No, that’s not my new favourite expletive….(although it’s a good ‘un)
This was an eventful weekend: I spent Saturday morning in A&E with Middley after an abandoned radiator, stupidly left in the garden, fell on her foot. Actually, it would appear that the radiator mysteriously leapt out and jumped on her foot and, as no one else was present to witness the ABH, I can only take Middley’s word for it. Said radiator is now remanded in custody awaiting trial by municipal dump.
I should say that I love the NHS, they’ve taken good care of us over the years, saved my life before now and I wholeheartedly applaud everyone who works there. We are unbelievably lucky in the UK, a fact that was brought home to me when I read a sign saying that non- British Nationals would be charged for any A&E treatment they receive.
Anyway, in true Ronnie Corbett style, I’ve digressed. We checked in, saw the triage nurse and were taken through to wait for an x-ray. There we waited no more than 5 minutes before a lovely young man (how old do I sound?) came to receive us and take us through. He addressed Middley directly, and was so full of smiles and bounce that she had no time to be nervous.
In the radiography department he continued explaining everything he was doing and she was absolutely fine. I, on the other hand, was a giggling fool, thanks to the Kings Lynn Gonad Shields. It’s something that always sets me off – in my other life I often write about radiography equipment and digital imaging and visit hospital departments to construct case studies about how they do ‘their thing’. Every room is always equipped with a set of Gonad Shields and they are obviously vital for protecting internal organs from radiation. 
My juvenile sense of humour always wonders who gets to make the choice about size: “Small, medium or large sir?” Surely the radiographic equivalent of condom purchasing?
Anyway, all sniggering aside, Middley was thankfully fracture free, bandaged up, rewarded with two stickers and we were sent on our way, leaving a poor young (possibly Russian, maybe E.European) girl sobbing in the waiting room – no doubt because of the size of her bill.
You learn something new everyday!
Glee is back this week Woohoo
I can just see you giggling about that ! So glad it was not too bad for Middley!
Tonight!! Oh I’m so cheered by that news! Happy to provide an informative service 😉
LOL! She’s a star, and to be honest she didn’t even really need a bandage, but she likes a bit of TLC…. x
I saw those on Sunday morn when having my toe x-rayed and chuckled too! I lent forward and squinted at the ‘female’ and ‘male’ descriptions. Glad she’s ok xxxx
I’m glad to see that they’re simple and economical, easy to use and embarrassment free. It’s a weight off my mind.
Made me laugh about who has to decide on the size of the gonad shields. One of my friends is a radiographer so I think I’ll have to ask him. Glad all was okay with Middley.
Oh! I should’ve been looking about when I was having my thumb x-rayed on Wednesday…that would’ve perked me up no end! Glad Middley is on the mend and the radiator has had its come uppance. x
Don’t ever recall seeing gonad shields, are they for both genders? I have always gotten a big huge apron thingy that goes down to my knees! Glad Middley is ok:) Jen.
We are lucky with our NHS; they’re not wonderful but they do the job when we need them.
Relieved all is okay.
CJ xx
Wow! You think you’ve seen everything. Do they come in different colours… Think Larry Blackmon out of Cameo. Or maybe don’t. 🙂
LOL-that was very funny!
Who is the larger square cornered one for?
That’s the eternal question…maybe that’s for the slebs that pass through?! x
Thanks lovely x
I often do 😉
Hope you’re ok now, just catching up on FB….ouch xxxx
and the award for best comment of the day goes to *drum roll* ….the lady in the sheepskin coat xx
Thanks Emily, she was very lucky……and yes, please ask- it’s not the kind of thing I can ask about when conducting when interviews 😉 x
Thanks Chris, hope your poor thumb starts perking up soon xx
Times they are a’changing! Think it’s to do with the move to digital …much lower radiation so less need for the aprons in certain situations. Not sure if they are for both genders, another question to ask xx
Thanks CJ xx
These are important questions! We need to know… xx
So glad she is okay. and a timely reminder to get my kids one of those new fangled European medical cards to stop us having to pay hefty bills if anything goes wrong. If only i could remember the name of the dratted things…
I googled ‘new fangled European medical cards’ and found my way here: http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcareabroad/pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx might help?
Fingers all crossed that your trip isn’t affected by the ashcloud xx
I don’t think I’ll be in an NHS radiography department any time soon (not in being in Britain, that is) but I can assure that if I am, I won’t be worrying about whateve is wrong with me or my children or husband, I’ll be looking for Gonads protectors!
When I saw the various sized gonad sheilds when I was last in an X-ray room, I thought they were a joke as they were high up on the wall in a range of different sizes, I mean every man will be pointing to the big one, “I’m afraid I’ll need that one”, won’t he?
The kicker is if the tech is doing anywhere near that area, she’ll know more about your ‘little buddy’ than your closest friends.
I even asked my ‘bit of a looker’ female x-ray tech if they were some sort f a joke. She was deadpan, “No, why?”. Something on TV made me curious enough to fiinally go look for these things. I knew it was a double-barrelled name, I googled ‘High Wycombe Gnad Sheilds’ which got me nowhere. It was ‘Kings Lymn’… I was close …. ish.
Cheers
P.s. Keep out of hospitals… there’s no future in it.