WILD AND TAMED

WEST MED CRUIZE

We flew to Barcelona, stayed the night & boarded our NCL cruise ship...The Pearl. We had picked up a 60% voucher

The dinning,cabin & facilities were fantastic.

We stopped off at Madeira,2 stops in the Canaries,Malaga & back

GMED

I joined another arm of Urgent Response Services, working with clinicians from a reponse vehicle.

I was based at Inverurie & the work load is quite heavy at times.

I have really enjoyed it for the most part

RESUS

Because the Ambulance Service was not always able to make the emergency calls before we could, we were often on the front line...so resus became par for course.

PSYCH PATIENTS

Never any easy task, although I am now well schooled in all the issues & dificulties...

...had a 20 yo girl run around the farm barns followed by us & police (one fatty cop had to pull out...thought he might need resus😮)...all the time 'patient' laughing...

...man had lunch with elderly father...taxi waiting to take him back to special residence...he did not want to go...what to do?...can't lay hands on him...not even cops unless we section patient which then starts a whole process of major bureaucracy for admission incl. ambulance...on call psych nurses,etc

Just a couple but we seem to have so much mental illness...much of it alchohol related as with many other ailments.

KNIFE ASSAULT

I had a female clinician with me & it was a psych case...BUT THE MAN HAD A KNIFE...was't paid enough to tackle this...so called for police help & who turns up, lights flashing, but 2 pint sized girls🙃...yes we live in the days of PC & everybody has the right. The man began to laugh when he saw what the PO-LISS had sent.

BAD WEATHER

Being in the NE of Scotland brings about the challenges from weather. No fun when everything is iced up & trying to negotiate a journey in the country wilds in a white out.

Also much of the equipment like various drugs,IV equip,defib & various obs equip can actually not function or give false readings.

BREAK DOWNS...NO NOT THE NERVOUS SORT

...but the vehicle...a few time & being stuck in the mountains waiting hours for help can be draining.

TOMINTOUL

Right up in the Cairngorns mtn range is an isolted town...Tomintoul. It can take hrs in the winter to get there. One time we had to pick up a patient only to find out when we got there that communication had got mixed up.

HE HAD BEEN DISCHARGED THE DAY BEFORE

PARA DEATH

One of my colleagues was a big biker fan. He & his girlfriend were racing around the mtns when he rear ended a truck on a blind bend. 

Both were decapitated! & it was terrible for colleagues to deal with it.

NEIGHBOUR EMERGENCY

Because I was able, my neighbour often called me to help with his wife's falls. She has numerous problems & sadly died in a nursing home of chineese virus😠

LEAVING CHILDREN

At one case, we had the misfortune to have to report a mother who had called in a visit for her very young child...only to be out when we arrived...the other young children (all under 7) let us in...saw to the child...mother returned...she needed fags...social services were informed...more expense for the taxpayer...numbnuts

Not an uncommon attitude amongst people...they think the system works for nothing...because they are PARASYTIC🤪

CRASH WITH LORNA

It was the beginning of winter & we had an urgent call in the next town.

On the way we were first on scene at an RTC.

The driver had not judged the conditions,collided & ended in the field.

She was screaming in pain. Lorna,my doc & I dealt with her & I then went to the other driver who was in shock. I treated him in the ambo when it arrived. The police cordoned off the road...traffic was backing up badly.

The poor girl had broken her pelvis

SA

On our trip this time we flew to EL...spent time with Rose at Gonubie, then on to David in Cintsa .

From there we stayed a night with old friend Rob Grindley-Ferris near Bathurst in East Cape. 

Then on to PE where we had a lovely place nr Central. Met up with Kevin Golightly at the Boardwalk.

A long drive to Mossel Bay...

Then on to Simonstown where we had a fantastic place. Took a tour around S West/Strand/G Bay & saw old friend Weepener home.

We took the Premiere Class train back to JNB which was really good then...I hear not so now😠

Spent a day jet skiing on Hartebeespoort Dam with Charmaine's brother.