tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post8205569474632629151..comments2024-02-06T07:57:54.467+00:00Comments on underdogs bite upwards: Visiting the doctors.Leg-ironhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-63499030574109668832010-06-06T18:31:45.987+01:002010-06-06T18:31:45.987+01:00Here at the QMC in Nottingham there is a non-smoki...Here at the QMC in Nottingham there is a non-smoking area where all the ambulances park (at the main entrance, not A&E). It is sheltered, so it's presumably illegal to smoke there anyway. Everyone does though, and nobody seems to care, least of all the paramedics. Ducks also live here. There isn't a body of water at the main entrance so maybe they like (or are addicted to, depending on your righteousometor) the smoke.<br /><br />This whole place actually seems quite liberal (by British standards, not <i>actual</i> liberty). I've never noticed any of the Righteous games you talk about. Maybe you should come back.<br /><br />I've also never been given particularly terrible diseases. Then again I guess I only go in the safe areas. Either way there are ill people all over the shop.naturalnoblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06577233061177704698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-17243077123636988652010-06-04T23:41:41.079+01:002010-06-04T23:41:41.079+01:00I'm astonished no-one has mentioned "ker-...I'm astonished no-one has mentioned "ker-ching". I read somewhere that doctors use this to refer to the dozens of targets they have to hit to earn extra money.<br /><br />My GP who barely made eye contact since he was staring at his monitor simply ran through his check list every time I visited.<br /><br />Smoke.<br />Drink.<br />Weight.<br />Blood pressure.<br />Diet.<br />Off for a blood test.<br /><br />And so on. When enough boxes are ticked----ker-ching goes the cash register. And it is not peanuts either --they get thousands.<br /><br />And have you ever had a survey to complete while you wait to be seen?<br /><br />Just putting the survey forms and little pencils out for people to fill in and --ker-ching.<br /><br />Labour targets--always good for a laugh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-80835143336899760102010-06-03T23:29:29.523+01:002010-06-03T23:29:29.523+01:00Anon - I have to wonder if the rise in high blood ...Anon - I have to wonder if the rise in high blood pressure is connected in any way to those long waits to get it checked?Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-31618295955744431862010-06-03T23:28:21.349+01:002010-06-03T23:28:21.349+01:00Saucepan - there has been a lot of talk of 'di...Saucepan - there has been a lot of talk of 'diagnosis creep' in certain barely-classified ailments.<br /><br />If the Pharma lot can get you diagnosed as bipolar, you're on their medication for life. You don't even have an option to quit.<br /><br />It's far easier to escape tobacco than pharmaceutical companies.Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-82431793220475882242010-06-03T23:26:11.957+01:002010-06-03T23:26:11.957+01:00Ashtrayhead - that's a good one.
'Do you...Ashtrayhead - that's a good one. <br /><br />'Do you smoke?'<br /><br />'Why, that's very civil of you. Cigar?'Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-7219104500603435462010-06-03T23:25:02.340+01:002010-06-03T23:25:02.340+01:00Subrosa - all my clothes come from supermarkets th...Subrosa - all my clothes come from supermarkets these days, apart from the good stuff other people buy at Christmas to try to force me to be fashionable. I don't see why expensive clothes are any warmer than cheap ones, and having all my clothes look the same makes the morning choice of cladding easy.<br /><br />It's odd though. I can spend all day in the lab and not get a single bacterium on me. Five minutes in the garden and I have a shirt even the charity collectors would refuse.Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-24973049332540556922010-06-03T23:19:02.343+01:002010-06-03T23:19:02.343+01:00Dioclese - they know my age. They sent me a card f...Dioclese - they know my age. They sent me a card for my 50th birthday.<br /><br />I shat on it and sent it back. It was what they wanted.Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-62377548594140762010-06-03T23:03:58.646+01:002010-06-03T23:03:58.646+01:00Dick P - I'll have to go armed with hospital a...Dick P - I'll have to go armed with hospital avoidable death rates if I have to visit one day. Funny they don't allow smoking anywhere in the grounds. Perhaps it's far too slow.<br /><br />They can't wait around for you to maybe die of smoking. They are busy people. Take this, and die now. Don't you know there's a waiting list?Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-73267915782605544842010-06-03T23:01:47.766+01:002010-06-03T23:01:47.766+01:00Fausty- I was only there for ten days. Work, not h...Fausty- I was only there for ten days. Work, not holiday, so I wasn't confined to the 'safe' areas.<br /><br />They have some perfumed spirit which is deadly. They also have a custom that a guest's glass must never be less than full. So, drinking with pig-farmers, you have no idea how much you've had.<br /><br />I was somewhat hung over...<br /><br />I did manage to utterly disgust them by eating a whole raw garlic clove. I take my 'omnivore' designation seriously ;)Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-66589942384997267802010-06-03T22:58:42.848+01:002010-06-03T22:58:42.848+01:00JuliaM - I think a lot of street-level police are ...JuliaM - I think a lot of street-level police are also unhappy with the way idiots dictate their actions from on high, but there's no mechanism for them to do anything about it. <br /><br />The NHS punishes whistleblowers severely. I suspect all public service Quangistas run the same sort of tyrannical administration.Leg-ironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04932361799889315359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-50933009539032811982010-06-03T20:42:46.557+01:002010-06-03T20:42:46.557+01:00We are 'patients' so that is why we wait i...We are 'patients' so that is why we wait in the waiting room, patiently. After all, we have nothing better to do have we? <br /><br />Roger PenneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-82097556782501406772010-06-03T13:03:01.778+01:002010-06-03T13:03:01.778+01:00A lot of the boxes that GP's tick have been pu...A lot of the boxes that GP's tick have been put there for the benefit of the pharma co's.<br /><br />Wondered why nearly everyone is classed as obese, diagnosed with high blood pressure and or diabetes?<br /><br />They keep tinkering around with the 'normal' limits. Everyone is different so how can there be a 'normal' level for anything? <br /><br />Basically, if there's a pill for it, 'you are at risk of blah, blah, blah'.<br /><br />Oh, and I've also self-treated for abcesses and survived :D<br /><br />I take it as a sign that my body needs a rest.saucepannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-7306453916285766722010-06-03T09:43:33.941+01:002010-06-03T09:43:33.941+01:00I haven't been to the doctors for a while but ...I haven't been to the doctors for a while but if I get asked if I smoke I may take it as an invitation to light up! Might even offer the doc one.Ashtrayheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-58194920435298604742010-06-03T09:32:31.583+01:002010-06-03T09:32:31.583+01:00Now Mr LI. Don't you dare burn clothes. Put t...Now Mr LI. Don't you dare burn clothes. Put them on a boil wash.<br /><br />As for doctors, I'm not lectured anymore. Being a c.diff survivor has gained a little respect from them, especially as I smoke (too much) and drink (moderately, by my standards anyway). <br /><br />If my GP mentioned my habits she's fully aware of the consequences. The letter I wrote to the GP who didn't diagnose my c.diff and kept me in agony for a further week is on my file.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-66788300145509827082010-06-03T09:14:41.223+01:002010-06-03T09:14:41.223+01:00And donlt forget to tell them your age and weight ...And donlt forget to tell them your age and weight as well. Then they have a full set of excuses for why you're ill.<br /><br />I'm thinking of starting a fat old piss artist smokers protest group!Dioclesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139646438543954337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-91909515420140840532010-06-03T08:52:18.672+01:002010-06-03T08:52:18.672+01:00I've been to the doctor twice in the past 12 y...I've been to the doctor twice in the past 12 years (and once was a mandatory check up on changing surgery). When they nag about smoking, I reply that when doctors stop killing people, I'll quit smoking. <br /><br />Tends to shut them up. ;-)Dick Puddlecotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01481866882188932892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-75054775195407635582010-06-03T06:38:16.316+01:002010-06-03T06:38:16.316+01:00Similar experiences of doctors and NHS hospitals h...Similar experiences of doctors and NHS hospitals here, Leg-Iron. <br /><br />Most of the time, I diagnosed myself correctly long before the doctor did - not because I'm clever, but because I have my best interests at heart and am not in the least bit interested in ticking boxes.<br /><br />I had the misfortune to come down with pneumonia a while back - discovered on a Saturday. That meant my having to check into an NHS hospital. The nurses were sloppy and indolent and I could've inserted the canulas more efficiently and hygienically myself - one-handed, blindfolded.<br /><br />I'd love to read about your time in China. Any chance of a blog on the subject in the future? :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170981338945747646.post-67223925244131996202010-06-03T05:40:26.471+01:002010-06-03T05:40:26.471+01:00"I suggest that anyone visiting a doctor deve...<i>"I suggest that anyone visiting a doctor develop a similar short spiel. That way, you might actually get some medical attention rather than a lecture on how you should be living."</i><br /><br />It seems that the doctors are <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1283493/GPs-plead-time-patients--MPs-look-20bn-NHS-savings.html" rel="nofollow">in agreement with you</a>...<br /><br />That survey's a bit inconvenient for the NuPuritans, what? ;)JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.com