[little blue]

congrats and good luck James
I have mixed experience of the NHS, from the excellent to the damned disgraceful, so I wont comment any further, except to say all the best for Kennys dad

[sausagesandcash]

she phoned me to say that she had been buzzing for a nurse for 20 minutes due to some chest pain (!) and no-one had answered. I had to phone the ward clerk on my mobile to say "er can someone go check on my mum please!" . it is dreadful.

ring once for attention....push the button twice in rapid succession....and the cavalry arrive!

[gillandtom]

Gook Luck James and Kenny!  x x 

[jameslindsay]

I think we all accept that the NHS had a desperate lack of funds. Well, 2 things have caused mt to have this rant today.

Firstly, I have just been talking to some one who is driving a brand new car - free on disability as she has a down syndrome baby who is almost 2 years old. Why does she need a free car? I am not being disrespectful to handicapped/disabled people but what a waste of tax payers money. This is a lady that chose to have this baby and was in her 40's and knew the risks and refused to have a scan to see if the unborn baby was OK. How many more thousands of people are getting tax payers money for nothing? Meanwhile the NHS and schools to name but a few are crying out for cash!!!

Secondly, I read in the paper that the Councils are now being asked to account for the money they have raised from their parking meters since the change in VAT. Obviously the VAT rate fell but the cost for parking did not and now they are being asked where is the money and what are they going to do with it? Good point!

[Rosemary]

As the mother of a severely handicapped child, I'm sure the lady woudl swap her new car for a healthy child, given the choice.

I could have a Motability car, because my daughter can't walk as far as a "normal" person but I would have to commute her Disablity Living Allowance to do so. So the car isn't free at all.

I don't know the circumstances of this woman, but if you aren't prepared to have a termination if the results show an abnormality, why bother? I did have all the tests and there was no abnormality; at that time, I believed that I could have had a termination had there been any. Now, I'm not so sure.

Please don't be so quick to condemn in these circumstances. There is far worse "waste" of money around in the public services.

[gavo]

Quite right Rosemary my brother in law has fairly severe learning disabilities but his family never asked for help from the state until his parents age and worsening health have made it hard to look after him. They asked for very little and that's what they got but they have spent 35 years without state help so i don't think a little help is unfair to ask for.

[daniellestocks]

Iv always had great care with the NHS but the attitudes of the midwifes upset me on my 2nd birth, i was in slow labour for 2 days hadnt had much sleep in those 2 days so went to the hosp, the baby was in the most painful possition so was to be kept in over night and id not eaten for 24 hrs, i wasnt progressing quick enough and the midwifes were great up untill i asked for another c-section, as i was sooooo exhusted and on the verge of passing out! (due to a previous section any problems trying naturally would result in another) From that moment on they were judgemental and grumpy with me, i was so upset and obviously very hormonal 

On a happier note, congratulations 

[jameslindsay]

As the mother of a severely handicapped child, I'm sure the lady woudl swap her new car for a healthy child, given the choice.

I could have a Motability car, because my daughter can't walk as far as a "normal" person but I would have to commute her Disablity Living Allowance to do so. So the car isn't free at all.

I don't know the circumstances of this woman, but if you aren't prepared to have a termination if the results show an abnormality, why bother? I did have all the tests and there was no abnormality; at that time, I believed that I could have had a termination had there been any. Now, I'm not so sure.

Please don't be so quick to condemn in these circumstances. There is far worse "waste" of money around in the public services.

Rosemary please do not be offended by my comments, I am not judging or passing comments on people I do not know, but I do know the details on the one I mentioned and I stand by what I said. It is through people getting benefits for things they should not that those people who genuinely deserve them can't get. What my rant should have said was IMO these people do not class as being disabled enough to justify the benefits they were receiving.

This woman decided she wanted a baby when she was 44 years old and already knew her chances of having a disabled child were high both to with her her and (the bit that angers) knew that her partner at that time had previously fathered 2 children, both of them born handicapped, so the odds were against her. Her daughter is down syndrome, she will be able to walk so is not dependent on a wheelchair so my frustration was why does she need a car from the government? This child is not severly disabled, yes she has a disability but compared to many people she is still a normal wee girl.

I hope I have explained myself and have not upset you further.

[gavo]

Downs syndrome children often have complex medical conditions on top of their downs the most common being cardiac problems which are often not obvious just from looking at a person ,this can severely limit a persons ability to carry out normal everyday activities.Do you really know this childs medical history or are you making a few assumptions?I've found that with most parents hope springs eternal when they are having a child .

[sandy]

I have had mixed treatment from NHS but most very good, I was in having my hip done and strapped up to drips etc just after I came  around and several others on the ward were also imobile at that time, the relief night worker was sat on a chair doing nothing while other nurses were very busy, I asked for a bed pan along with the girl over from me, we both laughed at our circumstances as the pan was shoved under in the wrong place, I asked several times for it to be moved a bit but "he" never lined it up properly so me and the other girl ended up with wet beds horrid horrid but a bit funny as well!!!!!

As for disabled children, they do require mobility cars as some look like adults but have no road sense etc, some could not be taken on public transport and the parents at least get a bit of freedom in a purposly disigned car making thier lifes a bit easier. One job was in a respite unit and I know of one family who had maximum respite for thier child so not to loose disability benefits!!!!!! I also found Social WOrk departments can waste a lot of money on Taxis for people, especialy those who have NO disability!!!!!!!

I could go on but every case is individual and if mother nature gives you the urge for a baby, even when you know it is wrong for whatever reason, well, they cannot and should not be stopped, just good support and monitoring, glad I did not have these problems