Cochrane UK Trainees Podcast

This poem is read by Professor Scott Murray, Edinburgh University. It is by Mrs N, about caring for her husband who has had a stroke. Well, he’s the same again, Started, you know, The swelling up. And the doctor Didn’t put off, Any time, This time. She said, It was much better, Just to get him in. So he went in, At the beginning of December And he actually had been having, Some rather strange turns. Very dizzy turns. It just seemed to be Something that Came over him. And it’s one Of the tablets, That he has For his asthma, Which they say Is a very Dangerous drug. He’s been on it For many years, And it’s affecting His heart, And they are trying To stop it But they can’t Stop it Because He can’t breathe Without it. The hospital doctor said, The last time we were in, That it had To be stopped, And we did try To stop it And I had to phone Our own doctor Because he was struggling And she came in And she said to him, “Which would you rather have, You know, The heart out of rhythm, Or not able to breathe?” He said, “Well, If I’m going to die, I’d rather die With my heart stopping Than gasping For breath.” Well anyway, They took him in And he was hooked up to things And couldn’t get Moving around At all, But they decided They were going To let him home For Christmas. And he had Christmas Day And he took ill The next day And he has not really Picked up Very well Since then I got the doctor in And I was quite disappointed Actually At the lack of support And even the nurse Agreed with me When she came in For his blood. I said, “I feel I’ve just been left With it I just don’t know What we’re going to do With him really. Do you have a gun In your bag? He probably needs A gun! And his circulation Of course Isn’t good And that Doesn’t help. In fact If you were a horse They would shoot you.

Stroke: things feel out of control - a daughter’s experience. I think it’s quite humbling When you realise that It doesn’t matter how old Your mother is She’s still your mother. When that happens It is quite a shock, It is doubly a shock. I suppose then you think Well because she’s 86 Are the NHS going to really try As they might To keep her hale and hearty? The stress from the stroke I think really has to be Two-fold. First of all Supporting her And not encouraging her To be anxious About anything Because it’s all a bit rubbish just now, But we’re trying to get things Better for you. And also supporting her sister Because they’ve lived together Virtually all of their lives. So whilst there’s no kind of She doesn’t have a spouse any more, My father died in ‘96 There is someone there That I do need to support as well. So in amongst all that I’m having to do stuff at home And I’m having to keep going to work, And I’m not giving anything As much of the attention as I should do So I think I’m being stretched Across many different things, And I really don’t like that because I’m a bit more used To being in control. (This poem is read by Marilyn Kendall, a Senior Research Fellow at Edinburgh University).

The #CochraneTrainees in conversation with Jo Morrison, co-ordinating editor for the Cochrane Gynaecological, Neuro-oncology and Orphan Cancers Review Group. Jo reflects on her career and passion for evidence-based medicine.

David Tovey, Cochrane's Editor in Chief in conversation with the Cochrane Trainees

Professor John Newton is the Chief Knowledge Officer of Public Health England and in this podcast he talks with Dr Rachel Kuo about his career highlights and his belief in the importance of research to change lives.

In this episode, Rachel Kuo talks with Ian Shemilt about how he first got involved with Cochrane, his work at the EPPI-Centre, and the Cochrane Methods Executive Committee

Hywel Williams is Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology & Co-Director of the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology. In this conversation with the Cochrane UK Trainees, he discusses his involvement in Cochrane and his belief in the importance of patient involvement in research.

The first in a new series of podcasts. The episode is an interview with Anna Noel-Storr from Cochrane Crowd, which promises to transform the way members of the public get involved with Cochrane and even become named authors on a Cochrane Review. Please take a listen, like, comment and subscribe