Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Accident and Emergency

I've lived in Ireland for over 12 years and visit Bristol twice a year for a week at Christmas and two to four weeks in the summer. In the space of those 12 years I have visited Accident and Emergency in Dublin five times, three of which were within 12 months of each other:

1) 1996 - I swallowed a fish bone
2) 2001 - Ben fell and cut above his eye
3) 2005 - Dillon fractured his elbow
4) 2006 - Ben had a virus which may have been meningitis so doctor sent me to A&E
5) 2006 - Mollie broke her thumb.

Not bad for a family of five over 12 years.

During that time I've had the pleasure of visiting A&E in Bristol five times as well:

1) 1995 (Christmas) - was pregnant with Mollie and thought I was dying from a brain tumor, (in my defence it was very painful and I needed special painkillers that I could take while pregnant!).
2) 1996 (Christmas) - Dillon was having trouble walking and in a lot of pain.
3) 2002 (Summer) - Ben dislocated his elbow.
4) 2006 (Summer) - Dillon was very ill, with high temperature and swollen throat in the middle of the night.
5) 2006 (Christmas) - Mollie shut her thumb in the car door, she was finding it hard to move her thumb and I suspected a fracture (thankfully I was wrong)!

Considering we spend eight percent of our year in Bristol I can't believe we know the A&E department there as well as we know A&E here in Dublin.

10 comments:

ChrisB said...

But which gives the best treatment!!

Beccy said...

I have to say Mum I've been satisfied with the treatment from both.

I could say that Dublin loses after having to wait close to five hours to see a doctor when Ben had suspected meningitus and spending nearly eight hours there until tests and treatment completed.

But Dublin would also win on speed because they saw Ben immediately when he was a toddler and cut above his eye, I was home with 30 minutes of leaving for A&E.

Also when Mollie fractured her thumb the nurse hurried us through after I asked her how long she expected us to have to wait. I only wanted to know to see whether I should get someone to come and collect Ben.

Mischief Monkey said...

I think that they are both good. I went in with my thumbs and they are the same bit of the body. All the people are nice in both ones to.

Beccy said...

Another thought A&E treatment is free in the UK whereas I have to pay €50 here, so I think I would prefer to be visiting A&E in Bristol!!!!

Emma in Canada said...

I can't imagine having to pay. Yikes. Although I suppose it would keep a lot of not very ill people away. When I'm at work I'm always amazed by the people that come into emergency instead of just going to a medicentre.

ChrisB said...

Mollie hope you are still excercising that thumb and I hope it's getting less painful. Grandma

Beccy said...

We have to pay to go to the doctor as well Emma, and it's roughly the same price. Non wage earners and those on a low salary do not have to pay.

sallywrites said...

Bad luck Mollie. Trapping your thumb in the car door is agony.

Happy New Year Beccy, Chris and everyone!

I'm very impressed that you kept up the blogs over Christmas. I copped out somehwat. bAck today though!!

Sally

ChrisB said...

Sally you could say we are sad souls!! It's very addictive as you know.

FH said...

Accident prone family!I am glad all of you have survived all those mishaps!:)

Happy and safe 2007!Enjoy.

I am back at last and visiting all of you today!