Health deficit V Bankers' gluttony

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Tuesday April 12, 2011 03:28 by newsmedia - newsmedianews.com newsmedia at eircom dot net

Just three days ago I was savagely beaten about the head by a youth carrying an extended metal hospital crutch. Carrying a metal crutch not because he needed it, but because it was a weapon.

Although I suffered extensive brusing to my head, face and other parts of my body I did not, it seems suffer lasting damage.

On the night in question however, after a local taxi-driver who observerd the attack called the Garda who subsequently arrested my assailant and photographed my injuries, I struggled home alone. But then I began to feel BAD.

I called for an ambulance to take me to the [local] Limerick Regional Hospital. I had collapsed in my city centre doorway minutes before the ambulance arrived and took me to A&E.

I was placed on a guerney, wired up to a supersonic pulse detection system and ... and ... well, left alone.

My ability to breathe properly was disturbed by my injuries and a short whgile later I was forced to gasp out to a nearby person visiting another patient that I was having a problem breathing. She immediately summoned help.

A nurse arrived, the supersonic pulse detection was disconnected and I was wheeled to a small cubicle where an oxygen mask was slapped over my face. After a few minutes, I was able to breathe better but still needed to re-apply the oxygen mask for perhaps another 15 or more minutes.

Then the pain from my injuries set in. I waited. And waited. And waited. And yes waited some more. Nobody came. I began to call out. A face above a hospital uniform appeared and told me that this was an 'emergency treatment' area and asked what was wrong.

I tried to explain that I was in a great deal of pain.

'Can't do anything until the doctor sees you,' was the reply.

Some three and a half hours later and fed up with this bullshit I got up, complained to the sister in charge then got a taxi home.

Something felt wrong and I went to the local city hospital (St John's) to try and get the damage checked out. The staff were courteous, helpful and professional. I have no complaints about that. But I had to endure 7 hours of waiting until I had been seen, the problem/damage assessed and I was able to go on to my next appointment at 10pm at the local Garda station to make a statement regarding the asault on my person.

It seems that my assailant, who after being arrested told Garda that he 'mistook me for someone else' - was known to the Garda as someone with 'mental issues'.

Oh well.

The reall issue here is the dictatorial cuts in finance to the health services - one of the many of the necessary infrastructures to a healthy and sustainable society - cuts made in deferrence by those walking hand in hand with the greedy financial moguls whose sustainability lasts no longer than their own miserable lives on this earth.

Just thought I'd say my piece.