Blog 68 An unfortunate Anglo-German misunderstanding
February 4, 2022Hans Schmidt had lived all his life in the village of Tutzing, on the shores of Lake Starnberg, in Southern Germany. At the age of 21, he had married his childhood sweetheart, Gerda, and opened a small bakery, supplying bread and cakes to the local community. When his working days were over, the couple had […] Read more
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Blog 67 Supporting the Samaritans
January 15, 2022Terry had been a supporter of the Samaritans for many years and the charity’s fundraising golf day was, for him, a ‘never to be missed’ occasion. This year he had asked his old school friend Joe to accompany him, and they had enjoyed a pleasant game of golf at a prestigious golf course some forty […] Read more
Blog 66 Carving the Christmas turkey
December 15, 2021Every Christmas Day morning when I was a child, I visited either Stockport Infirmary or Stepping Hill Hospital. This was in the 1950s when we lived in Davenport, approximately half way between the two hospitals. My father was Rupert Sykes who was one of the two physicians that served the hospitals at that time. Today, […] Read more
Blog 65 Football fans suffer strange injuries
November 26, 2021Wishing that I could be watching the football match at Old Trafford instead of working in the Casualty Dept at the Infirmary, I was busy treating patients with various lumps, bumps and bruises when three teenage boys arrived. They had been watching Manchester United play Manchester City. I can’t remember now whether it was a […] Read more
Blog 64 The Doctor and the Lottery Ticket
October 23, 2021Working for the general practitioner’s night call service, I was sitting in our medical centre with Dave Morrison, my regular driver. It was two in the morning and all was quiet. We’d already undertaken a couple of visits, neither terribly dramatic, and were waiting to see what else turned up. If it remained quiet for […] Read more
Blog 63 How NOT to ask for a reference
September 6, 2021It was always going to be a difficult letter to write. I’d got on the wrong side of the boss from my very first day in the job. ‘Report at 9 am to the Administration Department’ the letter had said, which is precisely what I did. It was scarcely my fault that my new boss had instructed the […] Read more
Blog 62 Apple Blossom Time
August 11, 2021Elsie’s committed suicide in the hospital bathroom. She bought the razor blade in the shop downstairs and by the time the nurse found her the water was as red as the body was white. The bathroom door’s locked now, but Elsie’s still inside, and the nurses are whispering in corners when they don’t think we […] Read more
Blog 61 Aging with dignity
July 5, 2021As a young man, I often heard old folks remark, usually with a sad smile and a knowing shake of the head, ‘Growing old is no fun, you know’. At the time, I didn’t take much notice but I’m now beginning to understand what they meant. I’m discovering that Old Father Time creeps up on you insidiously. […] Read more
Blog 60 Waiting. The patient’s wife
June 7, 2021Alice Fielding, her face lined and anxious, rang her daughter, Mary. Thanks to an earlier call, Mary already knew that her dad had collapse and been rushed to the hospital. She had collected her little girl from the nursery and had been having their dinner when the call came through. She promised to come as […] Read more
Blog 59 Belatedly reaching the Correct Diagnosis
April 12, 2021Thursday afternoon was the time each week that John set aside for his clerical and administrative work. It was a chance to sit in his room, close the door, and work for a couple of hours, free of interruptions. He started by clearing the requests for repeat prescriptions. It didn’t him take long and was […] Read more
