That headline sounded so silly on the BBC News Website last week. Then I dug deeper and discovered that too many hospitals are struggling with patients expecting the emergency department to deal with niggling issues, who really ought to seek help elsewhere. A spokesman for NHS England said "We are under siege from hiccups and ingrowing toenails"- across England, in the six months between Nov 24 and March 25, an average of twenty people a day turned up at A&E because they had problems with an ingrown toenail. Such foot issues don't happen accidentally or become an overnight emergency.
I read the headline, and ranted to Bob, who listened patiently, then asked "and did the BBC spell it properly?"
I knew immediately what he meant - is it hic-cup or hic-cough?
At school, we were taught cough but lately the generally accepted spelling is cup. I had to go and look it up. Here's what I found
In old English [1500s] the word hiccup was - allegedly- just ahead of hiccough in books, the two spellings appeared around the same time. However, many people thought the hic was a sort of cough, so that gave the second spelling. Furthermore, people long before Tudor times, had blamed this malady on the elves, and called it ælfsogoða which means elf's cough.
I have been suffering with a sore throat and tickly cough for a few days, and completely lost my voice on Saturday Morning. Bob went without me to help put up the Christmas Decorations at church.
He came back and said his back was aching badly. We'd planned to go to the Village Carols in the Parish Church at 6pm. "Let's stay home, darling" I whispered tenderly "After all, you can't sit, and I can't sing"
"But you couldn't sing even before you lost your voice..." he replied [altogether a bit too quickly, if you ask me!]
You may have been a good Santa last Tuesday, but the elf is still watching you, Bob!!!
That's the kind of comment my DH would come out with... a bit close to the bone at times even when he's joking. In my case he would be right...when they removed my thyroid I swear they also removed my voice, but I suspect you have a beautiful voice.
ReplyDeleteSadly not, it have no sense of rhythm and cannot hold a tune! Teaching music was my nightmare lesson when I did Supply work!
ReplyDeleteReally??? I'm very surprised!!!!
DeleteMusic and PE - my two worst subjects as a pupil and as a teacher!!
DeleteI see the headlines regarding visits to the A &E are ridiculous but what is the alternative these days? We have lost the common sense knowledge from elders, primarily Mums and Grans. There is no district nurse available. Everything is through the receptionist at your surgery if you can get to speak to one, assuming you get through. If you ring 111 they frequently tell you to go to A & E or ring your doctor! I now see my local pharmacist speaking to more people but he also has his own job to do. I am not judging or complaining just asking what is the alternative for many people? Su
ReplyDeleteI take your point - it is so hard to get advice even for minor ailments. And 111 do often suggest A&E
DeleteIf I sing something at home mostly when doing housework, my Husband always says "If I pay you will you go and sing somewhere else?". Charming. We always say hiccup. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteI think I'd be tempted to take his money and sing elsewhere!! [perhaps it could pay for a cleaner whilst you sing in the garden]
DeleteIt's a good job we love them, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is
DeleteFunnily enough, I was thinking about why there were two spellings after using it in my poem last week.
ReplyDeletePeople do go to A&E with some trivial matters. Perhaps they've been trying for a HP appointment and getting nowhere?
Naughty Bob!!!
I guess sometimes the wait for a GP just gets too long...
DeleteSorry to hear you have a sore throat and that Bob’s back is bad again. This time of year is definitely when you need to take care not to overdo things. Rest up both and fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Catriona
ReplyDeleteTrying to take it slowly this week
DeleteI wonder if accident and emergency depts are clogged up with people with minor problems who can't get to see their GP. Although I would testify that ingrowing toenails might sound like a joke but are very debilitating and dangerous once they become infected!
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to suggest that they were trivial - and I suppose if the wait for a GP or podiatrist gets too long, the toenails get too long too...
DeleteOur poor hospital is 'broken', people having to lie on trolleys, or in some cases, the floor, for hours before a bed is found. I cannot understand why people feel entitled to take up hours of A and E time with complaints that could easily be taken to a Dr or even a Pharmacist.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, the system is broken, sadly.
DeleteYears ago when eldest son was choking on a piece of meat I took him to A&E (Emergency in Canada) which was a real reason to take him. The nurses told me people come in with non urgent slivers. They initially were annoyed they couldn’t find his file but he only went the once at age 15.
ReplyDeleteThat WAS a genuine reason. When Bob went to A&E in Kent, he was on file - but the address was his childhood home which he'd left over 50 years ago!
DeletePeople seem to have forgotten what A and E stands for; maybe they should have had at least one hiccupper or ingrowing toenail time waster being lobbed out of the waiting room in every episode of Casualty on tv!!!
ReplyDeleteNow that would be an informative programme. [I do not watch Casualty]
DeleteOoh Bob, that was below the belt!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI have said for years that so many people dash to A&E at the first sign of what they perceive to be an emergency but which is in reality some minor ailment. We were only talking the other day with Mum about when my Dad numbed my hand in iced water before he dug into my finger to pull out a shard of gold from a ring that I had embedded into it. We just didn't even think about going to hospital with small matters even when my boys were young in the 80s. I had a lot of accidents as a tom-boyish child which Dad usually put right ... he had a good first aid box on standby.
I think I went to A&E just once as a child. It does seem more common now. Perhaps our parents, who had lived through WW2 just 'got on with it'.
DeleteYou've hit the nail on the head! My husband worked as an ambulance driver for several years...
ReplyDeleteYour little gnome that you made is absolutely adorable.
I love all kinds of crafts.
All the best to you both.
Happy Advent season.
Viola
We thank your husband and all other ambulance drivers, who work hard, and for many hours, to get the sick to hospital safely 💙
DeleteOur hospitals are under siege. Poor Iris had a physiotherapy appointment today, was taken out of school and halfway there, a call to say appointment was cancelled, next one is 12th January. And Sis in Law was due to have a gallbladder op at same hospital, got there for 7am and sent home at 4pm with no op! I despair! Xx
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating for all concerned
DeleteI have to say I ranted about that headline too.
ReplyDeleteI hope you both feel better very soon.
We are getting there...thank you
DeleteWithout a family doctor of our own, we now have another option to emergency. We can call up a virtual triage centre in the county and they arrange a phone consultation with a doctor. It isn't perfect, but it is better than waiting hours to clog up our A & E with concerns that are not urgent.
ReplyDeleteHealth care is "broken" in many places, not just the uk
DeleteAccess to health care is becoming a luxury over here.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad
Delete