NHS in Crisis

MAD MANDY MOANS National Health Service With all the talk about doctors going on strike it's ironic that I had reason to go to Causeway Trust A&E on the evening of 30 May. I guess I'd hit the floor harder than I thought when I fainted during the bus tour the week before. Yours truly painfully can't sit or lay down in comfort, moan, moan. Normally I am a game old bird and soldier on regardless, but this is a new and prolonged period of pure agony. Anyway, the waiting room soon began to fill up with peeps in need. We started comparing injuries to pass the time. I diagnosed that Gary from Eurospar in Ballycastle could well lose his leg from the knee down and tutted and shook my head at Jades arm while mumbling, " That's not good, oh dear, I don't like the sound of that". The wee Eejit went for a "dander" from Dunloy to Ballycastle in the sun. She is the most beautiful strawberry blonde. Sympathy was in short supply for the wee honey. I thought I was bad to the bone Jade but that mammy is better and great craic. I bet she used to stick pins in you to wake you up in the morning lol. It's our coping mechanism ... Make light of things while inside you are really scared. If we didn't laugh we'd cry Babe. Chris was clearly in pain after having fallen off a ladder and Doctor Moan diagnosed a broken rib with the potential of fluid seeping into the lung. Ring me Chris so I can tell you a good joke to tickle that broken bone. There were sports injuries and all sorts being put in a holding pattern. I don't know why they didn't give me a stethoscope and let me loose. I've always wanted to hear the sound of the innards. Joking apart I hope you peeps are gonna be ok. I wish I'd had my camera so we could have taken pics and sent them to causeway for the hell of it. It would be great to have a timer in the background. I commented that you are more likely to die of old age waiting to be seen than from the injury you sustained. Now there's a thing to consider. It was very distressing for the parents with young children. There really is nothing of interest for the kids and they get tired and cranky and cry. Those parents are having a bad enough time coping without an inconsolable child to contend with. I believe I speak for everyone in the waiting area when I say we would have gladly given up our slot to let those kids go first. They eventually did take them. We practically whooped for joy when we were called to triage only to have our hopes of being seen anytime soon dashed. After four hours and a panic stricken husband calling from home I realised I was not going to be seen the right side of midnight and had no choice but go home. The nurse apologised and said there was only one doctor on duty. What happened to the time sensitive targets the government introduced? Call me a cynic. I suspect the trust are deliberately running down A&E so it can be closed for good. We, the people have to ask questions ... And soon. The Causeway Hospital has a large catchment area that swells in university term time and again in the summer holiday period. What guarantees are there that Antrim Area can cope? What about the Ambulance Service? Those peeps are the heart and soul of getting emergencies to hospital in timely fashion. The Paramedics are the front line troops who save lives on the scene ... As long as they have the means to do so. They are so under valued because after they safe a life they deliver us to hospital and have no more contact. I for one would love to meet my rescuers and thank them properly. After I was delivered to Antrim Area I got a real shock. The staff were run ragged. They were hindered by drug addicts and drunks and it was heartbreaking to see. When I was admitted I felt like a fraud because they had worse off to deal with. I can't praise the staff in Antrim enough. It's not fair the way those dedicated carers are being targeted while our tax is being used to bail out banks that are still awarding bonuses for screwing us. Speak up my dears. No point crying when it's too late.