FND Awareness month (but, always be aware)

This from my daughter - Daisy

April is FND Awareness month & Autism Acceptance month.

As someone who lives with both I wanted to raise awareness and share some information

Here are five key facts about autism:

Autism is a Spectrum with Diverse Traits: It is not a single type of behavior, but a wide spectrum of characteristics, meaning some autistic people may need significant daily support, while others can live independently.

It is a Lifelong Condition Caused by Brain Differences: Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition present from birth, though often diagnosed later, that causes the brain to process information differently.

Autism is Primarily Genetic: Evidence suggests autism is highly genetic, often involving multiple genes rather than a single cause. It is not caused by vaccines or parenting styles.

Sensory Sensitivities are Common: Many autistic individuals experience hyper- (over) or hypo- (under) sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, or textures, which can make environments overwhelming.

Repetitive Behaviours and Intense

Interests Can Be Beneficial: Known as "stimming" (self-stimulation), behaviours like rocking or hand-flapping can help regulate emotions, reduce stress, and provide comfort

Key Facts About FND:

What is FND: It is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system, affecting how the brain sends and receives information.

Symptoms: Common symptoms include involuntary movements (tremors, dystonia, twitchy), limb weakness, paralysis, seizures (functional/dissociative), gait issues, speech difficulties, and cognitive impairment.

Diagnosis: It is diagnosed by specialists through positive clinical findings that show the nervous system is not functioning correctly, rather than just ruling out other diseases.

Commonality: FND is common, representing one of the leading causes of disability in neurology clinics.

Treatment: Although there is no cure, many individuals improve with a multidisciplinary approach, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and psychological therapies (like CBT).

Cause: The exact cause is complex, often involving a combination of factors, sometimes triggered by physical injury, illness, or stress/trauma but often occurring without a single clear cause.

Real Symptoms: FND symptoms are involuntary, very real, and can be life-changing, despite often showing no damage on standard MRI scans

 An interesting question - Is there a link between FND and Autism ?

Yes, research indicates a significant, growing connection between Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with studies suggesting a higher prevalence of autistic traits in FND populations compared to the general population. They are distinct conditions, but commonly co-occur in both children and adults, potentially due to shared mechanisms involving sensory, emotional, and neurobiological processing.

(City St George's, University of London)

Key Connections and Overlaps:

Prevalence: Studies show a notable proportion of individuals with FND have autism or autistic traits, with one study finding 8% of adults with FND had a previous ASD diagnosis.

Shared Traits: Both conditions share characteristics such as alexithymia (difficulty identifying/describing emotions), altered interoception (sensitivity to internal bodily sensations), and cognitive rigidity.

Mechanism: FND in autistic individuals may be linked to the "Bayesian brain" theory, where autistic individuals may be more vulnerable to sensory prediction errors, leading to symptoms like functional seizures or weakness.

Management: Recognizing this link is important for treatment, as it suggests a need for tailored, autism-informed care for patients with FND

FND Action - Functional Neurological Disorder UK

Please donate here:

Just Giving Page

FND. It is important that anyone and everyone shares this.

Health Update

 Not sure there is an update on my health!

The problem I seem to have is that I am being seen by so many people, none if any of them are talking to each other and that means, I really don't feel like I have moved forward this year, and this year is now April!

When did the health start to fail?

Essentially, I went from my base level (still not good) to something else around a year ago in March of 2025. It felt that I had contracted some sort of virus, more than a cold, different to the flu and, from previous experience, likely to be covid. I didn't feel particularly ill with it, nothing I couldn't cope with. There were a few times when breathing was an issue but, I learnt to control it.

Over the following months I noticed changes in what I could taste. It wasn't a sudden taste loss but more a steady decline. Each month which passed I noticed I could either taste less or, what I could taste, tasted somehow different.

Holiday to Portaventura in Spain

June we went on an all inclusive holiday to Spain, Portaventura a major theme park

I found the salad was OK and tended to concentrate on choosing that. I still mostly could taste and had a long list of food I still enjoyed.

Port Aventura
 

The food at the buffet looked great, it mostly smelt lovely but, somehow, mostly tasted awful to me

The Buffet

Philippines

The Philippines

Late September and we were back in the Philippines enjoying time with friends and family

Meals I generally really enjoyed were starting to become unpleasant.

Essentially I was still feeling OK.

Tooth Issue

October and an annoying, broken and painful tooth was extracted. I feel this was a catalyst for what was to follow as weeks later it was still giving me a metallic taste, significant pain and was very sore. I did ask the dentist to look at it again but they effectively told me professionally not to be so silly so, it was left.

Christmas 2025

I had for some time been enjoying my Christmas pudding.

Turned out that my 'Christmas Pudding' was actually carrot cake. In my defence, it was dark in there

I only tasted what I thought it was. I had moved on to memory tasting.

Pictures in this order:

• Christmas Dinner
• Christmas Pudding
• Carrot Cake

At least the dinner looked nice

2026

The NHS - underfunded and poorly staffed
causing issues

What happened early in 2026 was a series of events, wasted opportunities to get to the bottom of the problem. 

Seemingly I was forever sending email to the doctors, writing formal letters and complaining that they didn't seem to be listening.

When I visited they never gave me enough time to get across all the complicated things which were happening to me. It's as though they only want to pick one major thing from each consultation and put resources into it ignoring everything else.

I had mentioned my eyesight didn't feel right, my hearing wasn't as it should be, my taste (and smell by then) had gone. I had developed a pain in my right leg alongside in my hips.

From this they heard, the hips. I was sent for x-rays and blood tests. No one communicated what this was for, I presumed at the very least it was for my entire legs. Turned out they were looking for cancer in my pelvis (which I didn't have. They congratulated themselves on their success of dealing with this issue, which wasn't one of my problems and that was it to them. I asked about my ears, eyes, leg and so on and was told I needed to make another appointment. A month was lost on this.

A&E

Of course, I ended up in A&E when my hearing failed completely. I attended with a prepared letter simply explaining that I had totally lost my hearing and needed help. around the same time my vision failed and I was in A&E for that too. The pain in my lower right leg became intolerable and, naturally, I was in A&E for that too. This was likely the only thing I should have gone to A&E for in the first place!

My hearing was treated by powerful steroids and I had an MRI done

MRI - a clever internal scanner

The MRI is always something I enjoy if I should ever enjoy a medical procedure! I can just shut off for however long it takes. I can't hear, certainly couldn't when I had my ears done! I find the vibration really quite relaxing and generally find myself dozing off.

I never formerly got the results of this scan, the GP garbled that it all 'looked' OK but, they're not an ENT consultant, I should wait and speak to the ENT department. I am on a waiting list for the ENT department, this is estimated to be around 6 months.

Bluetooth hearing aid

Thankfully, in this process I got to meet the lovely Kyle, one of the audiologists at the hospital who did a hearing test for me. He told me that even post recovery my hearing has changed considerably and that my 7+ year old hearing aids were no longer fit for purpose. Sure I had to kick up a bit of a fuss but, eventually I got a shiny new pair of bluetooth hearing aids which have been an absolute game changer for me. I can and have bluetoothed much of what I listen to so I can always hear phone calls and TV now without blasting the house down, it's most excellent.

Eye problem

My eyes, that's a different story. The way the eye 'casualty' works (emergency department for eyes) is that we go there, they diagnose, treat and refer onwards to ophthalmology for further monitoring. This didn't happen.

I kept getting treatment for my eye problem and mostly, it did nothing. After I think the third visit it did work. My vision recovered completely for all of 3-4 days before I noticed it fading again. I went back and was prescribed even stronger drops. Once again, I am in recovery but, for how long? They keep treating the symptoms whilst seemingly not knowing the cause. I suspect it will just reoccur.

Last time the doctor bloke mentioned he might have to do cataract surgery like, anyone had even mentioned this was a possible cause. Do they do that unless there are actually cataracts? What it seems happens is that my pupil gets stuck and cannot move and my vision goes really cloudy and, maybe because of the inability to adjust, blurred and painful too especially in bright light.

Inevitably I had to stop driving whilst my eyesight was poor.

I have barely driven for many weeks forcing me to very much so stay at home. My friend Robin (my adoptive dad type), has really helped and insisted on paying for taxis for me. Sure, I know I have done many such things for him in the past but, it still feels fundamentally weird to be the 'cared for'.

Fracture Clinic

Yesterday I visited the fracture clinic in Northampton. One of those terrible miscommunication things between the hospital and the GP Surgery. The A&E department absolutely told me from radiology onward I had a fractured fibula (smaller bone in lower leg). However, what the GP got was not that at all. I mean, they were told it was broken but, not what part of the leg, how long ago and so on.

They sent me to the fracture clinic where the consultant (quite lovely) told me that in her opinion I absolutely did not have a fractured fibula. She could see how a non expert might think that but, no, not from the x-ray I didn't. She was able to tie up where the pain was consistently coming from with a swollen area on my tibia, the bigger bone in the lower leg. I am now waiting on yet another MRI on that leg. She also said that, if there was a fracture at all, the MRI would show it up more than an xray would. I said to her that I knew this and asked the GP to arrange an MRI in the first place but they refused.

In Summary

This is where I am now.

My ears are still not quite right, almost stable but, not quite. My eyes are improving to the point I shall test my vision tomorrow and if it is OK, I shall start driving again (yay) Yes, I can remember how thanks.

My leg? I still don't know. In the process I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, deep joy there.

I've not slept properly in weeks. It's nearly 4 in the morning here and though I slept for maybe half an hour, I got painfully uncomfortable and, here I am up again though, I am aiming to sleep again shortly.

There a great many ongoing complaints. I do that to educate not to punish. I don't expect to get compensation and neither do I seek it. My aim is to improve the service given to patients. No one in the UK should ever have to self diagnose using Google!

 

Ronery

 

Now, joking apart ...

Because of the changes in my life the past few months I am feeling really isloated. No one has done anything wrong but, I feel like that 5 year old kid again in hospital, on my own, listening to matron telling my family that it's only one visitot at a time and strictly adult immediate family. Nothing was personal anymore. WHen they needed a urine sample I was stood there with 2 to 3 nurses encouing me to fill up the bottle. It was so humilating. I think they meant well but I didn't like it.

Back then, in the 60s & 70s hospital stays were always at least 2 weeks. On one occasion, because I was so short, at 5 they put me in a cot.

Moving forward nearly 60 years and my health has taken a turn for the worse. With the NHS being so rubbish how, I don't get the treatment I need/ No one doctor is overseeing everyting. I have several departments stricltly focussing on the symptoms, no one seems to be looking at the cause. So, over the last year I went from managing quite well to not managing at all. I now can't taste anything, can barely smell anything, the hearing, even with these new hearing aids is muffled, like I am hearing from a different room. My eyesight keeps fluctating too. Right now, I am looking through an out of focus fog. I am feeling stupid as my typing is terrible, so bad I feel like not bothering, It's so hard to see what I am writing and I am missing stupid typos.

Losing my ability to taste is having a huge impact on my life. I get no pleasure from food anymore. It's amazing how much of a social sharing experience it is and then it's gone. I cannot safely cook now, It's a waste of money eating out. I spent £18 on a fancy restaurant for our anniverary on fish & chips, couldn't taste any of it. Dennis had a steak, I really want to taste steak again.

For some incredibly crazy reason, I didn't notice my car seat wasn't adjusting right and, for months I stretched to reach the pedals. This ended up fracturing my fibula (stress fracture). The level of pain is incredibly, I just want to sleep but, I have to sleep alone as I move about too much and, mostly, swear in frustration that I just want to sleep. 

Couple weeks ago I had an accident in the car, that sped up the leg injury. Sure, it caused whiplash too but, that's the level of pain I am used to. My insurance company through Motability make no adjustments for those with disabilities. They got me going outside 4 times to damage pictures. It was over a week before I spoke to anyone. They want to do a personal injury claim but, the one huge change, the leg, they've taken no interest in. They were keen on the whiplash injury, arranged physiotherapy too/ Of course, no medical person spoke to me, that's a week on Monday!

Now, I am at home a lot on my own, I sleep on my own, I communicate through whatsapp, I just as well live abroad.

Family has rallied around and been there for the things I needed, the practicalities and Robin has been amazing offering t get me taxis everywhere as I cannot drive now.

For all my adult like I had dreams to focus on. This year was to be a biggie. I trip with Matt & Zach to Hong Kong. Shanghai and Tokyo to collect my final two Disney locations.

But then, just over a week ago one of my lodgers left taking away my financing for the trip. Even if I get another lodger, my health is nowhere near up to travelling and, there is this war thing in the middle east which is pushing up costs and restricting travel.

So, I am still feeling like that 5 year old stuck in this place: 

THE AWFUL OLDCHURCH HOSPITAL

The kids ward actually isn't Oldchurch but I am sure they were all much the same

I don't know if this was me at 5 but, it's close. Left alone in the ward for the majority of the time. Visits were 2 hours, one in the morning and another late afternoon, I was raised by my mum, my nan and my next door neighbour. I can recall an argument one day when my nan tried to get in to see me. I think she was allowed in but, they had to do it in shifts. Like, I was living my life on the outside, nothing familiar, no one caring for me most of the time.

You know, I am not depressed but I am distant. Since those hospital days (there were many), I have never felt so vulnerable. The other day on a visit to the eye clinic, the doctor sharted to shout at me because I had complained about his colleague, it was a horrible experience, I should feel safe in a hospital. He called me a liar 3 times and treated me like I was dumb.

I don't have my fight any more, they've effectively beaten me, the system has one and yet, I still have more fighting to do. I am waiting on a decision about my personal independance payments. This year they're up to be assessed again. Last time I had to appeal twice. I submitted it last year and am still waiting on the very early processed of it. In the meantime, I am still fighting for others, if I don't my life is a little pointless.

I miss my grandchildren, I so rarely see them and, my children of course. Obviously them.

This is me right now. It doesn't matter how amazing things around me are, sharing it alone just doesn't do it for me.

Could be a great meal, I cannot even tell you what I have been eating. The view could be amazing, I just get  cloudy blurred image of it, If you talk to me, I feel unattached from it. It's actually clearer on the phone but, part of that could be my constant exhaustian.

So, just now I am waiting out the storm in the hope it gets better, that I can get on with my life again. I don't want this, I cannot accept this is it. "It is what it is" never did work for me.

Sorry for the possible typos. 

Appreciation

This video speaks for itself

When will the Philippines learn?

 Dynasties

Aquino
Marcos
Duterte

Yes, there are others but, they're all the same.

They are dynasties not there to make the country better but, rather, themselves more popular and richer.

Did you know that if someone is one of the big families like this, they're 22% more likely to get in positions of power (I read)

Until the corruption stops at the bottom, it'll just carry on at the top.

Honestly, the talent, love and dedication of the people deserve better than this few families keeping your country down. Not a single one is clear of corruption, each promised and didn't deliver (unless it suited them). Just look at how they have their name, literally in some cases, on so much.

King CHarles, the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince George who will become King after his father, Prince William

We have a monarchy here, the closest we have to what the Philippines has. The difference is, we realised centuries ago that no one can rule a country by the coincidence of birth and, as such, our monarchy has little real power, only those elected have power.

Is the UK free of corruption? Hell no! But, we don't like it and it's predominantly at the top, the already rich helping themselves to get richer whilst the country remains wealthy and the poorest are supported.

Did any of the dynastical families do any good?

Of course, in a country with such a rich stock of wonderful people, it's near impossible not to achieve something. They sure could have done more.

Marcos, probably the one who did the most but then, equally, he arguably took the most and his family have lived off the backs of the hard working men and women for decades. Aquino, yes, built some cool stuff, made sure his name was on them too. Duterte, an international war criminal. It doesn't matter than he got results, he threw away your legal process and punished so many with a death sentence who likely would of, at worst, got prison time. Under international law which the Philippines signed up to, he is a criminal, are we to presume his daughter is likely to follow the law any better?

What stops one leader accusing another of corruption? Being part of the same corruption.

I just listed maybe the three latest families running the show.

Later I will ask why, if Filipinos know that these families are no good, do they still vote for them?

What corruption at the bottom? Sorry, yes, I should have explained

How many of these kids will go into life having never been involved in local corruption? One thing they might well do is to get their grades bumped by keen parents making connections with others who can change grades for a fee or a favour. When it comes to driving, how many will skip the test and pay under the counter for a licence?

Even so young corruption affects them directly and they will learn to use it. Corruption is like a traffic jam, they're everywhere and they'll just get used to it.

Why do Filipinos keep voting in these families?

You need some insight on Philippines culture to understand this. Of course, this is only from my observations as it applies to many day to day and their decision making process.

Filipinos are loyal and once they have placed their loyalty to someone, they won't budge, Filipinos do not like to be wrong. They're incredibly trusting of those close to them. If a best friend tells them that this person is honest and working for the people, they wouldn't consider doubting their word, if their best friend told them then, it's true, no more questions needed.

I'll use this as an example:

Yes, a visa of immigration into Canada. But, is it legitimate?

Sure, it's a genuine visa but, what if the person who applied for it has no legal right under Canadian law to apply for the visa? It's OK, they'll know someone there who knows someone who will do what needs to be done to fool the Canadian immigration department that perhaps, the person is more qualified, younger, related or whatever needs to be done to get that visa. What happens after that doesn't much matter. The person from the Philippines might, if luck is on their side, get into the country without a challenge, many more will not.

They may well go on to work illegally, generally for less than the minimum wage and with zero health care sending money back home, never integrating into society.

I tell you this because, all it takes for them to spend their life savings on this is, an old family friend telling them they can do this and, they do not ask questions, they trust this friend quite literally with their life. You can show them evidence over and over, it doesn't matter, they will not be disloyal to their friend or be dissuaded not to follow their dream, some will even say it is with God's will.

So, with such loyalty amongst the voting population, how does a candidate not part of a ruling family ever get elected? Quick answer is, they don't. How did the ruling families get in this position? Quite often you might find they are all local leaders in provinces around the country, they run just about everything, they hold the power. Because their corruption locally helps the workers, they are praised. Forget that they are paid a fraction of what these families make from their hard work, 200 pesos a day is better than nothing right? Whilst the boss makes many times this. So does his boss and his bosses boss until it gets to 'The Family'. A family with so much local power they can strike for Manila and real power.

How does the country end corruption?

Sure, protests will help and have worked in the past but, for only a short while. Remember the uprising which got rid of 'Marcos'? Yes, I am sure you do, MARCOS, a man who stole billions of pesos from the people ...

Oh wait, that name sounds familiar, Marcos ... that family were sure shown the door and got rid of.

In 1986 there was a non violent uprising, the people had enough, no more Marcos corruption, never again will this happen. Less than 40 years later and the son, someone who benefitted from the stolen estimated $10bn of money directly from the pockets of every Filipino is in power again. As his running mate, to ensure a victory, he has the daughter of then president Duterte. Come the next election there will likely be this ironic choice:

The daughter of a corrupt international war criminal

The son of the man who, has president, stole so much wealth from the people

Oh dear. Will one of them get elected? Absolutely! The pattern keeps moving forward.

The west mainly will not do real business with the Philippines because of the corruption, how can they know that their investment won't just go into the pockets of the politicians? They can't know that as it probably will. If Filipino workers were not so respected worldwide, why do they get employed so easily overseas? In the UK it's impossible to go into a hospital here without seeing valuable members of staff from the Philippines and yet, international companies will not invest in the country they were born in because of those who steal the money. Those who are either at the bottom or the top.

The Philippines is a great country with incredible people and yet, has one of the worst reputations worldwide for scamming foreigners. Yes, indeed, everyone who is not born Filipino is a foreigner and, as such, fair game for a scam. Either remotely online, over the phone or, in person for both tourists and those who now live there. The assumption being, they're all afam so, they've got the money, why not? Why not? It's that easy. Sure, they could be given dozens of reasons why not but, that was the end of their thought process, not the start of their education. I have had it done to me many times when my face is seen the price goes up. Sure, I can get it back down like the best of them but, some won't budge, 20peso for the local, 100 for the afam (look it up). This is yet another form of corruption because, the person they just scammed more money of might have been looking to invest locally but, seeing the dishonesty, will go elsewhere, they want a workforce they can trust. As I said earlier, if corruption and inequality is acceptable at the bottom, it will thrive at the top. Sincerely I hope this changes. Sadly, world events might change it for this great nation as little to nothing is being done to really protect the country. The Philippines is more vulnerable than ever from invasion by China. Right now, the US won't help unless there is something in it for them so, the start choice might be, having China in charge, or the USA again. But, maybe this is the reset the country needs? 

End the corruption as a sovereign state or, have someone else just take over. I can be sure of one thing, the dynasties won't leave empty handed, remember Ferdinand Marcos and the $10 billion.

Below is a not very good translation of the above

Mga Dinastiya Aquino Marcos Duterte Oo, may iba pa pero pare-pareho lang sila. Mga dinastiya sila, hindi para mapabuti ang bansa, kundi para mas maging popular at mas mayaman. Alam mo ba na kung ang isang tao ay isa sa malalaking pamilyang tulad nito, 22% silang mas malamang na mapunta sa mga posisyon ng kapangyarihan (nabasa ko) Hanggang sa tumigil ang korapsyon sa ibaba, magpapatuloy lang ito sa itaas. Sa totoo lang, ang talento, pagmamahal, at dedikasyon ng mga tao ay nararapat na mas higit pa sa iilang pamilyang ito na nagpapabagsak sa iyong bansa. Walang isa man ang malinis sa korapsyon, bawat isa ay nangako at hindi tumupad (maliban na lang kung angkop sa kanila). Tingnan mo na lang kung paano nila nakikilala ang kanilang pangalan, literal sa ilang mga kaso, sa napakaraming bagay. Si Haring Charles, ang yumaong Reyna Elizabeth, si Prinsipe George na magiging Hari pagkatapos ng kanyang amang si Prinsipe William Mayroon tayong monarkiya dito, ang pinakamalapit sa kung ano ang mayroon ang Pilipinas. Ang pagkakaiba ay, napagtanto natin ilang siglo na ang nakalilipas na walang sinuman ang maaaring mamuno sa isang bansa dahil sa pagkakaisa ng kapanganakan at, dahil dito, ang ating monarkiya ay may kaunting tunay na kapangyarihan, tanging ang mga nahalal lamang ang may kapangyarihan. Malaya ba ang UK sa korapsyon? Hinding-hindi! Ngunit, hindi natin ito gusto at higit sa lahat ay nasa itaas, ang mga mayayaman na ay nagtutulungan upang yumaman habang ang bansa ay nananatiling mayaman at ang mga pinakamahihirap ay sinusuportahan. Mayroon bang nagawang mabuti ang sinuman sa mga pamilyang dinastiya? Siyempre, sa isang bansang may napakaraming kahanga-hangang tao, halos imposibleng hindi makamit ang isang bagay. Tiyak na mas marami pa sana silang magagawa. Si Marcos, marahil ang gumawa ng pinakamarami ngunit, gayundin, masasabing siya ang kumuha ng pinakamarami at ang kanyang pamilya ay nabuhay mula sa mga masisipag na kalalakihan at kababaihan sa loob ng maraming dekada. Si Aquino, oo, ay nagtayo ng ilang magagandang bagay, sinigurado rin na ang kanyang pangalan ay nasa kanila. Si Duterte, isang internasyonal na kriminal sa digmaan. Hindi mahalaga kung nakakuha siya ng mga resulta, itinapon niya ang iyong proseso ng batas at pinarusahan ang napakaraming tao ng sentensyang kamatayan na malamang, sa pinakamalala, ay makulong. Sa ilalim ng internasyonal na batas na sinang-ayunan ng Pilipinas, isa siyang kriminal, ipagpalagay ba natin na mas malamang na mas susunod ang kanyang anak na babae sa batas? Ano ang pumipigil sa isang pinuno na akusahan ang isa pa ng katiwalian? Ang pagiging bahagi ng parehong katiwalian. Inilista ko lang marahil ang tatlong pinakabagong pamilya na namamahala sa palabas. Mamaya ay itatanong ko kung bakit, kung alam ng mga Pilipino na hindi mabuti ang mga pamilyang ito, iboboto pa rin nila sila? Anong katiwalian sa ibaba? Pasensya na, oo, dapat ay ipinaliwanag ko na Ilan sa mga batang ito ang papasok sa buhay na hindi pa nasangkot sa lokal na katiwalian? Ang isang bagay na maaari nilang gawin ay ang pagtaas ng kanilang mga marka dahil sa mga masugid na magulang na nakikipag-ugnayan sa iba na maaaring magpalit ng mga marka para sa isang bayad o pabor. Pagdating sa pagmamaneho, ilan ang hindi kukuha ng pagsusulit at magbabayad sa ilalim ng counter para sa isang lisensya? Gayunpaman, ang katiwalian ng mga batang ito ay direktang nakakaapekto sa kanila at matututo silang gamitin ito. Ang katiwalian ay parang trapiko, nasa lahat ng dako sila at masasanay lang sila dito. Bakit patuloy na bumoboto ang mga Pilipino sa mga pamilyang ito? Kailangan mo ng kaunting kaalaman tungkol sa kultura ng Pilipinas para maunawaan ito. Siyempre, ito ay mula lamang sa aking mga obserbasyon dahil naaangkop ito sa maraming tao araw-araw at sa kanilang proseso ng paggawa ng desisyon. Ang mga Pilipino ay matapat at kapag naibigay na nila ang kanilang katapatan sa isang tao, hindi sila matitinag, ayaw ng mga Pilipino na magkamali. Lubos silang nagtitiwala sa mga taong malapit sa kanila. Kung sasabihin sa kanila ng isang matalik na kaibigan na ang taong ito ay tapat at nagtatrabaho para sa mga tao, hindi nila iisiping pagdudahan ang kanilang salita. Kung sasabihin sa kanila ng kanilang matalik na kaibigan noon, totoo iyon, hindi na kailangan ng mga tanong pa. Gagamitin ko ito bilang halimbawa: Oo, isang visa ng imigrasyon sa Canada. Pero, lehitimo ba ito? Oo, ito ay isang tunay na visa ngunit, paano kung ang taong nag-aplay nito ay walang legal na karapatan sa ilalim ng batas ng Canada na mag-aplay para sa visa? Ayos lang, may kakilala sila roon na may kakilala na gagawa ng kailangang gawin para lokohin ang departamento ng imigrasyon ng Canada na marahil, ang tao ay mas kwalipikado, mas bata, kamag-anak o kung ano pa man ang kailangang gawin para makuha ang visa na iyon. Hindi mahalaga ang mangyayari pagkatapos noon. Ang isang tao mula sa Pilipinas, kung swerte ang nasa panig nila, ay maaaring makapasok sa bansa nang walang pagsubok, ngunit marami pang hindi. Maaari silang magtrabaho nang ilegal, kadalasan sa halagang mas mababa sa minimum na sahod at walang pangangalagang pangkalusugan na nagpapadala ng pera pauwi, at hindi kailanman maisasama sa lipunan. Sinasabi ko ito sa iyo dahil, ang kailangan lang nila para magastos ang kanilang ipon dito ay isang matandang kaibigan ng pamilya na nagsasabi sa kanila na kaya nila ito at, hindi sila nagtatanong, literal nilang pinagkakatiwalaan ang kaibigang ito gamit ang kanilang buhay. Maaari mong ipakita sa kanila ang ebidensya nang paulit-ulit, hindi mahalaga, hindi sila magtataksil sa kanilang kaibigan o pipigilan na huwag sundin ang kanilang pangarap, ang ilan ay magsasabi pa nga na ito ay sa kalooban ng Diyos. Kaya, sa ganitong katapatan sa mga botante, paano nahalal ang isang kandidato na hindi bahagi ng isang namumunong pamilya? Ang mabilis na sagot ay, hindi sila. Paano napunta ang mga namumunong pamilya sa posisyong ito? Madalas mong makikita na lahat sila ay mga lokal na pinuno sa probinsya

I can no longer taste right and it sucks

Around the spring of 2025 I had what might have been covid (again). Since then, my ability to taste and has been mainly zero.

Back some 20+ years ago I had surgery which damaged a nerve in my face, that took away much of my taste too but I learnt to taste again, mainly through my nose (I didn't know the the nose had tastebuds either) but, this year, it's not got better.

I guess having two expensive all inclusive vacations wasn't the best idea given the circumstances.

Now and then I think I taste something else, I taste what feels like the memory of something and, quite often, I taste what I smell and that's bizarre if it isn't what I am eating.

I'm awaiting a call from the doctor just now but, this could be me and I don't like it.

This has made food unpleasant. I now struggle with the whole concept of it. If I smell something nice and see it, the reality is, I cannot taste it. This makes me socially incapable of food related conversation. It also makes it seem insulting when I have to ask someone to describe what the tastes should be.

I might try and discover something I can sort of taste and stick to that for every meal!

If I do taste something it's often the least pleasant ingredient of a meal like the fat or oil. Let me tell you, a Cornish Pasty and Pork Pie is totally disgusting to me now.

I cannot taste roast potatoes. Salmon now taste overly fishy and oily. THese were my favourite foods These I either cannot taste now or else, they taste horrible:

The Pork pie, I used to love one as a treat, all I get now is 'lard'

Shepherd's Pie, another favourite and I taste, perhaps, metallic tomatoes

Salmon taste too oily and too fishy now, I use to love the subtle flavour

Roast Potatoes, my life long go to comfort food, I now taste the oil it's cooked and and that's it.

Eggs I used to love, now they make me want to puke

Marmite on toast. I actually taste the Marmite only and then cannot get the taste out of my system for days.

The horrible metallic taste I get now and then. Could be my teeth but, I only experienced this recently so, a bit of a red herring for the taste loss.

A lot of perfectly non spicy food make me feel really hot and sometimes I sweat. This too has coincided with the loss of taste so, for months then.

Pork Adobo, one of my great comfort foods for the last decade now is totally disgusting to me. Do you know how upsetting that is?

You see, in fact, my life now, usually enriched by the taste of some many different flavours has become dull and boring. These two holidays this year, both all inclusive, had some amazing looking options, most of which I couldn't manage more than a few bites before they became inedible.

Can you imagine a wonderful food choice laid out before and discover, it either has no taste or, tastes disgusting?

In Spain I managed with just eating salad, the taste of that is all but gone now. Recently in france I could see so much wonderful looking food and, I just couldn't eat it. I am constantly hungry and eat now just because I should.

One of the buffet options at Disneyland Paris

I am writing this because, I have time to kill. This appointment over the phone with a doctor is any time from 1pm until they go home, whenever that might be. I desperately need to sleep but, I have to force myself to stay awake and so, here we are. What food would you miss if you lost your ability to taste?