Handbags And Gladrags

A tough day, followed by a quiet - ish (so far) night.

I've been in absentia for a while; sorry. For my occasional reader - no, I have not thrown you over. How could you think such a thing?! I've just been lazy preoccupied. But I'm afraid I'm still not letting anonymous posts in.

I can't really explain why I've gone off the boil of late. I suspect mostly because I ran out of things to say. This will become increasingly apparent as you read on...

I've been a little busy, too. Two of my very good friends got married at the end of February. A grand time was had by all, and sometimes it seems the only time we can manage a get together these days is Weddings or funerals. Which is a shame, really.

Work is beginning to get me down, again. Ironically, I can consider myself lucky, because at least I don't have to contend with the MMC/MTAS shit. But, my sloth, as always, is catching up with me, as the amount of extra-curricular work I should have produced grows ever further from the actual amount. I fucking hate research. I'm not interested in it, and I'm no good at it. Why can't it be left to those who are? I do enjoy teaching, and seem to be passably good at that. Why can't I trade?

Whatever; a period of hard work beckons. I need to focus.

I am pleased to see the medical profession develop some backbone over MTAS. As readers of my previous posts will know, I am fed up to the back teeth of the disregard, the disrespect that successive Governments have shown the medical profession. I have to curb my enthusiasm most of the time, for fear of sounding like the arrogant fucker I so nearly am.

But enough is enough. Unfortunately, my fear is now that the profession will descend into chaos, as no-one gets a job, or knows what the fuck is happening. I predict an orgy of finger pointing, as people struggle to distance themselves from this god-awful disaster.

The Royal Colleges have started; this comes as no surprise, as they are supposed to be the guardians of post-grad training, and collect ample cash from trainees. It's too little too late, as far as I can see. It is risible and contemptuous of them to now try and blame the government. The Royal Colleges were not in the dark about the monumental shafting being planned; but they sat back doing nothing.

How have we become so impotent in controlling our own destiny?

And yet we soldier on.

At work, a very young child was brought to us in extremis. I wasn't present, but such a terrible event leaves a miasma of grief behind it. The whole department is tensed, looking for ways to void the grief. But it will not be drawn tonight. We have been to busy, rushing from crisis to crisis, and the day staff, who bore the brunt of the psychological onslaught are at home now. I hope none of them are alone.

At the same time, a patient with some non specific limb pain took it upon themselves to start throwing shit at the nursing staff. This patient was not demented, not delirious. She was in full possession of her faculties. It was a deliberate, spiteful act. And it goes unpunished. This sort of thing really brings my contempt for this whole system to the fore. I cannot think of another profession where this would be acceptable.

I might try going to my bank tomorrow, and if I have to queue for more than a minute, start throwing faeces at the teller.

Lastly, I was struck tonight by another vignette you only see in hospitals. Parents with sick children bring in their favourite toys, to try and smooth the experience. Fair enough, but it looks a little incongruous to meet a flustered parent, red faced and anxious, furiously gripping a massive plastic elephant in one hand, and some unidentifiable soft toy in the other.

Maybe it's just me.