I don't understand people

[totustuus20]

Prayers for you all

[CatherineM]

We got him home. They reevaluated and they were just really bad second degree burns. The dermatologist that came in said he was in too much pain for third degree. Guess that destroys the nerves so doesn't hurt as bad. He's on antibiotics and pain killers and will have a nurse come and change his dressings everyday. 

He handled it all with a stoic calm. These kids seem to expect bad things. His nickname was Big Boy because he's so small, but now they're calling him Crispy Boy. He was really touched that everyone was praying for him and said to tell you thanks. 

[Lil Red]

Prayers from our household to yours. *hugs*

[CatherineM]

His biggest concern this morning is that the fire ruined his best jeans. This 90 lb. kid is as tough as any marine drill sergeant. My son told him if people ask about his scars in the future to tell them he did it playing flaming fluffy air extractions. 

[beatitude]

I'm so relieved to hear that he's doing OK. I will keep praying for him and I hope he's in less pain soon. 

​Yeah,  I have lived in the UK and Oz, both with free medical care available and I have never had any problem being treated. We do have a card here in Oz (not in the UK, although there I had a number) but if someone didn't have it on them, they would still be treated and then depending on their situation (their visa status etc), they might be billed afterwards.

​Yes, in the UK you have a NHS number on a card, but you never have to take it with you to hospital - if you've been issued with an NHS number, you're on the system, so all they need is your name and your date of birth.

[truthfinder]

Catherine, he is definitely in my prayers. 

Yeah, health cards are important - every time I've ever been to a new doctor, dentist, specialist, hospital etc, they want your health card.  They're issued at birth, and that's how long I've had mine.  They are provincial though, so different provinces might have slightly different ways of dealing with these cards. (BC, for example, now lets you have the option of combining it with your driver's license or having a separate card, but everyone is supposed to upgrade to these new cards I think.)

[AccountDeleted]

I'm so relieved to hear that he's doing OK. I will keep praying for him and I hope he's in less pain soon. 

​Yes, in the UK you have a NHS number on a card, but you never have to take it with you to hospital - if you've been issued with an NHS number, you're on the system, so all they need is your name and your date of birth.

​That's true. One time I went to a walk-in clinic in the UK and they knew all about me from when I lived in Sheffield years ago - they had my whole history online! Australia doesn't do that. Medical records here are more like the States - one must sign a form to release them before anyone else can see them. I don't know if the UK only has the basic details (name, date of birth, last doctor etc) or medical information as well, but although it was convenient, it was also a little scary that this clinic could know things about me that I hadn't given permission for them to know. I also find the whole system of having to be registered with one doctor a bit different as well. Especially when I was told that the medical practice (though not the walk-in clinic) had to vote on whether to accept me as a new patient or not! I could always go to a walk-in clinic but they wanted me to be registered with a doctor so they could information about me to that doctor.Here in Oz I can go to any doctor I want, any time I want. I know that all systems are different and there are advantages and disadvantages to each one. But it is interesting how different every country is.

[Lilllabettt]

I have no personal experience with the UK system but I know the unlawful disclosure of medical records was the undoing of Malcolm Tucker.

[AccountDeleted]

I have no personal experience with the UK system but I know the unlawful disclosure of medical records was the undoing of Malcolm Tucker.

​Yeah, well, I can't say for sure that they actually transfer the medical records without consent, but no doctor in the UK has ever asked me for permission to contact another doctor in the UK, and the clinic seemed to know where I had lived and who my last doctor was so I wondered how much other information they had online about me. And I had to fill out a form applying to be accepted and registered with my doctor. And the medical practice had to take a vote on it before I could see the doc. I can understand if a doc was booked out and not accepting patients any more but this was different - it was like I had to pass inspection or something! And I didn't even know what they were using for criteria. I got accepted but I think that was because all the nuns in the convent used the same doctor. I don't know if they would have taken me on my own merits - lol. But at least it's free so I'm not really complaining, just making observations.

[Lilllabettt]

I remember this one episode of Seinfeld where the Elaine character has a kerfuffle with a doctor and he writes something on her chart - she is then somehow blacklisted and every doctor she goes to is aware that she is a difficult patient. 

I remember being dumped from pediatric practices as a child because of issues between the office staff and my folks. And I remember when I was very ill, on the episode of sick that would eventually end with amputation of the nasty bits,  I couldn't walk and my folks were the only people who could take me in. Inevitably there was a fit thrown in the office of the specialist.  Well then he wouldn't see me anymore. All the other specialists I called wanted to know who I was referred by. So even without there being a database, my information seemed to "get around." 

Scary for me because I urgently needed a doctor and I was absolutely at their mercy.  Once I got to the the Cleveland Clinic my troubles were over. They treated me for free, intervened on my behalf re: my folks, and just in general didn't bat an eye. The doctors there were all salaried; I think that made a big difference. 

 

[Archaeology cat]

Interesting, nunsense! All I was asked when registering with the GP was if we lived in the catchment area. Since we did, we were good to go. But then they got really confused about why my son wasn't British when he'd been born in Liverpool. That was a fun conversation.

[AccountDeleted]

Interesting, nunsense! All I was asked when registering with the GP was if we lived in the catchment area. Since we did, we were good to go. But then they got really confused about why my son wasn't British when he'd been born in Liverpool. That was a fun conversation.

​

I don't know if it was the particular suburb I was in, or what but the receptionist was almost snotty when I told her I wanted to register with the doctor. She told me I had to be 'accepted' by the practice and after I applied, they would vote on me. I didn't go through this in Sheffield, but then the doctor came out to the convent and we saw her there, so maybe that was different.

Funny about your son. What I also find funny is that Scotland is different from the UK, and they have different rules and laws for medication too. I was seen for free but there were a lot of subtle little differences and I mentioned them to the doc and he told me (as if I didn't know) that Scotland is NOT the UK. LOL

[CatherineM]

He got out and walked around the block to get some air and sun. He's mostly been sleeping on the pain pills. Then he informed me he'd been told not to poop with the dressing on. If I'd known, I'd have had him on clear liquids. I had to take him to the clinic to have the dressing removed so he could go and have it replaced. New definition of a booty call. My life is very strange at times. 

[AccountDeleted]

He got out and walked around the block to get some air and sun. He's mostly been sleeping on the pain pills. Then he informed me he'd been told not to poop with the dressing on. If I'd known, I'd have had him on clear liquids. I had to take him to the clinic to have the dressing removed so he could go and have it replaced. New definition of a booty call. My life is very strange at times. 

​

You are learning that any time you have kids, life gets strange. I fostered and then adopted and, like you, I had to deal with very strange (and sometimes apparently psychotic) birth family members. Once I was told by an aunt that I had 'kidnapped' her niece and wouldn't give her back to the family.

But dealing with the pain of suffering of kids is the hardest of all. Hanging around emergency rooms, worrying about medication, treatments etc. - it's all part of the parent package Hang in there. And remember to be nice to yourself as well (when you can). It isn't always easy to remember that even the caregivers need a little care from time to time. 

Many prayers for your 'baby'. (They never stop feeling like that - even if you don't get them as babies)