New Starter

On a Tuesday, as I may or may not have mentioned before, the 11am slot is usually reserved for people new to Oxygen Treatment, or New Starters as they're often referred as. These sessions are obviously handled slightly differently than a normal session. The newcomer, who will have already been introduced to the Centre and given a lot of information both verbally and to read, will arrive early and have everything explained to them again. We have Paul M, a very experienced ex- Senior Oxygen Operator who very kindly comes in specially, and explains all and answers any questions people may have. He will also go into the Chamber with the new person(s) to reassure them and answer further questions or just to chat with them. Paul will explain the proper use of masks and how to connect them, how to clear ear pain, what to do in an emergency, etc... Of course, the No. 1 and No. 2 Operators can chip in too, as they are obviously on hand, and if a carer wishes to (as happened today) they can sit at the O2 desk with the Operators and watch on the monitor. It is usual practice to pressurize a little slower than normal for new people, and I also like to speak to them every 15 minutes, to let them know how things are progressing time-wise. Today's session, and the following regular dive, went very well.

It was quite busy at the Centre today, lots of people coming and going and milling about. There was a fund-raising meeting going on too, and as was leaving after my sessions the Art Group were arriving. They run every Tuesday afternoon at 2pm - the group is run by Margaret who also volunteers Wednesday afternoons on Reception. I had to telephone the BOC people about coming to top-up our Oxygen, as it is getting a bit low. There are two tanks and one is on about 60% full, but the other was only on about 18% full. I have been assured that even if one runs out, operations can continue as normal with only one tank. I had to leave a message on BOC's answer-phone, so I hope they come and top us up soon.

Back in tomorrow....

Rod

A Quiet Friday

Hello again all. Just a short-ish entry today. Fridays at the MS Centre have never been the busiest day of the week, but this morning it was really very quiet. Two Oxygen Therapy Sessions took place, run by myself and my No. 2 (which was Jean today) and both went very well without any problems at all. The Physio dept. seemed a little busier than we were, which is usual... On a Friday, as it's the end of the week, we wash the tubes which connect to everyone's masks. I may have already mentioned that before though...

We began using the new log sheets on these sessions. The No. 1 Operator monitors various things throughout the session, such as O2%, pressure and temperature, and there is also a section on the log sheets for the inclusion of Members taking part in the session, and a pre- and post-session check-list. I think the new 'dive' sheets are an improvement, but there is one small problem - the space to write the readings I mentioned above is very small. This isn't a problem for me since I have quite small hand-writing... but I can see it being a problem for other No. 1's who have bigger writing styles. Oh well, not a huge thing, but will have to talk with Nicki who designed them and see about a quick re-design! Riveting stuff, eh? Told you it was a quiet day... :) Looking forward to seeing the Saturday people tomorrow.

Sorry for not writing much this week - I'll write more soon, stay tuned!

Rod

Walsworth Festival 2011

I went along to man the Centre's stall at this annual festival in Walsworth, Hitchin today. The main thing I think we will all remember from it is the wind. It was so windy that we spent a lot of time holding everything down, and in the end most things were tied or taped or blue-tacked down!! Still, it was a lot of fun. We had 4 games which people could take part in - there was the chance to win a bottle of wine for the adults, or to try your hand at the miniature golf or getting balls into a bucket for the children. This proved quite popular, especially as there was a small consolation prize even if one didn't succeed at it. :) Then there was also 'name the teddy bear', but this proved least popular. I think this was largely due to the fact that there were lots of similar stalls set up at the festival, and a few of them had bigger bears than us. Note: get bigger bear for next year!!

As I write the festival is still going on. My wife Mandy and I, along with David and Jan, ran the stall from 12 noon till 2pm, and Josie and Charlene arrived to take over from us. I think the festival runs till around 5pm, so hopefully we will raise a bit more money for the Centre. There was a lot to do there - see the pics I posted for a brief taster of it. Mandy was particularly enamoured with the Ferret Friends tent - lovely little creatures, and she got to hold one, so that was her highlight. With 3 cats though, I do not think we shall be taking home a ferret any time soon. We have kept rats in the past, which are also adorable little pets. Also there were show dogs doing an obstacle course, a couple of different bands playing, demonstrations by the local sea cadets, morris men dancing, and lots and lots of stalls.

The next big occasion for the Centre is the Family Fun Day of course, on 21st June (Father's Day) which we are all looking forward to. I'll be back in at the Centre Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday next week, so you'll be hearing (or rather reading) from me again soon I'm sure -

Best wishes to all -

Rod

Annual Meeting of No. 1s

Today, Saturday 21st May, was the annual gathering of No. 1 Operators. Around half the No. 1s who volunteer at the Centre attended the meeting, which was led by Ray from Diveline. Much was discussed, and the basic premise behind this occasion is to ensure that we're all up to speed and on the same page. And also it is nice to meet the other No. 1s as often our paths do not cross much. I myself am taking on the role of a Senior No. 1 Operator, which sounds a fancy title :) Basically I'll just be responsible for checking / maintaining a few more things than I do already each week and logging any problems with staff and / or Diveline. I have been taking more of an interest in the technical side of operations for a while now, and as I'm in so often, it made sense for me to assume the new role.

One good idea which did come out of the meeting, and which I hope will happen, is a once or twice yearly meeting with No. 1 Operators and Members / Clients sitting down together. I think this is a really good idea; anything that furthers communication and gives people a forum is a good thing.

The two dives ran today as well, as usual. The first one went fairly well, though the O2 alarm did sound at the end. The 2nd session, which involved the children, unfortunately had to be abandoned. The Oxygen levels rocketed before the dive was half way through. I flushed once, and brought the level down. But within 5 minutes it was going off again. This time the flushing was ineffective, and though the levels began dropping, they soon were climbing - they quickly reached 28% - 3% above the safety cut off. There was no choice but the abandon the session. I think the main problem involves the little 'widget' devices which the children use - these allow the oxygen to free-flow. However, it does also mean that more of it (much more of it!) escapes from masks and hood.

We will have to try and sort out a new session for one of the children and family, Any way, more from me another time -

Rod

A Tuesday in mid-May

Not a lot to report today, a typical Tuesday lunch time session. My assistant Josie and I ate lunch at the Oxygen Treatment desk, whilst we ran the dive, and chatted a lot. Today's dive was without any problems and ran smoothly from start to finish. We spoke with Jan, who was pricing up items for sale at the Centre, which had been kindly donated to us by people. There were a large amount of collectible spoons which I am going to look up on eBay, see what sort of price range we can expect to get for them if we sell them that way. Loads of other things too, so it's always worth having a little look when you visit the centre, see what there is.

Jan Turner is one of the people who took part in the Letchworth Garden City Rotary Club Greenway Challenge - hmmm, that's even a mouthful as an acronym, so perhaps better to say - Jan was one of those people who did a "charity walk" to help raise funds for the Centre last Sunday!! She showed us a few pictures, and said it was a nice walk - she completed the 15 miles in 4.5 hours (including a couple of stops), which is impressive.

Once (3 or 4 years ago) my wife Mandy and I, and one of our sons, attempted to walk the circumference of Letchworth (which is what the 'Greenway' essentially is), but we miscalculated and it ended up being probably the hottest day of that Summer! We got about a quarter of the way around before giving up and desperately heading into the town centre for ice cream and cold drinks (and shade!!) It is a nice walk though, so perhaps next year I might take up the Challenge myself and try and raise some money.

Not much else to report today... Apparently the Tuesday evening Oxygen Treatment session has stopped running for the time being. People have changed to other days and times. It can always be re-started if it is required, or requested... I am back in to run a double session tomorrow morning -

Bye for now,

Rod

Saturdays at the Centre

On Saturdays it is only Oxygen Treatment sessions which run at the Centre, there is no physiotherapy, or even anyone on reception (though us Oxygen people have been known to answer the phone! :)  ) There are two regular sessions at 9am and then 10:30am each week, which were put on a year or two ago for people who could not attend during the week for whatever reasons. Saturdays at the centre are very informal and relaxed, and we usually are usually all treated to doughnuts and coffee by a very generous member who comes in on that day.

Today we had a bit of a trial session with some children with autism, who had previously been in separate dives, coming together into the same dive. I have to say I was quite nervous about it - how would they react to each other, would it be a disaster? I am happy to report that it went fairly well, and depending on the next few sessions together, we should have successfully combined the two sessions... Meaning no-one will need to come in at the awkward time of 12:30pm on a Saturday lunch time to run a separate session now.

Often people bring in a CD to listen to whilst they are in the Chamber - there are headphones set up inside for people to use if they wish to do this. One man will bring his spoken word / audio books in each week on a Wednesday morning, whilst other people just prefer the radio (Heart FM is by far the most popular choice). The children who come often have a favourite CD, usually a mix of different pop songs. Today however they forgot their CDs, and we were forced to pick one from those lying around at the Centre. Luckily there was a Britney Spears CD amongst the Frank Sinatra, Jazz, Bee Gees and Nat King Cole selection.

I was made to feel old though when my young No. 2 assistant today (Hannah) told me that she used to listen to Britney's first album when she was aged just 6 or 7!! I still think of Britney Spears as a newer pop artist, but apparently she's been going for a while now... Pop music though - can't be doing with it, I prefer my classic rock and heavy metal... bit of a dinosaur, I must confess...

Till the next time, take care all -

Rod

Friday 13th...

An ominous date, Frday 13th - but nothing ominous happened at the Centre today. At least not whilst I was there at any rate! It was a usual Friday morning and I ran two Oxygen Therapy sessions (or "dives") along with my trusted long-time assistant Carolyn. Both dives went very well and were without incident I am always happy to report :) We call the sessions Dives because clients / members who enter the chamber for treatment are pressurized to certain simulated depths. They do not actually do down under any water or anything, but it is the equivalent of this happening. To aid in this illusion the interior of the Oxygen tank / chamber is decorated with fish and other marine life :) (Actually these were put there to make the chamber friendlier for children who use the service)

Members stay pressurized at either 16.5 feet (5 meters), 24 feet (7.5m) or 33 feet (10m) for 1 hour whilst they breathe in pure Oxygen. Depending on the depth it takes around 5-12 minutes to take the dive down, and bring it up again at the end. Many clients find that breathing pure O2 under pressure helps alleviate or lessen some of the symptoms of MS. As MS is an individual condition though, people will find they have an individual response to the O2 treatment. Some do not use it at all, as they have found they get no benefit from it, and prefer to solely rely on physiotherapy. But others find they need their regular O2 top-up sessions to help them function. People usually come for one or two sessions per week, after initially doing 20 sessions in rapid succession to allow the treatment to 'build up' within their bodies...

Any way, I think I've told you enough for one day. Tomorrow is Saturday and that means it is 'doughnut day' - I am English and will not spell it 'donut' despite what numerous spell-checkers tell me - all will be explained....

I wish everyone well. Till next time -

Rod

Introductions

Hello, my name is Rod Maughan, and I do voluntary work at Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. That's a bit of a mouthful, so will hereafter be called HMSTC (do be careful trying to pronounce it) or simply The Centre. I have been there for 3 years now, and for a fuller summary of my involvement please have a read here - http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=202561136450141 - a little something I wrote about my experiences of volunteering at the Centre.

This blog has been set up in order to add content to HMSTC's Facebook Page, but also can be followed in it's own right direct from this blogsite. I plan to try and update it at least 2 or 3 times each week - we'll see how it goes. The plan is to give you my personal insights into Oxygen Treatment, though I do tend to go off on tangents sometimes, so who knows what you'll end up reading about :) I do promise to always try and make it interesting and informative, and I welcome any and all feedback.

So... now to try and get this set up so it posts automatically on Facebook..........

More from me soon,

Best wishes,

Rod