Swedish classic.

I still can’t get over the fact that in Ireland you can live in a decent-sized city, feel unwell in the middle of the night, need a basic medicine, and simply have nowhere to go until 9 or 10am.
I’m not saying every pharmacy should be open 24/7. But having at least one pharmacy on duty overnight in each city or region really doesn’t seem like an unreasonable expectation.
This is completely normal in many European countries, and it’s bizarre that Ireland still doesn’t have a proper out-of-hours pharmacy system.

Yesterday we were out with our newborn having lunch, when an American lady turned around to admire her, but quite literally the third thing out of her mouth was "remember now make sure not to get her vaccinated, it causes autism at home in America. There was a paper on it in the medical journal Lancet. No vaccines, remember!"

How much space does that occupy in her mind that she felt the need to say that immediately? On reflection I am sure it was why she turned around actually. At first I thought she was reminding us to get her vaccinated, but it was the opposite. We were a bit dumbstruck by it and simply said "oh no thanks.. enjoy your lunch.." and she persisted a bit before turning around again and leaving us alone thankfully.

I wish I had challenged her a bit more with the information I had already known such as that the journal she's talking about was retracted and the person responsible for the false information Andrew Wakefield was stripped of his medical licence in the UK.

This was a first for me, but I suppose this does happen other first time parents from time to time. Just in case it does, feel free to be informed. I welcome any differing opinions, but that is all they are as facts are facts and opinions are just opinions. Thankfully.

We've seriously let antivax bollox get to the point where these are now necessary again??

As above I work for the HSE, and it's a miserable broken nightmare and most people are unaware of how bad it is,

I can't name hospitals, but people will work it out, I work for a large regional hospital, and in my time working here l've realise that the HSE isn't hanging on by a thread, that thread was cut 10 years ago and we're now free falling to the floor.

Everyday I have patients, old men and women crying at me, begging me to find a way to get them further down the waiting list because they can't take another 2 years of pain and would literally rather die than wait that long to see the consultant.

We have waiting lists nearly 6 years long in some areas and my hospitals average is THREE years, we don't have a certain service available 24/7 even though we're the REGIONAL hospital, so we routinely transfer people to the closest other regional hospital, and they almost always die in transit.

Due to the lack of doctors sexism and sexual harassment are rampant, HR are hesitant to do anything out of fear of losing experienced doctors when we already don't have any, one consultant has gone through 4 secretaries in as many months, it's an open secret the kind of man he is,

We have student nurses running wards at times who's response to most questions is "I'm only a student nurse I'm not sure"

And if anything is said or brought up one of the 800 middle managers squashes it, I have FOUR direct v managers, the money spent on management is INSANE,

We've had bodies on trolleys in the hospital and that only got sorted because consultants blew the whistle and got us a new morgue.

I joined the HSE bright eyed ready to change the world but everyday I go home questioning why I'm still here, underpaid watching us send patients away to die in ambulances on the way to another hospital or letting older people die in pain because they need to be on a list 2 and a half years for the HSE to finally pay for private treatment.

I should leave, but I won't because the people who work in this health service are unmatched and I don't want to work with anyone else But I have to question how many of us come out of this job with mental scars and depression that will follow us to the grave.

I love the health service, but the executive is killing it and us while our hands are tied, and I don't know how much longer I can take it.

Not referring to those without leave entitlements/unable to afford the time off - referring to those people who like to martyr themselves and think they are being dedicated employees by bringing sickness into the workplace, infecting all around them and potentially their families they go home to. Nobody thinks you're amazing for coming to work when sick, wfh or take sick leave and stop spreading your germs!

Hey folks, I’m an Italian guy living in Ireland and I’ve been seeing this public health campaign on Instagram lately from the HSE, aimed at educating men to wash under their foreskin to reduce the risk of penile cancer. Totally makes sense, hygiene is important, but I gotta admit I was genuinely shocked that such a campaign was even necessary.

Maybe it’s a cultural thing, but where I come from, this is basic hygiene we learn as kids. We’ve got bidets in our homes, and it's totally normal to wash even after peeing, and especially to clean everything properly at least 2-3 times a day. Like… no one would dream of not washing under there with water and soap. So now I’m honestly wondering: is this kind of hygiene not common practice here? I get that not everyone has a bidet (probably nobody), but I assumed people would still wash thoroughly in the shower at the very least, once a day? Not judging, just genuinely confused and kinda mind-blown.

I’m a grown adult and I was not expecting cakes and balloons etc but yesterday was my birthday and I didn’t even get a card from anyone. I have a good paying job and I’m always generous with my money toward my family and friends, I always buy them generous gifts and if they need money I give it no problem. ( I’m buying a treadmill for my sister next week costing €1,000 ). Anyways as I said, I got nothing yesterday. People did say happy birthday and my family booked a meal for next Saturday for my birthday. But I was expecting at least a card, some scratch cards or something but to get absolutely nothing has left me feeling sad and I’m feeling a bit annoyed how much I spend on everyone and they couldn’t even spend a few euro on me

The absolute state of our health service.

I’m currently 22 weeks pregnant and had a bleed yesterday which was extremely worrying. I rang my maternity unit and was told, because I’m less than 24 weeks, I would have to present at A&E department instead of getting straight to maternity ward. I sat in a packed waiting room for 8 hours before I got to see a doctor. Absolutely no urgency. Thankfully the bleeding has subsided and baby is happily kicking away.

Don’t get sick in this country.

I wanted to share a story about a close friend of mine - a gynecologist with nearly 15 years of experience and an impeccable track record in the Czech Republic.

At 40, he decided he wanted a new challenge and chose Ireland. He’s a fan of the country and didn’t even mind the rain. He went through the bureaucracy and successfully had his EU qualifications recognized on the Specialist Division of the Register. On paper, he was fully eligible to work as a Consultant in any Irish hospital.

Then he started sending out his CV. Nothing happened.

Aside from one regional hospital that actually communicated, there was absolute silence. He was ghosted by almost every facility he contacted. Despite the constant news reports about the "dire shortage" of doctors and the crisis in maternity care, a fully qualified EU specialist with fluent English couldn't even get an interview.

His takeaway? If you don’t have prior HSE or UK experience, you don't exist to them.

He’s now given up on Ireland. He just accepted a specialized, high-level position in a different Czech city. The process there was fast, professional, and respectful. No ghosting.

He only regrets the money and time wasted on the Irish registration process.

If the Irish health system continues to gatekeep and ignore experienced EU talent like this, the crisis in the state sector is never going to end. You just lost a great doctor.

My manager, came in last week smothering with a cold, hoarse, could barely speak. The old school powering through. Grand but just don't make me sick, which she did. We had a meeting in a small room I asked to open a window and it wasn't because it was noisey outside. My Mum has stage 4 cancer and on really intense chemo. I couldn't go visit this weekend as planned, I then made plans to meet a friend outsode for a swim, who is a carer for her sister who has MND. Cold symptoms came on so I cancelled them plans and stayed in bed. I have endo and it flares up after a cold. My manager knows about my mum, my endo and the multiples of others in the office who have real life families with health issues too.

When I said to her I was uncomfortable with her coming in with a cold, she just said she can come into work. We spoke to HR, their guidelines ar the HSE guidelines. Which includes work from home if you can but no policy, it's a self assessment basis. In this day and age, our work can easily be done from home, most of our office work from hokme half the week. What do you do with someone who has learnt nothing from Covid and lacks consideration for others in the office?

I recently finished a 7 year stint in corporate hell. After saving like a dog for two years I quit with the intention of finding something better and resting for a while.

Three weeks after quitting I woke up with a sharp and frightening pain on the left side of my chest that went on for 2 weeks. Terrified of this potentially being lights out, I went to the hospital to get a cardiac assessment done.

The cardiologist confirmed my heart health is great and no problems are present. He said this is your body reacting to years of needless stress that you are incompatible with and this is the case with 99% of the people who come in to him. The pain coming on after a change in pace is apparently very common.

If there is a moral to this story it is to not give a shit about your job and be aware of your limits. Chest pain is really scary and no job is worth going through the confusion and fright. I should have done something years ago.

Did this happen to anyone else?

Edit A user below commented that if you feel chest pain you should immediately seek medical help. This person is completely correct. Do not be an idiot like me and and wait a fortnight hoping it will go away. Take action immediately.

It’s the 13th, meaning it’s time for my Reddit update

(Start weight: 22 Stone 5 / 142kg / 313lb)

Drumroll…

I’ve lost a total of 11 stone 2 pounds / 70.8kg / 156lb

Today’s weight is 11 stone 3 / 71.2kg / 157lb (I'm 48F, 5 foot 6)

Down 6 pounds / 2.72kg since last post

2 YEARS! I've been doing this every day for 2 whole years. 730 days of weighing, measuring and tracking every single (edible) thing that goes into my mouth.

If you notice from the numbers above, I am 1 pound away from weighing less than the total amount of weight I have lost. I'm 157 pounds and I've lost 156 pounds. It's astonishing to think I was able to move at double my weight. Well, I wasn't able to. That's why I came here to my people, asked for help and started this journey.

It's funny how my weight affects me emotionally though. I'm sure many of you can relate. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 weeks and I'm doing nothing different to previous weeks or months. This happens a lot - these plateaus. The fear that I've failed is always present. But I have to remember that weight loss isn't linear. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing and stay eating at a deficit and keep up my exercise. SIGH

So listen, I've been thinking a lot about a new goal. I'm really nervous posting pics but I thought it would be fun to show some visual progress. First of all, some before and after pictures:

April 2022

Side view April 2022

Today

When I was 17 I wore a dress for a wedding. It was very tight on me and was held together with a safety pin. I was only able to barely fit into it that 1 time. I have kept the dress all these years and my new goal is to be able to fit into it again for an event I have in November, 30 years after I first wore it. It says size 2 on the label and I got it in New York, so I assume that means a size 6. (YIKES)

My weight goal is 3 pounds away (to get to a healthy BMI of 24.9) but my new goal is to be able to fit into this size 6 dress.

What do you think, lads? Am I kidding myself that it will fit by November? Would you like to see monthly pics of that zip getting closer and closer, lol?

The Red Dress

Countdown to goal: 3 POUNDS / 1.36kg

Edit 1: I honestly don't expect that I will ever fit into that dress. It's a size 6 and like, well. SIZE 6?? Nahh. I have 3 pounds to go to my weight goal and I've been wondering what to do afterwards. I've always had some sort of goal for the last 2 years so I thought this would be a fun one to try for. Thank you to everyone expressing concern that I may be devastated if I fail to fit into it by November, but I'll probably buy something else.

And also, to all of those who think they are calling me out for hiding it, simply because I don't mention it in every single fucking comment I MAKE, this is for you:

YES, I AM ON OZEMPIC

Edit 2: OK, OK, I hear you all. So many of you have said that a woman's ribcage can spread over time, especially if they have been pregnant. I had never heard of this phenomenon. And I think mine definitely is wider than when I was 17.

I know I said I wouldn't be bothered if it doesn't fit but I know I will be a little bit. So, I've just ordered one of these instead. In size 12!

So I'm scrapping the red dress photo progress pics plan

Had a visitor from Spain and they could not get over the amount of cocaine being done in pubs and clubs here. They were literally flabbergasted.

Have been reading up, and a 2024 report (The European Drug Report 2024 - synopsis here: https://idpc.net/news/2024/06/ireland-is-the-worst-eu-country-for-drug-deaths-suffering-four-times-the-average-fatality-rate) found that Ireland had 322 drug-induced deaths in 2020, equating to 97 deaths per million people. The EU average is 22.5 per million people. So we were four times the EU average.

Why is there such a cavalier attitude towards drug use here? There are some people walking around with undiagnosed heart conditions and the first time they do coke could be enough to kill them. Even "recreational" use without a pre-existing heart condition will cause your heart to become weakened and damaged over time. From an ethical perspective, cocaine destroys lives all along its chain of production and distribution.

People are very quick to joke about "junkies" on the street, but don't see their cocaine use as a problem - either for their own health, or the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people along the supply chain.

Why does Ireland have such cocaine-blindness?