A Good Read

This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay

I wasn’t overly thrilled to learn that this was my book club’s choice as I thought it was going to be a fairly depressing account of statistics and politics. WRONG - it is a profound account of the life of a junior doctor: the 97 hour weeks; life and death decisions; a constant tsunami of bodily fluids; and how the hospital parking meter earns more than the staff. Those vile people who abuse hospital staff should be made to read this book.

Specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, Kay’s diaries recorded the highs and lows of his life as an overworked and often overwhelmed young doctor in an overstretched NHS. Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, the book provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.

Most pages have footnotes explaining medical procedures which I found interesting.

There are lots of little anecdotes that made me laugh and cry. Some are cringe worthy, like dealing with people having inserted all manner of  weird objects up their vaginas to improve their sex lives!! And some are amusing like the time Adam and his registrar Hugo were attending a patient who was bleeding profusely. After a few questions Hugo solved it, the patient had been taking St John’s wort. She was astonished to learn that ‘just herbal’ could be bad for you. Hugo replied that apricot stones contain cyanide, some mushrooms are poisonous, and, continued Hugo, there is a plant in my garden that if you simply sat under it for ten minutes you would be dead. Adam later asked what the plant was “Water Lily”, replied Hugo.

Some people may think it irreverent to laugh at another’s misfortune but there are times when laughter is necessary to maintain sanity, and cheaper than therapy.

I have read where Adam has been criticised for being arrogant. Well I suspect that a great many brilliant doctors are, and some of those criticisms could have been borne out of envy. If  a doctor is healing me or saving my life he/she can be as arrogant as they like.

When you read why he left medicine, it’s heartbreaking. He quit after a caesarean section went horribly wrong. When he tried to write up his notes, he cried for an hour. He continued working as a doctor for a while without laughing, he recalls. He says he should have had counselling. 

The book is also a portrayal of the shameful way politicians treat the NHS and all those who dedicate their working lives to it.

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x

Dolls House No. 2 The Manor House

Here it is - 6 years in the making (on and off, in between other projects), lots of procrastinating a lot bit of swearing, doing and re-doing, apathy, and just getting plain fed up with it, it's finally finished!

 Let's take a tour

starting at the top of the house with Miss Teen's room. Freddie likes being up here with her.

with en-suite

and Mr Teen's room where he enjoys his juke box and gaming

downstairs on the third floor

is Dylan sitting on the rug on the landing

the bathroom

and the main bedroom with fake doors to an en-suite and walk in wardrobe.

Chloe the pretty cat is a regular visitor to this room

Downstairs is the second floor landing

the library

and the lounge

Down to the first floor landing

the kitchen

and the dining room

and on the ground floor

 is the utility/games room, entrance hall and garage

A short video to finish

My next project is a Mouse House inspired by a visit to Newby Hall

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x

Dolls House No. 2 The Basement

There has been a lot of inertia whilst working on this room, I think it's because it's the last room of the house and I got bored with it

When I did the lighting I forgot to take into account the basement rooms are much deeper than the other rooms, and therefore the lighting isn't really adequate. I should have put one at the front and one at the back. I might put some wall lights at the back.

The walls are red brick textured paper which I spray painted years ago! It was one of the first jobs I did. 

The door is a fake one that goes up to the kitchen.

I used a template for the flooring to bring it up to the same level as the garage.

The flooring is a sample piece from a DIY store.

I made the cupboard the same way as I made the fridge in the kitchen.

Next came the washing machine. It doesn't bear close inspection but it's good for a first attempt.

I'm pleased with it

I used foamboard so it was easy to cut a hole for the door. It looks very rough here. I didn't like the silver metallic fablon because I decided that I was going to use it for the opening around the door, so I changed it to white. I made a small opening for a handle

I think this was part of some packaging, it's been in my stash for ages and was perfect for the door.

After cutting it into a circle  

I fitted it in the hole, stuck some grey metallic fablon around it and added a handle

I think this was a pull tab opener on something. I keep all manner of things in case they come in handy. I cut the circle piece off and the top bit was perfect for the door handle. However it broke whilst fitting it into the opening. So plan B was to use half of the circle bit, painted with a silver marker pen.

The chamber, dials and programme display at the top of the machine I found online, reduced it, printed and glued on the machine.

Limited choice and/or too pricey were the reasons I started to make my own items, sometimes it has been a bit of a challenge but I usually get there in the end! The first attempt at making a sink unit was disastrous, I got the hole for the sink completely wrong.

For the sink unit I used obeche wood, which is lovely to work with.

The sides, back and front were straightforward.

For the top I was able to cut the straight lines with my Dremel, and for the rounded edges I drilled small holes which came apart easily, then sanded it and covered it with white fablon. For the draining board I cut out the shape from a make up remover pad. 

The sink is a Macdonald's ketchup tub

and the tap is a bent paper clip, the handle is a smaller paper clip.

I put some tiles behind the sink unit and washing machine.

The billiard table and cue holder were from my first dolls house.

This is a games room as well as a utility room

oOo

Elsewhere I have put railings outside the kitchen window

I bought a piece of plastic railing, bent the side bits

used a piece of a spatula for the ledge which I painted black

and glued it to the side

oOo

I made these planters by first taking wire cages from around wine bottle corks

and twisting the loops down

then covering in a few layers of plaster of paris, and painting them.

The hanging baskets were also made with the same bits of wire

I made a flat base with string and PVA glue, and then wound it round the frame.

oOo

This is the closest I will get to owning a Porsche!!

I might put some shelves in at a later date. 

And that's about it, oh just remembered I want to make a couple of dog leads. But for now Number 2 Dollshouse is FINISHED hooray. 

I will post some photos of the whole house and individual rooms soon.

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x

Weird Wills And Eccentric Last Wishes

"A collection of funny, farcical and foolish last wishes and wills -  a testament

to the ultimate absurdity of human nature through the ages"

This little book has been around for some time. Another one I can't remember

how or when I acquired it. Some of the entries are quite amusing.

Top: Ludwig van Beethoven died during a violent hailstorm.

He shook his fist at the heavens declaring "I shall hear in heaven."

Bottom: Washington Irving said "Well, I must arrange my pillows for another night.

When will this end?"

Towards the end of her life my dear mum would say on waking

"Oh dear I've woken up again. I just want go to sleep and not wake up."

Mr Selwyn was noted for his interest in viewing corpses and attending executions.

The Ioninan philosopher Anaxagoras was banished from Athens to Lampsacus. On his deathbed the citizens of his adopted home asked how they could pay tribute to his memory. His request was honoured and for many years the anniversary of his death was a holiday for the schoolboys in Lampsacus.

oOo

Frederick the Great, Emperor of Prussia was passionately fond of his pet greyhounds. As he lay dying he noticed one of his dogs shivering from the cold beside his bed and uttered these last words.

Even on his dying bed, King Charles II showed concern for his beloved mistress, Nell Gwynne.

A rich old bachelor, exasperated by the pressure exerted on him by his family to find a bride,

developed such a hatred of women that he gave the following instructions in his will.

Ew

The Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar died by his own had saying these words.

oOo

A nobleman of the house of Du Châtelet in France, who died around 1289 requested that

one of the columns in the church of Neufchâteau should be hollowed out to receive his body.

Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet, who died from what his doctors

described as a severe alcoholic insult to his liver!

oOo

The Irish bard and composer Torlogh O'Carolan called for a glass of whisky saying:

Mr Davis left the sum of five shillings to Mary Davis

oOo

Henry, Earl of Stafford, married the daughter of the Duc of Grammont.

She made his life a misery, as his will records:

Madame Dupuis, the famous 17th century harpist made ample provision for her beloved cats:

Phoebe Deliah Nye asked for her faithful dog, Lily to be put to sleep with chloroform after her death:

She also provided for drinking fountains for both man and beast to be built in various parts of the city.

oOo

A lady left seventy pounds a year for the maintenance of her three goldfish, which she identified as follows:

She also made provisions for flowers to be placed upon the graves of the goldfish.

oOo

Final Fears

Cheers

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x