The Nation's Health

A Real Emergency

Let me paint you a little a picture. We had just taken a 97 year old to hospital. This 97 year old had just fallen down 17 stairs from top to bottom. She had a head injury, she had a broken wrist and she had broken ribs. She didn't want to go to hospital. She didn't want to call an ambulance. She did, because she couldn't get herself up. She apologised 12 times whilst in our presence for getting us out and wasting our time when we could be dealing with REAL emergencies. It took a lot of convincing to get her to agree to hospital and despite the pain she was in she felt she was burden. She had lived through 2 world wars. She had been employed full time from the age of 14 to 75. That's 61 years of taxes and national insurance since its inception. She has no carers at all and still does her own shopping. She costs the country her Freedom Pass and her medication which consisted of a daily Aspirin. She really was an inspiration. We left her at hospital to go and do a REAL emergency.

"25 year old female, pain in back after carrying baby and changing nappy"

What is there to say? I could rant about this for 10, 000 for even needing a breath, but I won't. I will not pass judgment, I will not share my thought. I was just explain what happened, what was said and what we did. Then, I will open it to the floor!

We arrived on scene at the patients flat. It was a council flat. 3 bedrooms. Nice kitchen. HUGE TV in the living room. Ashtray on the coffee table full of fag buts. Childs dummy 6" away. We had let ourselves in as the door was ajar. Sitting on the reclining black leather sofa was our patient. She had a pain'd expression across her face. Jeremy Kyle was on the TV (I'm being serious).

"Hello my dear, what's the problem today?"

"My back hurts."

"Where about?"

"Right here" she said, rubbing her lower back.

"When did it start?"

"About half an hour ago?"

"And what were you doing when it came on?"

"I'd been carrying me baby round and then put her down to change her and as I leaned down it started hurting real bad."

"Do you suffer with back problems?"

"Nah"

"Have you taken any painkillers?"

"Nah"

"It sounds muscular, you may have strained it slightly, what would you like to do today?"

"Go up hospital to get it checked out."

"I don't think hospital is necessary. You can probably treat it at home with pain killers and rest. Hospitals aren't the best place for babies, especially as they will probably tell you what i'm suggesting."

"Nah, i'd sooner go up there and get it checked out."

So that's what we did. She got all her stuff together and we headed out to the ambulance. As we were walking down the stairs her boyfriend / partner arrived. He followed us up to hospital in his car. It was a 2011 BMW with a personalised number plate. He lived at the same address.

In the ambulance I established she was normally fit and well. No medical history to speak of. No allergies. She smokes 20-30 a day. She is unemployed. Her partner is also unemployed. We arrived at hospital, handed over to the nurse and were promptly sent to the waiting room.

So, for a change I will refrain from saying too much and leave it there! That is for YOU, my readers to do! Thoughts on a postcard please!