User Comments

1. 

   8/05/08

   alexmcone

   When I was eight I broke my arm. My dad was pretty influential in those days and when word broke out that his son had broken his left arm, doctors fell on the case left and right.
   
   Atleast seven senior doctors argued over what should be done. And all of it being done in the surgery room. So there I was with the anasthetic mask on me ... but no anasthesia wondering if I would ever wake up after the operation ... and suddenly I'm pulled out of the room and back to my dad who takes me to an Iraqi clinic where the good doctor puts a cast on my arm and tells me I'll be fine in two months. Which I did.
   
   Turns out that when I was in the surgery room and American junior doctor approached my father and told him to take me and flee ... or I would not have my arm. Dad freaked out and created a ruckus thereby securing my freedom and probably my arm.

   [reply]
   1. 

      8/05/08

      JanelleV

      Gosh -- that must have been pretty horrifying for an 8 year old to experience. Did going through that make you fearful or hesitant towards future doctors?
   2. 

      8/05/08

      alexmcone

      No, I never knew what was happening. My dad told me about it when I was 19. At the time I thought I was being transferred.
   3. 

      8/05/08

      calais50

      Interesting story. Why were they going to do an operation for a broken arm instead of just putting a cast on it?
   4. 

      8/05/08

      alexmcone

      They were going to amputate.
2. 

   8/05/08

   calais50

   There was a little girl (4 yo) at my old church who had to take meds for hypothyroidism. She was given 10 times the dosage for an adult and it ruined her liver. She had to have a transplant. I read that transplanted organs only last around 6 years. She is such a sweetie. So sad...

   [reply]
   1. 

      8/05/08

      JanelleV

      That's awful.. Was that recent? How is she doing now?
   2. 

      8/05/08

      calais50

      I saw her about 5 years ago when she was 18. I hope she's ok.
3. 

   8/05/08

   JanelleV

   I was wondering that too.. An operation for a broken arm sounds a little off. You're lucky your dad got you out of there.

   [reply]
4. 

   8/05/08

   myriadlife

   We had to make a formal complaint against a consultant who said to my Mum "are you like other old people who do their chores on certain days?" Talk about blatant ageism. He went on to delay her surgery, was rude, unpleasant and very difficult to deal with. Fortunately a much nicer consultant replaced him and her surgeon was fantastic. Over six months of hell we had some of the best and some of the worst.
   
   Why some of the medical profession think they have a right to be rude and uncaring I don't know. I know they have a lot to put up with too but surely their vocation is to care. We came across negligence, ignorance and arrogance but also medics who went the extra mile to provide excellent care. It seems the NHS is very much a mixed bag. We made the effort to write and commend where treatment was good as it as just as important as making complaint officially where necessary.
   
   I would say to anyone do NOT be afraid to fight your case if you have cause to complain. Don't be frightened. You could well be saving the life of the next person to be treated by doing so.

   [reply]
   1. 

      8/05/08

      JanelleV

      I like that you pointed that out. Speaking up could make all the difference in the world for the next person.
5. 

   8/05/08

   myriadlife

   Thanks Janelle - too many suffer in silence.

   [reply]