I can't figure out why so many people.....

[BruceS]

complain about the NHS in the UK. So far, I've had nothing but great experiences with them. Josh has had a cold and cough for a couple of weeks and today he was really in bad shape: screaming and at times almost delerious for lack of a better word. Although he had no fever we were getting really worried about him so this evening, I called NHS Direct (like a help line) and explained the problem and that we didn't know if he should see a doc tonight or if it could wait until morning.

She advised me to call the health clinic and hold the line for urgent care. I spoke to another lady who advised a doc would call us, which he did. He had us go to the hospital just to be safe. We went in the door and within 3 minutes were talking to the doc. He checked Josh out (who wouldn't you know it was his normal sunny self), gave us a bottle of kiddy antibiotic and we were out within 10 minutes.

The charge? Free. That's just the way it is here. Try that in America! We read about so many Brits bitching and moaning about the NHS. I guess it's a case of you don't know how good you have it until you don't have it. Sure you can have private insurance as well to make elective surgeries speedier, but for general health care and maintenance, I couldn't be happier with the NHS.

Josh will be fine. Now he has to help us help him. Finally had to hold the lil bugger down on the floor and feed him the antibiotics Hopefully he'll sleep tonight!!
Yeqhes da,
Bruce

[C.J.]

Getting to talk to a Doc on the phone, who you aren't already friendly with, is a feat in itself let alone seeing one right away after arriving at a health care facility

Good to hear josh is feeling better though

[BruceS]

Thanks CJ. The docs here also still make house calls! I was shocked

[Uncle-AJ]

It's true Bruce, people in the UK don't know how lucky they are. I think a lot of the bitching stems from long waiting lists for operations. That's being tackled at the moment, we'll have to see how successful it is. Another bitch is the closure of several hospitals and money wasted on other projects like the millennium dome. I think they could have built 6 hospitals with that money.

I have nothing but praise for our health system. Both my mother and my uncle are in hospital at the moment and both are in very good hands. I think they will be releasing my mum soon before she talks them to death.

Now try seeing a dentist in the UK, that's another story. Most of them have opted out of the National Health scheme and unless your willing to pay through the nose, you can't see one for love nor money. Hopefully the doctors won't follow suit, then there would be some bitching.

BTW like the Cornish flag..........................non emmet.

[dman]

I assume you let Tam call so they don't have to translate your American for the doctor?

Glad lil bit is feeling better pal.

[JJ Irani]

Nice to hear that, Bruce. Hope little Josh is feeling better now after that "forceful" dose you gave him!!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Uncle-AJ

It's true Bruce, people in the UK don't know how lucky they are. I think a lot of the bitching stems from long waiting lists for operations. That's being tackled at the moment, we'll have to see how successful it is. Another bitch is the closure of several hospitals and money wasted on other projects like the millennium dome. I think they could have built 6 hospitals with that money.

I have nothing but praise for our health system. Both my mother and my uncle are in hospital at the moment and both are in very good hands. I think they will be releasing my mum soon before she talks them to death.

Now try seeing a dentist in the UK, that's another story. Most of them have opted out of the National Health scheme and unless your willing to pay through the nose, you can't see one for love nor money. Hopefully the doctors won't follow suit, then there would be some bitching.

BTW like the Cornish flag..........................non emmet.

Yes agree with you Adrian in reality we are very lucky,the waits for surgery are the worst.Like I waited nearly 9 months for mine,but if I was willing to pay, the same surgeon,would have done it within 2 weeks.But like everything with doctors you get some that are dedicated and some thats not so.And national health dentists now are becoming like rocking horse sh#t,myself pay into denplan its around £12 month.Full dental care except for crowns and dentures,and you get 3 check ups yearly.

[BruceS]

Maybe I should look into a dental plan then. We noticed a dental office at Launceston hospital last night, but that might just be for emergencies. Any suggestion as to which plan to look into?

LOL on the non emmet Adrian I spent a bit of time researching Kernow (Cornwall) history and the history and current resurgence of Kernewek (Cornish language) yesterday. Learned a few phrases and words already! I may never be truely Cornish or British, but it would be fun to learn a bit of the language. That would impress the old Cornish dudes in the pub!!

So far I've learned the origin of a lot of place names around here that I have been wondering about (why so many villages begin with Tre, like Tregadillet where we live, or Treburley, Trethorne, etc.) It's fun!
Yeghes da (Cheers),
Bruce

[padi56]

Originally Posted by BruceS

Maybe I should look into a dental plan then. We noticed a dental office at Launceston hospital last night, but that might just be for emergencies. Any suggestion as to which plan to look into?

LOL on the non emmet Adrian I spent a bit of time researching Kernow (Cornwall) history and the history and current resurgence of Kernewek (Cornish language) yesterday. Learned a few phrases and words already! I may never be truely Cornish or British, but it would be fun to learn a bit of the language. That would impress the old Cornish dudes in the pub!!

So far I've learned the origin of a lot of place names around here that I have been wondering about (why so many villages begin with Tre, like Tregadillet where we live, or Treburley, Trethorne, etc.) It's fun!
Yeghes da (Cheers),
Bruce

Well Bruce first trying to find a NHS dentist quite hard,myself use denplan its around £12 pound a month for me.Now if you find a dentist that will take you and uses some sort of dental care insurance scheme register your whole family.The Cornish language is closely related to Welsh,and we are all Celts.And if you look at Welsh names a lot begin with Tre as well.

lloniannau. cheers


Mai 'ch pawb buchedda ddyhea a dycio and 'ch broblemau bod feinedd.

Which in English is roughly may you all live long and prosper and all problems be small.

[BruceS]

Meur ras Padi ha ras! (Thank you Padi and you too!) I think that's close

I read that Cornish and Welsh share 75% of the vocabulary. I must learn this!!
Sowena (another word for cheers),
Bruce

[padi56]

Originally Posted by BruceS

Meur ras Padi ha ras! (Thank you Padi and you too!) I think that's close

I read that Cornish and Welsh share 75% of the vocabulary. I must learn this!!
Sowena (another word for cheers),
Bruce

Eithaf 'n ddiau Bruce Cernyweg a Cymraeg ydy 'n debyg namyn ill dau eithaf 'n afrwydd at ddysg.

Which again roughly in English Welsh and Cornish are very similar but both are quite hard to learn.And some
words of English dont traslate into Welsh

[BruceS]

I can imagine they're hard to learn! At least in Wales there are many more native speakers of the language to converse with. Apparently, there are only a few hundred fluent speakers of Cornish now, several thousand that can understand and hold a basic conversation, and maybe 10K they estimate that know some words and phrases. Some primary schools are starting to teach the language to children (maybe Josh will be lucky because I really do want him to grow up proper Cornish).

I've found a site that can put me in touch with teachers, and level one of the language can be had on CD. Obviously, continuing with my French and German study would be of more benefit, but learning Cornish would be a lot more fun and make me feel more a part of where I live!
Yeghes da koweth (cheers my friend),
Bruce

[padi56]

Well today in reality only a very small proportion of wales speak the native
tongue.Most Welsh-speakers live in the north and west of the country. There are several dialects of Welsh, most audibly north and south Today, around 20% 30% of all people in Wales speak Welsh fluently Myself can understand most things, but find it harder to write than speak.But now Welsh is making a comeback slowly and is now taught in the schools.The spoken language is lyrical, flowing and poetic in sound. The written language can be bloody difficult to get to grips with, due to its unique use of mutations and complex grammatical constructions and can be a real pain.But it Makes me proud to be Welsh when I here our national anthem being played the
best anthem in the world.






Geiriau Cymraeg

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.Tra mor yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd;Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei dro
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad.Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.


English Words


(This is not a literal translation of the Welsh because some words do not translate into English)


The land of my fathers, the land of my choice,The land in which poets and minstrels rejoice The land whose stern warriors were true to the core,While bleeding for freedom of yore.

Chorus.
Wales! Wales! fav'rite land of Wales!While sea her wall, may naught her befall To mar this old language of Wales.

Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards,Each hill and each valley excite my regards;To the ears of her patriots how charming still seems,the music that flows in her and rivers streams.My country tho' crushed by a hostile array,the language of Cambria lives on to this day;he muse has eluded the traitors' foul knives,
The harp of my country survives.

Originally Posted by Uncle-AJ

Now try seeing a dentist in the UK, that's another story.

They have dentists in the UK?

Originally Posted by padi56

Geiriau Cymraeg

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.Tra mor yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd;Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei dro
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad.Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

No offence intended, but it's hard to believe that is an actual language - looks more like a monkey sitting at a keyboard bashing on the keys......

[BruceS]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well today in reality only a very small proportion of wales speak the native
tongue.Most Welsh-speakers live in the north and west of the country. There are several dialects of Welsh, most audibly north and south Today, around 20% 30% of all people in Wales speak Welsh fluently Myself can understand most things, but find it harder to write than speak.But now Welsh is making a comeback slowly and is now taught in the schools.The spoken language is lyrical, flowing and poetic in sound. The written language can be bloody difficult to get to grips with, due to its unique use of mutations and complex grammatical constructions and can be a real pain.But it Makes me proud to be Welsh when I here our national anthem being played the
best anthem in the world.






Geiriau Cymraeg

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.Tra mor yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd;Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei dro
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad.Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.


English Words


(This is not a literal translation of the Welsh because some words do not translate into English)


The land of my fathers, the land of my choice,The land in which poets and minstrels rejoice The land whose stern warriors were true to the core,While bleeding for freedom of yore.

Chorus.
Wales! Wales! fav'rite land of Wales!While sea her wall, may naught her befall To mar this old language of Wales.

Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards,Each hill and each valley excite my regards;To the ears of her patriots how charming still seems,the music that flows in her and rivers streams.My country tho' crushed by a hostile array,the language of Cambria lives on to this day;he muse has eluded the traitors' foul knives,
The harp of my country survives.

Very nice Peter!