder why I am rendered useless the next day. I get...

Wednesday 12th March: Had the initial persistent pain meet up, learnt about different pains, and different families of pain killers, most interesting. Good to meet with others in the same boat. Now to work out my pathway, starting with medication review. Thursday 13th March: Nero today, he knows when I'm feeling down, sat beside me most of today. He's such a good dog. When I do move to a ground floor flat or bungalow I need to get my own dog. Slight twinges set in early evening. Friday 14th March: 4am - waking up in early hours with your left arm feeling like you want to crack open the bone and scratch inside it.... another reason why I hate fibromyalgia. Neck and back in agony too but not as much, 8 out of 10 - need the toilet, but it's difficult to move. So need help with nights like this, but I can't predict a fibro flare up at all. Maybe I should have taken that flat in that complex, but wasn't ready for that. Looking at what the council have, I DON'T WANT...

A friend of mine commented on  my post last night... "...Did you know they are no longer accepting fibromyalgia as a disability as Labour states it can be managed?" IF it can be managed, what with? my doctor has no idea what to prescribe me for it. Fibro affects people in many different ways. In my case it ramps up my daily pain, causes me to feel my bones are itching on the inside, I get brain fog and forget simple things.  It causes me stiffness and stops me in my tracks. I get woken all hours of the night, can't get back off to sleep. Can't get out of bed in the morning, even when accomplished that I end up trapped in my flat.  How can it be managed? I would like to know. Chain saw to chop off affected part? Sledge hammer to my head? I use part of my PIP to get CBD oil to take the edge off my pain, but even that don't get shot of it. I also use my PIP for my Motability car. Without that I would really be stuck. I suffer with social anxiety so public transport i...

Been to Morrisons today, had forgot my inhaler. Why is it when I take it with me I hardly ever need it, yet when I leave it at home I need it?  I got in to a bit of a panic and couldn't catch my breath - home now and feeling calm. I have no idea what caused it, I just felt my self going, so I held on to my trolly and found a quiet part of the store to calm down. There is a table in one part of the store at the far end away from the checkouts, so I headed there and sat. I need to talk to my doctor about this. These attacks are causing me problems, especially as I have no idea what is causing them. I need to sort out my anxiety issues as a matter of urgency, I am aiming to do a bus journey ahead of what I hope to be a pathway in to work in the new year. Maybe something is telling me to slow down? As I type this I am feeling a slight pain on the right hand side of my chest, am sure I will be ok. Early to bed for me. Sometimes I hate what my body throws at me, I really do.

  Mental Health Update - September 2024 I'm wondering if the ammount of physical activity in ones life can affect your mental state? Here's two days from my Fibro blog: Saturday 14th September:  Pain at about 6 out of 10 this morning. Off to Radio Tircoed for about 4pm to train a few people up on Myriad system, then do my show. Felt totally drained when I got home. Pain at about 8 out of 10. May have over done today. You know, going to do something while good to be busy, it totally can floor you mentally and physically. Sunday 15th September:  Off up to Radio Tircoed today, pain first thing at about 6 out of 10, didn't sleep too well last night, but must get to Tircoed for about noon. Done a bit more training then covered for Karl between 1pm and 4pm, the emails didn't want to be opened this afternoon on the main studio computer, lucky one in the production room was letting them be opened!. Not a bad show, but by the time I got home felt drained and my pain was at about...

  Visit from Police  Yesterday was a bit of an arresting day, well the afternoon was anyway. Following a recent bump in Tesco's car park, Motability and the insurance company had been in touch with South Wales Police who popped by to see if all was ok. Apparently as I have health health issues, they need to check on things. My Dad had just left within the hour previous, and had said he was feeling rough. This kind of stressed me out, PANIC PANIC PANIC.... and breath! I did tell them this, and as I have a blood pressure monitor checked my blood pressure while they were here. Their initial responce was ' we should get an ambulance ', I told them not to, and checked again just before they left, by which time it had dropped close to normal levels for me. I do think however the sight of a young man in uniform may have aided in the high blood pressure reading. I'm fine though, and so pleased to know that these checks do occur, just wish they hadn't yesterday in the light ...

So after months of having Karl Burtonshaw trying to get me to start back at Swansea's only community radio station he has succeded! I'm back!  Karl is a very  persistant chap! I startted back on 20th April with my show, In The Groove , which airs on a Saturday evening between 6pm and 8pm, LIVE. If you have followed me for a while you will know what the show is all about, it remains that but with added extras, such as local content. Also on board at the station is Shaun Tilley, ex-Swansea Sound & The Wave plus BBC and other stations. He is a radio legend and someone I have been following the career of over time. He has big plans for the station, which, at time of typing this blog, is not public knowledge, so won't be put here until it is. I've been made part of the management team going forward, which is a massive honor for me, and shows that someone who is in the know in the radio world has faith in me. I've been a big part of Radio Tircoed's past. I was the...

 Recipe: Chinese Style Pork Strips Slice and dice a red onion and a pepper, also cut up a bunch of spring onions, and thinly cut up a few cloves of garlic. Add to a large sauce pan and fry off, along with some salt and pepper, also some paprika. Add to the pan some strips of pork. After about 15 mins add an egg cup full of red wine vinegar, soy sauce and apple juice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for a further 15 minutes, then turn the heat off, leave covered. As with all one pan dishes, time is your friend. Leave for around 4 hours to a day. When ready to eat, bring to the boil again and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve cook some microwave rice or maybe even some rice noodles. Enjoy your meal 😊 Here is the full recipe list 1 red onion 1 bunch spring onions 1 pepper 1 pack pork strips 3 cloves of garlic Egg cup full soy sauce Egg cup full red wine vinegar Egg cup full apple sauce To season add salt, pepper and paprika Serve with rice or rice noodles

Minced Beef & Tomato In this one I have used a double helping of tomato  First of all I gently fry my herbs and spices Salt Pepper Chives Fennel seeds  Cumin seeds Herbs De Provencal You can use whatever ones you wish to use. Once lightly fried, add some chopped onion and thinly sliced garlic. Make sure you mix these well with your herbs and spices. Add about a coffee cup (third of a mug) of water, then throw in your sweet potato and carrot. Stir in and bring to the boil, then turn heat down and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Chopped Onion Thinly Sliced Garlic Diced Sweet Potato Diced Carrott Minced Beef Chopped cherry tomatoes Tin chopped tomatoes The next thing to do as soon as your veg starts to soften is add in your minced beef, stir this in well, keep turning until the beef has browned and then add your chopped cherry tomatoes and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Serve with either wholegrain rice or maybe wholewheat pasta or whatever you desire. Let me know how yours tu...

At this time of year, normally people's attention turn to family, feasts and fun. Spare a thought for those living with conflict, those living in war zones, they won't be having a 'Merry Christmas' With Isreal continuing their ongoing bombing of Gaza, the Palistinians are getting killed, there is no chance for them to have a peaceful life, they didn't start the war, yet they are getting killed every day. Why are they getting killed? Israel is targetting their homes trying to eradicate Hamas terrorists. While the terrorists may be getting killed, thousands of innocent Palistinians arebeing killed. Moving to Eastern Europe and Ukraine, the war with Russia. This conflict has been going on for so long now, maybe it is time for Putin and Zelenskyy to sit at a table and sign a deal. Give Russia the bits of Ukraine it wants to link up with Crimea. All that is left is rubble anyway, if it will stop the war and stop the killing then why not do it? 2024 is on the horizon, and...

Damn the DVLA in Swansea dragging their feet over removing code 78 from my driving license. It's stressing me out and affecting, possibly, my holiday, affecting me getting a new Motability car AND me moving on in life in aiming to drive a coach as a job.  I've rediscovered my love of driving, and at.the moment the DVLA risk wrecking that for me. I discovered the code while at J&J Motors in Skewen while starting an application for my new Motability car. I got in touch with the DVLA that same hour, and was told an investigation would be started. It was a whole week before I discovered what had happened after I had phoned them. Now I know I messed up by ticking a wrong box. As soon as I discovered what I had done I tried to rectify the issue. I wrote a letter pointing out my mistake, putting that letter in an envelope along with my licence. I took it to the DVLA in Swansea myself and was pointed in the direction of a silver postbox by security. I dropped the letter in there. ...

  Oh damn, fibro flare up, can hear the pain in my head, painful tingle all over... welcome to the new month 😓 Well, 1 st of the month, and after being woken up in the early hours, I got some cleaning bits done! Then I was looking in the hall cupboard for a trowel which I thought I had, as was going to go outside and take out dead growth from my tubs, and came over sick and seemed to have made my pain levels rise again.... damn it! I had such good intentions for this afternoon.   2 nd day of the month, its update time! Eyes: got more laser zapping tomorrow on my good eye to keep it good, will chase my bad eye appointment at the same time! Health: feeling better today than yesterday, I didn't really pace myself yesterday, as soon as I felt better, I threw myself into doing things, will I ever learn? Friday 3rd Feb: at the diabetic eye clinic for more laser zapping on my right eye, the good one to keep it good, but also had a scan of my left eye. It seems some...

  Looking back 2022, Looking forward 2023 As 2022 comes to a close, a quick look back and forward. I'm thankful for having my friends and making new ones, Carl and his two dogs, Cosmo and Harley. Dog sitting at home for Hannah's dog Nero, and looking after Gilby for Del, also looking after Cosmo & Harley for Carl. There are loads of people I've not seen this year due to various reasons, mostly down to eye sensitivity to bright lights and being unable to drive safely. I want to and must rectify that in 2023. Online, new friends include Wozzey, Steve and Jake. I've reconnected with a childhood friend from Ipswich, Jason. On Twitter with the star of BBC sitcom No Place Like Home, Dee Sadler; also former BBC news reader and star of the BBC's The Real Marigold Hotel series, Jan Leaming. I feel so proud to have connected with them and be in their universe. My health isn't good, but one thing has changed for the good, I'm no longer on insulin 😊. Going down to ...

  1st November 2022: Not much changes with the month, aches and pains continue. My eye is still a blur, no real sign of improvement, which is really pissing me off now big time. I'm supposed to be driving down to Surrey on 20th December to dog sit, at this moment in time I fear I won't be doing that. EDIT: I've been passed for driving, given the all clear by a field vision test So fed up with life, fed up of not being able to go places driving my self.  22nd November: For a while now, a number of years, I've been sick at least once a day. Not sure why, but there is no pattern to it, no set time of day. It's annoying, and a bit worrying, I also hear my stomach and intestines making noises. On top of this my left eye is still all a blur. 29th November: So as another month comes to an end, I am due to start more zapping of laser this time on my right eye (when my left one isn't clear to see out of yet!). On the plus side I am no longer on insulin and the doctor ...

  Blog Entry: 23 rd June 2022 Since the last entry, my pain has been between 3 and 6 out of 10 . I did have a flare up on the 17 th June , that came on in the afternoon, which my friend’s dog, Nero, picked up on, he stayed by my side all afternoon until he went home. On the 18 th June my left knee decided to give way, and was weak for most of the weekend. I dog sat a friend’s 2 dogs, the biggest of the two, Cosmo (pictured), really looked after me, my following me around the flat and standing right by my left knee, I think he was trying to hold me up! I had a dentist appointment on the 22 nd June, a check-up. I have to go back on the 13 th July for three fillings. Say hello to Cosmo!

  19 th to 22 nd May 19th May Fibromyalgia is at it again, I had a feeling it would yesterday, pain up to about an 8.5 out of 10.   As I have mentioned before, Fibro is like an amplifier for the pain that I suffer with anyway. I have learned to live with it, I just carry on. Ok pain.... I'm going knock you down, or at least block you out!... it's all about pain management and learning to try to deal with it and not let it deal with you. Edit 1:45pm; finally starting to ease, been trying to focus my mind on other things to get my brain to turn down the pain it's at 6.8 out of 10. Edit 8:30pm; pain down to a 4, will it ever go down lower? I'm always in some kind of constant pain   20th May Thumping head this morning, is there a storm on the way? Sure do feel like it 21st May Not long up, very achy this morning but will get by, fighting the pain again, trying to take my mind off it, it's a difficult thing to do, but it can be accomplished if I t...

Phil's Video Blog 188 Recorded over two days, a look at what I am going to be doing in the communal garden area of the block I live in thanks to Family Housing. Also life must continue after the passing of a dear friend, read my blog at https://www.itsmyblog.me.uk/2021/04/in-memoriam-debra-bowring.html PLUS someone is to start up a food blog on YouTube, if I am correct in thinking, visit and subscribe https://youtube.com/channel/UCJbWVvPQfb09-M31gOdiCEA Check me out on the socials: www,philengland.com/socials has the full links www.facebook.com/philengland www.twitter.com/philengland1 Skype @philengland1 Instagram @england_phil Special pages: Hear past shows I have done on radio - www.philengland.co.uk/catch-up Offers - www.philengland.com/offers Health Fundraiser - www.philengland.com/health and online at: www.philengland.com www.itsmyvoice.me.uk www.itsmyblog.me.uk www.grumpyoldgitsguide.co.uk #StaySafe,  #FilmoraX, #TravelAnyWhere, #MadeWithFilmora #Swansea, #Abertawe, #staycati...