Awful, awful scenes of devastation in Nepal and Tibet. The speed at which that water and mud tore through the valley and so many people missing in one of the remotest places in the world. A tragedy on a huge scale.
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One of the disturbing things I've heard this week was about the number of people going to hospital A&E this summer for help with simple insect bites and stings. Apparently this is common (and it's not counting the people who are stung in mouth or eyes or allergic and go into some sort of shock - obviously they have to go). Of course everyone who shows up at A&E has to be treated, taking up hours of time. Seems many don't know that antihistamine cream or tablets are available at the pharmacy and usually all that's needed.
Reminds me of the one time we were in A&E and there was someone there who had fallen and grazed a knee. She came in with 3 drunk friends! The drunk friends were made to wait outside but the grazed knee waited for ages - frequently going in and out to smoke and chat with the friends outside- before giving up and going. They would have seen her but she was way down the waiting list as they never turn people away.
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| The fruit-bowl has the first of the windfall Falstaff Apples and 4 pears from a friend |
It's been a good week in Mid Suffolk, I've seen many more people than usual. 15 at the Keep Moving group which is a good turnout. My sister popped in on her way back from getting her eyebrows done (we are so different! my eyebrows haven't been plucked since I was a teenager and it's not something I even think about).
Friends from Essex visited one afternoon, they always bring me a jar of proper home made marmalade, which is delicious. They make lots each January from Seville oranges (A. has more patience than me! I cheat with the ready prepared tin of oranges or lemons.) Although apparently there might be a shortage next January as Spanish Seville orange trees have also been affected by the excess of summer heat.
Then BiL came round to help me get the sliding door back on the greenhouse. Managed fairly easily with two pairs of hands and him getting down to see what was happening with the bottom runner.
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Rain and thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday didn't materialise at all and Thursday's forecast wasn't right either - just a shower in the morning and another couple in the afternoon and warm in between which dried it up very quickly and then yesterday was really hot and sunny again until another shower in the evening. Maybe there'll some rain today and tomorrow - but not a high % chance. Everywhere is still brown and frazzled.
And now we are around to the Late Summer Bank Holiday weekend.... seems like about 10 minutes after last year!, but it means it's the annual Flower Festival and mini fete at Crowfield church, which I go and visit due to them always having lots of secondhand books for sale.
Have a good weekend, I'll be back Monday with the end of the month financials.
It does sound like you've had a good week and plenty to look forward to this weekend by the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteAnd rain at last to help green everything up again
DeleteGood that you had guests and help with the greenhouse door.
ReplyDeleteA flower festival with secondhand books is my idea of a good trip, the homemade cake will probably be delicious too. I made us a batch of cranberry and oatmeal cookies for the bank holiday weekend and reduced the sugar,they're still plenty sweet enough.
Penny
I tried to do the greenhouse door and my sister tried with me too. But BiL worked it out - thank goodness - as I need to shut the door at night so the peppers turn red
DeleteMy sister’s daughter is an A & E nurse & has lots of horror stories . Plenty of drunks causing problems & making racist comments to the staff , including the doctors treating them . She's tough though & doesn’t take any nonsense . Very different to the sweet little girl she used to be .
ReplyDeleteWendy in York
It's disgusting the way some people behave, thank you to your niece for being one of those who have to put up with idiots in A&E
DeleteNews from Nepal is grim.
ReplyDeleteYes there are always drunken people in A&E, and people who could get themselves sorted elsewhere. I cannot fault the staff at our local hospital. Patient, kind, and hardworking. And when it is really serious, they pull out Al, the stops.
Have a good BH weekend!
I'm thankful that I've not had to visit A&E for many years - but those who work there deserve medals
DeleteOur local A&E at Portsmouth has a triage at the doors, they turn away loads of people, redirecting them to the correct place, if you call 111 and they send you to the A&E, they will book you a time to save waiting, your not seen any earlier, you just wait at home. As for Nepal it's a disaster, unimaginable horror.
ReplyDeleteThe triage before even getting in sounds a good idea. I've not been for many years so have no idea how it works now in Ipswich
DeleteI think there must be many of us that have witnessed the sort of scenario that you described in A and E, what a nuisance for the overworked staff. Apparently ambulance workers are regularly called out for things like toothache!
ReplyDeleteThose poor folk in Nepal, I can’t even imagine what they are going through 😢
Glad your week has been enjoyable.
Alison in Devon x
These huge tragedies seem often to happen to the poorest people in remote locations. So sad.
DeleteLike everyone, I was absolutely appalled by the catastrophe in Nepal. The eventual death-toll will be thousands, and many tourists amongst them. That wall of water and mud was horrifying to behold. Those people in the house which had the wall of water at its back and a lesser flow at the front - I was praying the house walls would hold, and they did.
ReplyDeleteNone of my orchard ready to pick yet - they are more October apples I think.
Do people really know SO little about basic treatment for grazes and stings? Can't they just Dr Google it rather than going to A&E? I have been a couple of times about my stye, which is very slow in healing, but to the Pharmacist and once to try and get an appt at the Optician which is where the Pharmacist told me to go, but they were busy . . . Well, it will get a shock on Monday when I put my mascara back on again . . .
It will take years to restore any sort of normal for the people in Nepal and Tibet. So very sad.
DeleteBe careful with that mascara - something I've not used since I was about 16!
I just bought a bottle of antihistamine tablets yesterday as I've been so itchy lately. The pharmacist told me what to get when I picked up my regular prescriptions yesterday.
ReplyDeleteIt's supposed to get warmer here next week but hopefully rainier, too. We will see as the weather app is often wrong.
Enjoy your weekend!
We have a good antihistamine cream here, always in the cupboard and brilliant for insect bites
DeleteDitto to the comments about the devastation in Nepal. My sister and her husband lived in the Pokhara valley when they were in the Peace Corps in 1964-66. Nepal was the equivalent of a medieval kingdom then. I am sure their village was heavily damaged.They lived a 45 minute walk to the city of Pokhara where they worked as English teachers. Walking was the only means of transportation.
ReplyDeleteI went to the emergency room twice when I was much younger and my eyes swelled shut from spider bites. They showed me how to make a paste of meat tenderizer and water and spread it on the bite. It is made from papayas and neutralizes the venom. Also, they gave me Benadryl antihistamine. I have kept both in my home for over 55 years and they do work.
A flower show, book sale and CAKE sound like my idea of a good time!
Nepal is such a remote country and so difficult to know how they will rebuild their lives in that valley.
DeleteThose spider bites sound frightening. Thankfully we don't have biting spiders here and insect bites are usually just annoying rather than dangerous
The catastrophe in Nepal is horrendous. I shudder at the terror those poor people experienced.
ReplyDeleteIt's very dry here, too, but our summer has not had the heat waves the UK and Europe have experienced. Rain is in the forecast, but we will have to wait and see if it materializes.
Books and flowers and cake and helpful family are all very good things.
We have finally had some rain today, nice and steady, we don't want huge downpours as it would just run off .
DeleteI'm very glad BiL is able to help with things I can't manage. I don't ask often as he is still very busy despite being retired.
A good antihistamine over the counter works well. I once had an allergic reaction, and the nurse (on the call-in line) told me to take Benadryl. It worked immediately.
ReplyDeleteER's are known for long waits. Although they do prioritize people in order or urgency.
Hopefully you will find some good buys at the book sale.
Book and flower show photos to come next week!
DeleteI had an overnight guest from DC last night so the house is very tidy! It is such a good feeling. I've never liked marmalade but when my mother and I were in Holland we had amazing apricot jam. I don't know why it was so much better than here but I went to a grocery store and bought two jars to bring home. My toaster is temperamental but it was just as good on plain bread!
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy in Nepal is so horrendous, those poor people, heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteAs for the A&E visits for small things, for years I hav asked at the chemist to speak to a Pharmacist. They give very good appropriate advice, and they do tell you to see a GP if the think it necessary. Saves a visit to a hospital. Carole R
The scenes out of Nepal are shocking and heartbreaking. I cannot quite wrap my head around the size of the devastated area. Thousands of people missing.
ReplyDeleteMy sister was an Emergency room nurse for years. I think the stories of the drug victims was the worst. One victim was brought in having chewed her finger tips off, right down to the bone. Even worse, she was a repeat visitor, and a teenager. Her parents were beside themselves.
Yeah, our rains didn't materialize as expected either. I imagine making people wait in the A&E when they're not urgently ill is the hospital's way of telling them to go home!
ReplyDelete