My finger on the NHS
Sunday, June 18, 2006
The other day I cut my left thumb when I was trying to open a fruit can. Ooouuch!! It did really hurt. Ooouuch!! Ooouuch!! Ooouuch!! I thought it wasn't a big deal, just wash my hands, suck my finger and that would do it. To my surprise I could not make it stop bleeding. I saw my finger and realised that it was a really nasty cut that went from one side of the finger to the other. I tried for 1 hr to make the bleeding stop in vain. I poured Pisco (42° alcohol spirit) over the cut to disinfect it and then put a piece of cotton and applied some pressure on it. It did not work. (A little piece of advice: I would recommend you to not waste your pisco in such things. Never never never NEVER. Use it wisely. DRINK IT!)
Well, after a while my husband and I decided to go to the NHS centre opposite our place. (It was a Saturday so we knew that my GP's was closed.) At the NHS centre a guy told us that we had to ring the call centre before they could do something. So we did that. Actually my husband did it because I was busy with blood in my finger. He talked to someone on the phone. Gave this person my details. This person then faxed my details to the lady (receptionist) who was in front of me. Absurd! No wonder why the NHS is in trouble...
The receptionist got my details printed on a paper and asked me:
Receptionist: so, what is your problem?
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Receptionist: Ok, go to the waiting room and a doctor will see you in a sec.
After 10 minutes a doctor came and asked me to follow him. "Good!" I though. "After all the NHS is not that bad, this will be over soon."
I went into the doctor's office and sat on a chair. (See diagram). The interview went like this:
Doctor: What happend?
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Doctor: When was that?
I: about an hour ago
I then showed him my finger which I had wrapped with cotton and band aid. I thought he was going to see it but instead he said:
Doctor: can you uncover your finger?
I: (shocked because he wouldn't touch my finger) Ok (I unwrapped all the stuff I had on my finger)
Doctor: hmmm
I: (Looking at him) How does it look doctor?
Doctor: I think you should go to the Hospital. We can't help you here. You may need stitches and we don't have the implements. Can you go there?
I: (shocked again because it was more serious than I thought) I guess so. I mean I have to. Haven't I?
Doctor: Yes. I am sorry we can't be of more help.
I: no worries. Thanks anyway.
My husband and I went home and called a cab. 20 mins later we were in the casualty department. We went to see the receptionist:
Receptionist: What is your name?
I: (I gave her my name)
Receptionist: (with a big question mark in her face) sorry?
I: (I spelled my name, then I spelled it again and then..., I spelled it again.)
Receptionist: your address?
I: (I gave her my address)
Receptionist: your telephone?
I: (I gave her my telephone number)
Receptionist: who is your GP?
I: Dr. XXXX
Receptionist: what is your problem?
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Receptionist: Ok, go to the waiting room and someone will see you soon.
My husband and I went to the waiting room and sat next to a drunk guy who smelled like hell. We couldn't stand it so we moved, closer to the TV. They were showing the Portugal v Iran football match. The match finished and we were still waiting... Nothing interesting on TV, nothing interesting to read... boring! At that moment I realised that my finger had stopped bleeding and I wondered if I could go home. But then I remembered what the doctor said about needing stitches. So I stayed. (Good I stayed, because a while after my finger was bleeding again.)
2hrs 15mins later, a nurse called me. Her name was T'Pol (not real name of course) and told me that I could see a doctor if I did not want her to see me. I said I didn't think I needed a doctor so we went to her office.
T'Pol: How do I pronounce your name?
I: (I said it veeeeeery slowly)
TPol: Where are you from?
I: South America
T'Pol: you speak spanish, don't you? My husband is learning spanish. He wants to go to Spain on holiday to practice his spanish, but I want to go to Croacia instead.
I: Oh! (:/)
T'Pol: but I think you speak a different spanish from the spanish spanish, don't you?
I: not really, just different accents. (actually we speak better spanish than the spanish but I didn't want to go there)
T'Pol: the other day we met some mexican guys and they were teaching us some words.
I: oh (:/) (thinking: yeah, chilli con carne, tortillas, quesadillas and tequila)
T'Pol: well, lets start this, tell me what happened? (she grabbed a form and a pen and started writing)
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
T'Pol: when did that happpen?
I: 4-5 hours ago.
T'Pol: are you taking any medication?
I: No
T'Pol: are you alergic to any medicine?
I: No (thinking: only the NHS waiting room)
T'Pol: hmmm, show me your finger.
She put on rubber gloves and touched my finger!
(I guess nurses are allowed to touch fingers... hmmm, I don't know... )
My finger was all covered in blood but it had stoped bleeding. T'Pol examined the cut, made me move my finger and asked me if I could feel something when she touched it. I did what she said and said I could feel her finger. She then said that I didn't need stitches, in fact she wouldn't recommend stitches in any case as she thought that part of the finger had sensitve skin. T'Pol proceeded to clean the cut, then applied paper stitches and put a huge bandage on my finger. She said I had to keep it clean and dry for 5 days.
T'Pol: is that Ok?
I: Yes (moving my finger and seeing that the bandage wasn't uncomfortable)
T'Pol: you can go now
I: Thank you T'Pol, Bye (thinking: I'm freeeeeeeeee to do what I want any old time, yes, Yes, YES, YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS)
I met my husband in the waiting room and we left.
Later that evening we met some friends and one of them asked me "what happened to your finger?" and I said: "I cut my finger with a fruit can and I couldn't make it stop bleeding....."
Last Update: My Finger 23 June
Well, after a while my husband and I decided to go to the NHS centre opposite our place. (It was a Saturday so we knew that my GP's was closed.) At the NHS centre a guy told us that we had to ring the call centre before they could do something. So we did that. Actually my husband did it because I was busy with blood in my finger. He talked to someone on the phone. Gave this person my details. This person then faxed my details to the lady (receptionist) who was in front of me. Absurd! No wonder why the NHS is in trouble...
The receptionist got my details printed on a paper and asked me:
Receptionist: so, what is your problem?
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Receptionist: Ok, go to the waiting room and a doctor will see you in a sec.
After 10 minutes a doctor came and asked me to follow him. "Good!" I though. "After all the NHS is not that bad, this will be over soon."
I went into the doctor's office and sat on a chair. (See diagram). The interview went like this:
Doctor: What happend?I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Doctor: When was that?
I: about an hour ago
I then showed him my finger which I had wrapped with cotton and band aid. I thought he was going to see it but instead he said:
Doctor: can you uncover your finger?
I: (shocked because he wouldn't touch my finger) Ok (I unwrapped all the stuff I had on my finger)
Doctor: hmmm
I: (Looking at him) How does it look doctor?
Doctor: I think you should go to the Hospital. We can't help you here. You may need stitches and we don't have the implements. Can you go there?
I: (shocked again because it was more serious than I thought) I guess so. I mean I have to. Haven't I?
Doctor: Yes. I am sorry we can't be of more help.
I: no worries. Thanks anyway.
My husband and I went home and called a cab. 20 mins later we were in the casualty department. We went to see the receptionist:
Receptionist: What is your name?
I: (I gave her my name)
Receptionist: (with a big question mark in her face) sorry?
I: (I spelled my name, then I spelled it again and then..., I spelled it again.)
Receptionist: your address?
I: (I gave her my address)
Receptionist: your telephone?
I: (I gave her my telephone number)
Receptionist: who is your GP?
I: Dr. XXXX
Receptionist: what is your problem?
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
Receptionist: Ok, go to the waiting room and someone will see you soon.
My husband and I went to the waiting room and sat next to a drunk guy who smelled like hell. We couldn't stand it so we moved, closer to the TV. They were showing the Portugal v Iran football match. The match finished and we were still waiting... Nothing interesting on TV, nothing interesting to read... boring! At that moment I realised that my finger had stopped bleeding and I wondered if I could go home. But then I remembered what the doctor said about needing stitches. So I stayed. (Good I stayed, because a while after my finger was bleeding again.)
2hrs 15mins later, a nurse called me. Her name was T'Pol (not real name of course) and told me that I could see a doctor if I did not want her to see me. I said I didn't think I needed a doctor so we went to her office.
T'Pol: How do I pronounce your name?
I: (I said it veeeeeery slowly)
TPol: Where are you from?
I: South America
T'Pol: you speak spanish, don't you? My husband is learning spanish. He wants to go to Spain on holiday to practice his spanish, but I want to go to Croacia instead.
I: Oh! (:/)
T'Pol: but I think you speak a different spanish from the spanish spanish, don't you?
I: not really, just different accents. (actually we speak better spanish than the spanish but I didn't want to go there)
T'Pol: the other day we met some mexican guys and they were teaching us some words.
I: oh (:/) (thinking: yeah, chilli con carne, tortillas, quesadillas and tequila)
T'Pol: well, lets start this, tell me what happened? (she grabbed a form and a pen and started writing)
I: I cut my finger with a fruit can and I can't make it stop bleeding.
T'Pol: when did that happpen?
I: 4-5 hours ago.
T'Pol: are you taking any medication?
I: No
T'Pol: are you alergic to any medicine?
I: No (thinking: only the NHS waiting room)
T'Pol: hmmm, show me your finger.
She put on rubber gloves and touched my finger!
(I guess nurses are allowed to touch fingers... hmmm, I don't know... )
My finger was all covered in blood but it had stoped bleeding. T'Pol examined the cut, made me move my finger and asked me if I could feel something when she touched it. I did what she said and said I could feel her finger. She then said that I didn't need stitches, in fact she wouldn't recommend stitches in any case as she thought that part of the finger had sensitve skin. T'Pol proceeded to clean the cut, then applied paper stitches and put a huge bandage on my finger. She said I had to keep it clean and dry for 5 days.
T'Pol: is that Ok?
I: Yes (moving my finger and seeing that the bandage wasn't uncomfortable)
T'Pol: you can go now
I: Thank you T'Pol, Bye (thinking: I'm freeeeeeeeee to do what I want any old time, yes, Yes, YES, YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS)
I met my husband in the waiting room and we left.
Later that evening we met some friends and one of them asked me "what happened to your finger?" and I said: "I cut my finger with a fruit can and I couldn't make it stop bleeding....."
Last Update: My Finger 23 June
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Tia, eso te pasa por estar haciendo cosa de jovenes.
El hecho de abrir una lata implica coordinación, habilidad minima, lo cual por tu edad tan avanzada se va perdiendo gradualmente.
jeje mentira chechiiiiiii
como esta tu dedito? todavia te lele
jeje
Enano, Yo tambien te quiero!
La vaina es que como aqui no hay empleadas una tiene que hacer las cosas por si misma, chessssss
Pobre Chechi, pero amiga contrata a la Zumbu.
So, tell me what happened...
I am joking. The NHS is a disgrace, and doctors do not want to get close to their patients, not even to examine them. No wonder the chaos is total.
Next time you better take your top off to see if you get better attention.
Dear Cecilia,
I am sorry you had to go through all this and still draw a picture of what happened. I loved the picture, you portrayed exactly the situation with many doctors in the NHS.
While you were in that room, I heard some other doctors asking the receptionists if they could go home, given the low number of patients. The funny thing was that most of them were Indian, and it seemed that they were asking the receptionists as if the latter were their bosses.
On top of their attitude, doctors do not deal well with the rest of the personnel, they should go on a course about human communication.
So next time make sure you complain!
Leave the cooking to Rodrigo. He can handle it
Of course we don't speak better Spanish than the Spanish, that is a myth. How would that be possible if we learned from them? We just have differente accents and theirs is 'the real McCoy'.
Ok, kill me :-)
Dear Ceci,
Good Lord, I feel your frustration. Damn!
TRAAADUCCION:
Dios Mio, Siento realmente la frustración por la que has pasado. Caracho!
I guess public medical services are the same all over the world. In my country service is crappy, ERs waiting rooms are hell gates, the same had happend while I was living abroad.
T: Creo que los servicios medicos publicos en general, en todo el mundo, son lo mismo. En mi pais el servicio es desastrozo, las salas de esperad e las emergencias son una puerta al infierno, en el sentido que quieras verlo, tan igual como cuando vivia en el extranjero.
Possitive actions (Cosas positivas):
1.- You did good trying to clean your cut right away (Hiciste bien el limpiar tu herida inmediatamente).
2.- Your patience towards receptionists, doctors and nurses (Tu paciencia con los recepcionistas, doctores y enfermereas).
3.- Your will to write all this incident down, for us to enjoy your narrative (Tu deseo de contarnos esta experiencia y poder disfrutar de tu narrativa).
Low downs (Cosas negativas):
1.- On an open cut, never use any type of alcohol, it INCRESES the bleeding (I just learned that couple of months ago). It is better use a desinfectant gel and lots of fresh water, the last to use is Oxigenated Water (Nunca uses ningun tipo de alcohol en una herida sangrante y/o abierta, eso aumenta el sangrado. Es mejor usar un desinfectante en gel y al final aplicar agua oxigenada).
2.- Doctors and services (El servicio en general y los malos doctores).
3.- You could be dying and they will be writing tons of forms (Puedes estar muriendo y ellos se limitan a escribir miles de formularios).
If someone doesn't have good money, it will be really hard to obtain good health care, because it is extremely expensive.
BTW... Did you guys ended eating that canned fruit?
Wasn't it really like a bloody mary, but kinda sweet?
Intrigued.
I didn't eat anything. I lost my apetite.
IMHO in SA We DO speak better spanish than the Spanish... if you take it from the point of view of creativity and florid verbs and adjectives, we excel. However, if you consider rule-abiding so as to say, we are not that good. We like to break rules!
BTW It was a Bloody Mary with Pisco!
como q contrata a la zumbu!!! no t pases ah! respetame x favor! :D
chechi y como va tu dedo??? va mejor? tiene vida? camina solo! jeje... mentira chechi sensual!!!
p.d. eres la mejor abriendo latas!!! ;)
El viernes me quito la venda. Ya les contare.
La foto de tu dedo parece sacada de un Expediente Secreto X
chechiiiiii take se pasan estos medicuchos y que bueno que tu dedin ya este mejor. Ta buena la foto de tu corte jeje
Pero chechiii que es eso de desperdiciar el pisco asi!!! no pues!!!!!!!! me decepcionas tia ahh!!!!! jeje SALUD
i came here today cuz i was looking for ways to stop my finger from bleeding too!!! :D thanks for a great laugh. i'll let it self heal now. :P!