An Interview With Roger Bannister
The Times today has a long interview of Sir Roger Bannister by Matthew Syed. Beg, borrow or steal a copy of the paper to read the article.
Syed finishes the article with this paragraph.
After two hours of conversation, it seems as if we have barely scratched the surface of Bannister’s extraordinary life. To meet him is to come face to face with a seminal figure in British history, but also to perceive a kinder, more civilised epoch. Bannister is an intellectual, a patriot and a man of tremendous honour. In every sense, a great Briton.
If anybody deserves to receive the Order of Merit it is Sir Roger.
Lessons From the Patrice Muamba Incident
Note that I’m calling it an incident, as hopefully after today’s hopefully promising news, things may get a lot better.
One of the reasons, I can call it an incident, may turn out to be the fact, that according to the Evening Standard a cardiologist was in the East Stand at White Hart Lane and he knew what was happening to poor Patrice, so he just told the Stewards, that he was going onto the pitch and did it! He also persuaded the paramedics to take Patrice to the London Chest Hospital, where they had the facilities to deal with such a serious heart attack. He even accompanied the footballer in the ambulance. Isn’t that what we think, we should expect from a doctor?
Someone, who was a friend of a friend, wasn’t so lucky. He had a heart attack in the stand at a football match and the paramedics were unable to revive him. Perhaps, with help from a cardiologist, they might have succeeded. But my friend did say that he was well into his seventies and had already had one major heart attack and would have probably preferred to go out, watching his team.
So what are the chances of the right doctor being at the ground.
About ten years ago, I was in the circle of the theatre at Cambridge with C, when a rather worried usher asked if there was a doctor in the house. Whether there was a conference on, but out of about a hundred or so, she got at least ten doctors to come forward. I don’t know what happened afterwards, but hopefully they managed between them.
But White Hart Lane has a capacity of 50,000 or so and that greatly increases the odds of the right doctor being available. And as the incident happened in front of him that helped too.
I am not saying Patrice was lucky, as to go through what he has is terrible, but can we increase the chances of getting the right sort of assistance in public events and even spaces.
For instance, the cardiologist was a season ticket holder and because of modern electronic ticketing, they could have found out he was at the game. So you can envisage systems, where doctors with particular specialities are texted, if something serious happens. I can remember the day when Luc Nillis broke his leg at Portman Road, as it was in front of me. Would his treatment have been better, if they’d managed to find an orthopaedic consultant or two in the crowd of 20,000? They may have done, but I don’t know!
It does strike me that this could be an application for a smart phone!
The Tony Nicklinson Case
This is a very difficult case and Tony Nicklinson seems certain that he wants to end his life, as is reported here on the BBC.
I am not sure, how I would feel if I were in the same state as Mr. Nicklinson. In fact as I am not anywhere near in the same state, I don’t think I have any right to comment.
But I do have more experience in this area than most.
Over the last five years, two of my closest relatives have died in great pain from cancer. My wife, when she was near the end, had wished it could have been ended, whereas our son carried on until the bitter end, not wishing it could be terminated.
So I have witnessed two totally different reactions, from a mother and son.
If I am honest, my reaction might be closer to that of my son, but that’s only because I am a very stubborn person and tend to feel that if there is life there is hope.
i also wouldn’t want to put anybody in a position, that they did something against their conscience. I also wouldn’t do something like throw myself under a train, as I know the reality of that from stories told to C, by one of her clients. I also wouldn’t like to mentally upset someone, who was just doing his job.
I am rapidly coming to a conclusion.
Everybody should have the right to do what they think best!
And no so-called religious man or politician has any rights over my choice. Years ago though, when I was down, but not suicidal, I spoke for twenty minutes or so with the Rev. Chad Varah. His advice saved our marriage. But then they don’t make them like him any more.
So to return to the Tony Nicklinson case. I feel that if he wants to end his life, then that is up to him. Provided of course he is of sound mind and capable of making a rational decision.
Is Holland and Barrett A Health Store?
I was surprised on Sunday to see one of Holland and Barrett’s employees outside their store having a quick ciggie.
I though they were a health store?
Or have I missed something and ciggies are now healthy?
My Dalliance With Joan Collins
Joan Collins was on BBC Breakfast this morning plugging a book.
I actually met her once in the queue for Immigration at Heathrow, after we’d both flown in from the United States. All I can say, is that she looked a lot better this morning, as I suspect she’d had time to do her make-up properly.
She did ask me a favour in the queue at Heathrow, which I declined. but then I never light anybody else’s ciggie. Or even one for myself, for that matter! Even if it belongs to Joan Collins!
The Land of the Free – Sorry Oppressed!
This story with a title of Limbaugh slut slur student Sandra Fluke gets Obama call, on the BBC web site sums up a lot of what I find objectionable in the United States. The first paragraph says it all.
US President Barack Obama has called to offer support to a US law student attacked by radio host Rush Limbaugh for her views on contraception.
Just think what would happen if a talk-show host on a UK radio station, had said similar things to a student in the UK. Limbaugh called the student a slut and a prostitute. They would probably be fired instantly.
What seems to be missing here, is that your health is firstly your own responsibility and if that means you need contraception, then you should be able to get it. No institution has the right to tell you what you can’t do in this area. I always thought, the United States was supposed to be the Land of the Free. Not the Land of the Oppressed!
The New Royal London Hospital
The new Royal London Hospital opened today.
I wonder if the Labour Ward is still named after Marie Celeste?
The Priory
The Priory Clinic is well-thought of for sorting addiction and other mental problems.
However, I was surprised to see that it was advertising in a local glossy magazine at my dentist’s in Notting Hill yesterday.
Perhaps they’ve found it’s an area, where many of their past clients live.
The Man who got Saddam Hussein to Give Up Smoking
Dr. William Frankland was yesterday appearing in a case as an expert witness, a day before his 100th birthday.
The case is reported in The Times today, that also says that in 1986 he was flown to Iraq to treat Saddam Hussein. Saddam listened to the good doctor’s advice and gave up his 60-a-day cigarette habit.
In some ways he feels guilty about it, as he believes without his advice, Saddam would have died naturally years ago.
Perhaps, Blair and Bush missed a trick here, by not reminding Saddam that he owed his life to a very good British doctor.
After all, all dictators are paranoid about their health.
Food Labelling
They are talking about healthy eating and food labelling on BBC Breakfast this morning.
For many though, it doesn’t matter what you put on tins and packets, as it seems lot of people just eat take-aways like kebabs, burgers and enormous American sandwiches. Are they labelled?
The Anonymous Widower 