Set Adrift

On leave, so not much medicine. La Bell Fille is away, living it up, demonstrating that, yes teachers get beater holidays than doctors, but that they are also better at managing their money than, at least, this doctor.

If I think I'm underpaid, don't get me started on teachers.

Seriously, how important do you think education is?

The amount people pay for 'private' education answers the question.

It's just a shame, as with pay per service health care, that we (the high earners) don't want to pay for everyone to have the good stuff.

Last shift before leave, a night shift I swapped with Giganticus. It was, with a certain degree of inevitability, awful. Had to call the Boss in - first time in years. Multi vehicle pile up. Nothing we couldn't deal with, but the waiting time was going to go to shit, and in the current climate this is, arguably, more important.

So, the unwelcome early morning call.

Only one really sick. The Surgeon, Snowball's husband, a fella I quite like. Even if he is very surgeon. I call him, give him the dope.

27, high velocity RTC, prolonged extrication, a whiter shade of pale, numbers shocky.

I think he should come down.

Can't you get a scan? The question is born partly of modern surgical practice, which seems to start with CT scan, before even history, and partly of his being asleep.

I'm cautious, at first. I suggest he won't get to the scanner, or if he does, he won't make it back. I suggest this is one he really ought to see before the scan.

God love him, he demurs, and appears in the room. He tasks one look at the poor bugger's colour, and his numbers, resolutely resistant to the fluid we're pouring in.

Straight to theatre for this one.

I thought so.

The rest of the night breaks me, and I can barely see straight at the end. I tell myself this must be age, finally catching up on me. I pass H on the way out, my last shiftchange with her, and I'm sorry for it, for she was good, is good at her job, and I enjoyed working with her. I struggle to find a way to express this that doesn't sound either cheesy, a come-on or both.

I mumbled something, undoubtedly inadequate.

Ships that pass, and all that.

Shock boy made it out of theatre, which, sometimes, is as much as you can ask.