Friday 18 July 2014

Friday at last

At last the weekend is here, time to recharge my batteries.
The last shift was a doozy, it started off busy (for me) with two patients in the resus room and no beds to be had in the hospital and none in a 20km radius from us! Then I had nothing to do till 5am with a new patient and still no bed.
Glad I wasn't the night superintendent as she had the unenviable task of finding space for these patients.

Something that I have noticed in the last 3 months is that teen suicide attempts are definitely on the rise. Talking to one of the EMT's they responded to a 12 year old who tried to kill herself. One of my patients last night was a 16 year old who may still succumb to her attempt despite the antidote that was given.  Paracetamol may still be one of the safest pain and fever medications on the market, taking 120, 500mg tablets are going to damage your liver severely.  This was also not her first attempt as she shows scarring on her wrists from a previous attempt.
A few weeks ago there was a 14 year old boy who took a cocktail of medications from his mother's medicine cabinet.
And a 15 year old girl slit her wrists, even though she in therapy?
What are we doing to these kids that suicide has become a viable alternative to living?

Today was Mandela day, so what did you do for your 67 minutes?  Outside his house the Community Active Patrol (CAP) our local safety enterprise arranged this event to commemorate a great man.

Choose your convenient starting time between 6:30-9am

And choose your charity to support

1. 'Warm the World'
Drop off your hand made squares/ blankets to be donated in Hillbrow on the day. Or even try your hand at knitting a square at Mandela's House on the day.

2. "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
ORT SA is teaming up with Ndaba Mandela (Madiba’s grandson) and his Africa Rising Foundation to collect children’s books in English Xhosa and Zulu.

3. The Mandela Day shoe box project by bringing
1x shoebox wrapped/decorated
2x Personal management item
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Soap and cloth or sponge
1x Clothing item
Socks or beanie or scalf
1x Non perishable food item
Tin food or mielie meal(maize meal)
1x Sweet
Chips, chocolate, chewy sweet
1x Toy
Needs to be unisex:
Ball, bubbles, books, games, writing pad and pencils, crayons

4. Donate new school shoes in kiddies sizes


Here are some pictures
Laureen Margolias Shalpid's photo.

Laureen Margolias Shalpid's photo.
Flash mob!
Laureen Margolias Shalpid's photo.  


Mandela Day Walk

What a great initiative. 
Happy Mandela Day every one.


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