I am sad that the EU elections have not provided any conclusion about how the Government and Opposition will engage in Brexit debate in Parliament after the results published this morning.
Those who support remain emphasise the outcome of remain are saying that their combined result points to a new referendum, while the leave parties say that the evidence is that the outcome would be the same.
But we are ignoring the fact that turnout was relatively low. In my own area the turnout was only 37 percent, leaving an undecided or alienated vote of 63 per cent of voters who didn't voice their opinion.
If we had a general election now, it is unclear whether people would vote for their traditional parties, discarding the populist parties? Evidence is that when the crunch comes, is that people will stick by what they know, rather take the risk of voting for the unknown. Pro-Brexit parties didn't do well at the last general election, which delivered a hung parliament, despite an overall conservative majority., which had to rely on the votes of the DUP to get any government business done.
I voted, but not for any of the mainstream parties, which probably means a wasted vote, but at least I voted. Perhaps its time to make voting compulsory rather than the current position that allows people to abstain if they can't be bothered. Australia has imposed this and their most recent general election, while close has delivered a clear winner.
The other option might be proportional representation, rejected by the UK Parliament, but something that deserves to be considered. The First Past the Post system has failed us, so perhaps a negotiated coalition after a proportional vote, might be more representative of the electorate.
Now is the time to debate change, alongside the Brexit debate, we deserve to be well represented and for sensible policies for the greater good of the whole of the UK, rather than a situation where the country is subject to the whims of a single governing party for six years at a time.
Monday, 27 May 2019
Thursday, 2 May 2019
When your Signifcant Other is unwell
Jen my spouse is in hospital once again. The last episode was 6 years ago, when she caught pneominia which became a severe chest infection and affected her breathing. She recovered, but her system was weakened.
Now, she is struggling to get sufficient oxygene into her blood, which culminated in her heart not getting enough to move things around her body in a natural way. So fluid has built up in her lungs and her body, making her very unwell.
She is in good hands, who immediately took things in hand, but she it trapped in a hospital bed on oxygene and they will not let her out until they have found some way of treating what is going to be a life long, and perhaps life limiting disability.
I feel hopeless. I know that I can pray, I can ask God to heal his servant, but is that realistic? God's intervention would be a miracle, but a restoration to some sort of health will be down in part to the treatments available through the science of medicine held by her doctors, and also for some life style changes, perhaps even retiring from work.
She loves her job, she has been there for 47 years and doesn't want to give up, and being civil service, they have relaxed the age limits, meaning that she can choose when and how she retires. She is above state pension age, so could retire immediately with her civil service pension and state pension and not be any worse off. But something that she is reluctant to do.
I am wondering if my absence on church stuff has anything to do with that decision?
Yes, I feel called to do what I do as a Reader and outworker in the Church, but now fast approaching seventy, I am wondering where my priorities should lay. At home, caring for Jen, which would be isolating for me, and possibly suffocating for Jen. At the moment, our balance is really good as she is able to choose what she wants to do, and does. Would our being together all day, every day be something that would affect how our comfortable, supportive relationship works. I think it would.
All of our lives together for the last 30 years or so has been of being apart, working apart, sometimes seperated for weeks at a time, but coming home being a wonderful blessing as we shared our stories and experiences while apart. There was also 20 years of our shared military experience, me full time, her part-time, which brought us together for mid-week training, training weekends and Annual Training. Periods where we had different, but complementary roles and status. My role as an Officer, her role as a SNCO. We have not only our shared relationship of love and mutual support, but shared work and life interests as well.
We broke that circle when I retired in 2009 after 43 years, and I found a vocation, tested it and eventually settled as a Reader. In the meantime Jen also retired from her part-time commitment, and we had more time together, albeit we swapped roles as I became the home maker and she became the bread winner. This worked well and continues to do so.
But her new illness changes all of that. It overturns the balance, as Jen needs me home more while she recovers, whill I want to too and will do so, I will miss doing what I do a lot.
I am praying for Jen's recovery, and some Holy Spirit inspiration on the way forward for us as a family? God willing, it will be forthcoming.
13 May 19
Jen is now home, with lots of meds. The illness has affected her lungs and heart and she awaits a follow up cardiac appointment. But in herself, while weak and tired is in good spirits and just glad to be home with comforts familiar to her.
The illness amounts to a dsability, which can be controlled by appropriate medication and some small changes to lfie style. She has already made adjustments and will be followed up by our excellent, new GP later this month.
I thank God for her recovery and I know that people who have been praying for her has been part of it. Thanks be to God.
19 May 2019
Another update. Jen is recovering well, but blood tests last Wednesday, high lighted that there is still a remaining infection which has not yet gone away. She had antibiotics for it while an inpatient and a biopsy which took out what was described as a pneumonia in her right lung. And the lungs showed clear on two scans and xray.
She is to have more blood tests and we are attempting to get a GP apppointment for next week, which is proving difficult, given pressure on our GP's surgery. But hopefully, as the GP is aware of the situation, we will be able to get an appointment sooner, rather than later.
She is easily tired and the meds are having some small side effects, so we will look to see if there are alternatives available soon.
I am praying for her recovery, as are people in our Church and elsewhere.
Now, she is struggling to get sufficient oxygene into her blood, which culminated in her heart not getting enough to move things around her body in a natural way. So fluid has built up in her lungs and her body, making her very unwell.
She is in good hands, who immediately took things in hand, but she it trapped in a hospital bed on oxygene and they will not let her out until they have found some way of treating what is going to be a life long, and perhaps life limiting disability.
I feel hopeless. I know that I can pray, I can ask God to heal his servant, but is that realistic? God's intervention would be a miracle, but a restoration to some sort of health will be down in part to the treatments available through the science of medicine held by her doctors, and also for some life style changes, perhaps even retiring from work.
She loves her job, she has been there for 47 years and doesn't want to give up, and being civil service, they have relaxed the age limits, meaning that she can choose when and how she retires. She is above state pension age, so could retire immediately with her civil service pension and state pension and not be any worse off. But something that she is reluctant to do.
I am wondering if my absence on church stuff has anything to do with that decision?
Yes, I feel called to do what I do as a Reader and outworker in the Church, but now fast approaching seventy, I am wondering where my priorities should lay. At home, caring for Jen, which would be isolating for me, and possibly suffocating for Jen. At the moment, our balance is really good as she is able to choose what she wants to do, and does. Would our being together all day, every day be something that would affect how our comfortable, supportive relationship works. I think it would.
All of our lives together for the last 30 years or so has been of being apart, working apart, sometimes seperated for weeks at a time, but coming home being a wonderful blessing as we shared our stories and experiences while apart. There was also 20 years of our shared military experience, me full time, her part-time, which brought us together for mid-week training, training weekends and Annual Training. Periods where we had different, but complementary roles and status. My role as an Officer, her role as a SNCO. We have not only our shared relationship of love and mutual support, but shared work and life interests as well.
We broke that circle when I retired in 2009 after 43 years, and I found a vocation, tested it and eventually settled as a Reader. In the meantime Jen also retired from her part-time commitment, and we had more time together, albeit we swapped roles as I became the home maker and she became the bread winner. This worked well and continues to do so.
But her new illness changes all of that. It overturns the balance, as Jen needs me home more while she recovers, whill I want to too and will do so, I will miss doing what I do a lot.
I am praying for Jen's recovery, and some Holy Spirit inspiration on the way forward for us as a family? God willing, it will be forthcoming.
13 May 19
Jen is now home, with lots of meds. The illness has affected her lungs and heart and she awaits a follow up cardiac appointment. But in herself, while weak and tired is in good spirits and just glad to be home with comforts familiar to her.
The illness amounts to a dsability, which can be controlled by appropriate medication and some small changes to lfie style. She has already made adjustments and will be followed up by our excellent, new GP later this month.
I thank God for her recovery and I know that people who have been praying for her has been part of it. Thanks be to God.
19 May 2019
Another update. Jen is recovering well, but blood tests last Wednesday, high lighted that there is still a remaining infection which has not yet gone away. She had antibiotics for it while an inpatient and a biopsy which took out what was described as a pneumonia in her right lung. And the lungs showed clear on two scans and xray.
She is to have more blood tests and we are attempting to get a GP apppointment for next week, which is proving difficult, given pressure on our GP's surgery. But hopefully, as the GP is aware of the situation, we will be able to get an appointment sooner, rather than later.
She is easily tired and the meds are having some small side effects, so we will look to see if there are alternatives available soon.
I am praying for her recovery, as are people in our Church and elsewhere.
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