Silent Sunday - 22/06/2014

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The Misery of Tinnitus - Ring Any Bells?

I am currently constantly accompanied by a high pitched buzzing in both ears - tinnitus. I've managed to discover by frantic Googling (never advisable), that the frequency of this buzzing is 4000 hz, should you wish to share the pleasure of my auditory visitor.

Tinnitus makes many lives a misery.  Source:  news.bbc.co.uk

Apparently, 20% of the population have tinnitus - but not all of them visit their GP. (Good luck with that in any case because my local practice has only just reluctantly retired its collection of leeches). A trawl through the many tinnitus forums throws up post after post by those who cannot fathom how they are going to cope with the mad cacophony of sounds - bells, whistles, whooshes and even the sound of jet engines which are so disruptive that sleep is a nightmare, concentration impossible and the thought of enjoying a day (let alone the sound of silence), about as likely as winning the lottery.

A common emotion seems to be self reproach and guilt where the sufferer has done something they believe has brought on tinnitus - for example shooting an air rifle without wearing ear defenders, or going to a rock concert without ear protection. I cringe every time we are passed on the walk to school by a car pounding with deafening music (and it's usually a hatchback) because I now know how easy it is to do irreparable damage to your hearing - let alone the dangers of constant iPod use. How often do we get a hot ear from using a mobile for a relatively short time? What is that doing to our hearing, I wonder.  

Many alternative therapies are cited. One statistic I read was that 40-50% of tinnitus sufferers who have acupuncture experience a reduction in their tinnitus. Then there are the supplements, alpha lipoic acid, vinpocetine, pycnogenol, zinc, gingko and on and on, all carrying claims of miracle cures. I am about to try vinpocetine having read several enthusiastic testimonies about its effectiveness and I may try acupuncture again as I am convinced it helped with the conception of our daughter.

Other tinnitus suspects in the frame are, variously, caffeine, alcohol, candida, aspirin, antibiotics and electromagnetic sensitivity (i.e. being affected by living close to a mobile phone mast or feeling ill when you use a microwave). It's amazing that, given how many people are reported to suffer from this annoying condition, more has not been done to come up with a cure.  

There is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy and also Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which aim to help us adapt our behaviour and focus on coping strategies. Currently there aren't really 'cures' as such, rather ways of learning to live with the noise in your head so that it eventually fades into the background and you cease to notice it at all.

Mine has started up since I had my two new hearing aids and probably as a result of my dreadful habit of wearing earplugs at night. I was never an avid clubber but I can remember leaving discos (remember them) and concerts in the 80's with my ears still ringing the next morning and I am guilty of having the car radio on loud and singing at full blast (on my own you'll be relieved to hear - or perhaps not). Then there were the days of the Sony Walkman and the inevitable playing of tapes (how very retro) too loud - again, not heavy rock but girly stuff such as Whitney and, to the husband's horror, Wham. If I think back, there were plenty of occasions when I did not protect my hearing.  But as for the initial trigger?  Who knows.

That's the frustration with subjective tinnitus - unless you've had surgery on your ears or are taking a medication which is known to exacerbate the problem, discovering your triggers is well nigh impossible. Hearing loss is often implicated, but then so are ageing and even wax build up. Then there's the mystery of tinnitus 'spikes' i.e. times when the noise gets louder for no apparent reason. Stress is said to be the main culprit because the more you focus on the sound, the louder it gets.

There is a modicum of hope though. Reading the self help boards, there are many who have lived with tinnitus for years and who have simply become so used to their sounds that they cease to notice them. I hope this latest buzzing is just a factor of adjusting to my hearing aids. I hadn't worn my hearing aid for so long (I just had one initially for the right ear), that it was a surprise to hear my own voice, and that of the kids, clearly again! The husband was happy that we spent a whole day in Cardiff without him having to shout, repeat himself or explain.  

I just hope it's not going to be a toss up between hearing clearly and putting up with constant buzzing.

Do you suffer from tinnitus?  What do you do to cope with it?  Please let me know!  

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TV's On The Blink; Too Much Time To Think

The TV is on the blink.  Yes.  In this multi-channel, digital age where we expect our TVs to do everything bar uncork the vino, ours has stuck two digital fingers up at us and declared it has a weak signal.  On every channel.  Having been scared witless about aerial villains by BBC's Rogue Traders and not having a cupboard tidy enough to secrete Matt Allwright in, the husband is muttering darkly about "buying a book".

Source:  www.businesssearchltd.co.uk

The children are watching "Tommy Zoom" on constant repeat or a solitary episode of "Spongebob Squarepants" on Amazon Prime which seizes the TV every time. It's either that or the first Addams Family film (curiously reminiscent of the Hobbis household). Worse, tonight is the launch of Big Brother. Yes I know. Call me shallow but I've watched it since Series 2 and it's become a signal that summer is here. It's not quite the same without Davina's endless procession of black outfits and her jaunty blokish manner. Nor can I get away with telling the hubby that it's a "telling psychological experiment" without him snorting and proclaiming my mental faculties to be on the brink of melting away. (A two word rejoinder is all that is needed to put him straight - Top Gear).

Source:  www.bbc.co.uk

I should read a book.  I should broaden my mind and brush up on my very rusty French and German. I could finally learn to play Handel's "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" on the piano or bake a cake. I could repair the holes in Ieuan's trousers. My father once tried to encourage my sister and I to take up darning. I think he envisaged a Jane Austen type future for us both involving much stitching of samplers and a bit of French country dancing. whilst marrying a curate and mastering the art of damson jam production. He was a little wide of the mark.

One of the main reasons we had a civil wedding ceremony is that the hubby fears spontaneous combustion should he stand in front of an altar as a rank unbeliever. He has managed numerous carol concerts since without singeing so either he's right about the absurd nature of the universe (how very Sartre) or God is more forgiving than I previously suspected.

Anyhoo..... I am left trying to get the blessed TV's "Smart Hub" programmed to play BBC iPlayer and Channel 4OD.  No.  It won't do ITV or Channel 5 so it really isn't as smart as it thinks it is.  And while the hubby is reading "aerial adjustment for dummies" I think I'd better have a look on Yell.Com - and make sure we've got Rogue Traders' number.

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Review: Disney Princess Colour Magic Brush Rapunzel From ToysRus

We were lucky enough to receive a Disney Princess Colour Magic Brush Rapunzel Doll from ToysRus for Caitlin to cast her expert eye over (when she isn't being a dalmation).

The doll is well made with beautiful silky hair (cue much muttering from mummy along the lines of "well, see now, Rapunzel obviously BRUSHES HER HAIR" since it is a constant battle to keep Caitlin's locks under control). 

And Rapunzel comes with a clever hair brush gizmo which, when full of crushed ice (or, more simply, filled with water and stuck in the freeze compartment of the fridge for half an hour), creates pink and purple colour streaks in the lighter blonde segments of the doll's hair or leaves star shapes when the end of the brush is used.

I have to stress that, tempting as it is to ignore the multi-lingual instructions, unless the water in the brush is ice cold, you won't get much (or indeed any) colour change in the doll's hair which could lead you to think that it doesn't work.  

So be prepared to endure thirty minutes or so of "well is the brush ready yet?"

It's also worth noting that the colour changes may not last that long. 

Once the hair reaches room temperature again, it is likely to return to its original hue, however, we found that the pink and purple stripes lasted long enough to garner interest.  

The stars on the other hand, although clear in shape, faded very quickly.

Using the brush to create pink and purple streaks in the lighter blonde sections of Rapunzel's hair.

Blink and you'll miss 'em - pink stars

Like all toys with a 'gimick', there's a risk that it'll be a two minute wonder but the Rapunzel doll is attractive and well-made enough to outlive the thrill of turning hair pink and purple.

The Disney Princess Colour Magic Brush Rapunzel Doll is available from ToysRus at £19.99. Delivery is from £4.95 or click and collect is free.

Caitlin is already very attached to Rapunzel and hopefully I've found a source of inspiration to make the daily battle of the hairbrush weighted ever so slightly more towards my side.

And I'm making the most of this 'girlie' phase because Ieuan currently wants to be one of Despicable Me's evil purple minions.

*We were sent a Disney Princess Colour Magic Brush Rapunzel from ToysRus for the purposes of this review.

**This is our application to be a Rainbow Toy Awards Toy Tester

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Silent Sunday - 18/05/2014

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Come on Beauty Bloggers - Show Us Your Empties!

I am fascinated by beauty blogs. To me, beauty bloggers are the unsung heroes of the cosmetics industry, tirelessly reviewing (often out of their own pocket), the newest, sparkliest and maddest products that are thrown onto the shelves. If you consider how many new mascaras alone hit the shelves in a year, you can see that the costs mount up.  

www.nytimes.com

These gals love make-up and, although they may have some help from PR companies and some free products to review, in general I would take their opinion any day over the endless advertorials that populate the tabloids and the glossies.

I used to love those articles in magazines where the contents of handbags were unearthed and listed. If you are nosy, like I am, this offers endless fascination. The contents of my own bag have been scrutinized on several wine-fuelled evenings at our local, being a source of endless amusement. Why three tonnes of old tissues, a pile of Fruit Shoot plastic caps, broken crayons and multiple lipsticks all in approximately the same shade (a red which makes me look like Vampyra) should be funny, I'm not sure.  

www.idealmagazine.com

But when it comes to beauty blogs, I have two frustrations. Firstly, there don't seem to be many beauty blogs which write for my age group (50 in two weeks, if you must know) and secondly, of the vast array of products reviewed, it's often difficult to know whether those products raved about are actually used much thereafter and are truly the wonder products they often appeared to be considered.

I honestly don't know how beauty bloggers cope with the amount of products they review. What do they do with them all? I have a drawer of lipsticks and eyeshadows I've had for years. With kids, it's difficult to find the time to apply a full face of make-up in the morning. I am always last in the queue for the bathroom and usually get in there just as the kids are putting their coats on. I am more likely to throw a product away because I have become totally bored with it than I am to throw it because it's been used.

This is hardly cost-effective. I wonder how many thousands of pounds are wasted on beauty products each year - I bet it's staggering. I have seen a couple of bloggers do posts about their 'empties' - i.e. products used to the very last drop and to me, that is a far greater accolade than posts which just swatch new colours.

So I am on the hunt for bloggers who write for my age group and those who will share what they actually use and love to death.

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Halal - No News Is Not Good News

The kids love to go to Pizza Express as a treat so it was with not inconsiderable disappointment to learn that all their chicken is Halal. Readers of the great tome of outrage (The Daily Mail) have been regaled all week by various infographics showing who sells Halal meat (not forgetting of course similarities with Kosher food requirements), together with helpful information about whether the animals are stunned first.

For those unfamiliar with the traditional Halal method of food preparation, the slaughter of the animal should be performed by a Muslim who must invoke the name of Allah. The animal should then be slaughtered by cutting the throat without severing the spinal cord and the blood from the veins must be drained [source: Wikipedia].

Leaving aside any religious issues, this method of slaughter is pretty revolting although, as Janet Street Porter remarked today on ITV's uncomfortably lightweight lunchtime current issues show "Loose Women", if you eat meat it is your responsibility to understand where it comes from and how it is slaughtered. I have heard many stories about the equally terrible treatment of cattle in abatoirs.

What is really galling, though, is the fact that our Food Industry considers it quite alright to keep its consumers in the dark or, on the part of some of our restaurant chains, to court the business of a particular segment of the UK on the basis of its religious preference. You can bet that Christians would not be shown the same consideration.

Actually, I think, for all the puffery and outraged quacking of the Daily Mail commentators, this is not a religious issue.  It's about trust. We trust our Food and Catering Industries to treat its customers with respect and honesty. Poor old Jamie Oliver is regularly pilloried for pointing out the disgusting content of chicken nuggets but he really had a point.  

As parents, some of us (and I am guilty of this) just coast along trying to avoid those products we know are bad for our kids (e.g. any trans-fat / sugar combo, fizzy drinks, high sugar juices), but we fail to ask the really important questions - where does our food come from and, in the case of meat, what conditions and slaughter methods are used. 

I really hope this does not become an issue which results in a lack of respect being shown to any religious faith but rather acts as an enormous wake-up call for parents to start asking difficult questions and, in the case of some fast food establishments, voting with their feet.

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