tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19302868.post2670012010059876529..comments2024-01-25T11:14:39.042+00:00Comments on maniacmum: In StitchesJane Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17514534117777707886noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19302868.post-67958493098048985432008-01-10T09:51:00.000+00:002008-01-10T09:51:00.000+00:00I read In Stitches after reading your blog and enj...I read In Stitches after reading your blog and enjoyed it. <BR/><BR/>I found many of the anecdotes amusing, but thought Dr Edwards sometimes pulled his punches and hedged around too many strong points. He was also too apologetic sometimes. <BR/><BR/>A much better read, I think, is Paramedic's Diary: Life and Death on the Streets, by Stuart Gray. <BR/><BR/>This book is about a year in the life of a British paramedic. It is genuinely shocking in parts and hugely uplifting in others. <BR/><BR/>After reading it I know I would not want to be a paramedic but I am very glad that there are people like Stuart who do.<BR/><BR/>Keep up the good work<BR/><BR/>SarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19302868.post-59599006159084213912007-10-06T09:04:00.000+00:002007-10-06T09:04:00.000+00:00Hi Bec, yes I guess those distances must seem pret...Hi Bec, yes I guess those distances must seem pretty nutty to an Aussie! <BR/><BR/>However my fil spent three months in the hospital that is further away and on occasion it took us an hour to get there. At the time mil was living nearer to that hospital but unable to drive, so on my days off I would drive her over there, and in the evenings Spouse and bil would visit both him and her. Spouse frequently arrived home at 9.30/10ish on these occasions. At that particular point we didn't know if he was going to survive or not, which is stressful enough. But to have the travelling on top makes it hideous. And if the worst comes to the worst we might lose the option of St Helier and all have to go St George's in Tooting which is probably nearer ten miles away and takes HOURS to get to. I certainly wouldn't want to be having a baby in such conditions, nor having a child with an asthma attack (which has happened to me several times) hence my support for this campaign.<BR/><BR/>The local paper did report this week that our hospital has been reprieved for now. But we don't know how long. There has been a long and sorry catalogue of missed opportunities, too much talk, far too much money spent on schemes that now aren't going to happen, and all the time you think, if they'd ONLY spent the money on doing up the hospital/encouraging new staff/improving services we could have a fabulous community hospital we could all be proud of.<BR/><BR/>The moment that made me the crossest in the whole sorry saga was when Patricia Hewitt (then Health Minister) approved a scheme to rebuild St Helier (which funnily enough has a Labour MP fighting it's corner) at Epsom's expense (where the incumbent is Tory). She more or less said those posh people in Surrey can afford to go private. Which is outrageous as the majority of people I know are struggling with massive mortgages etc and can't afford to do anything private.<BR/><BR/>Point is we need both hospitals.<BR/><BR/>Here endeth the diatribe!<BR/><BR/>Hope we knock the sock out of you today ,but have a feeling it will be the other way round (Unless Johnny comes Good again)Jane Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17514534117777707886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19302868.post-6531594045301695852007-10-06T02:12:00.000+00:002007-10-06T02:12:00.000+00:00Having a quiet antipodean chuckle at your expense ...Having a quiet antipodean chuckle at your expense here - very unfairly - at the thought of five miles being a) considered a distance and b) capable of generating 40 minutes worth of traffic!<BR/><BR/>I'm with you though: any cut to health and community services is to be resisted fiercely and three cheers for Dr Edwards and co - good luck with the campaign!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com