h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Spent on a bottle of coke at A&E two hours ago. A consultant wandered in, while waiting to operate on someone, heard S's story and said try fizzy drink. S had something stuck in his throat, couldn't even take small amounts of water. He couldn't shift it, the Doctor hadn't managed, they were starting the process to admit him to the ward.If it hadn't then shifted overnight, he'd have been in theatre tomorrow morning.

Thanks to a bootle of coke from the vending machine he's back on the sofa where he should be.

Tonight's NHS experience was wait and wait and wait, followed by a few excellent minutes with staff. Then wait and wait and wait, followed by a few excellent minutes with staff. Then wait and wait and wait, followed by a few excellent minutes with staff. Quick trip to the vending machine in A and E reception (for a bottle not a bootle).Then wait and wait and wait, followed by a few excellent minutes with staff. Then wait and wait and wait, followed by another few excellent minutes with staff.

And thanks are due to that consultant, as well as the bottle of coke.

(Not apt, but there's no coke smiley)

Great news Waz. I'd like to add that nugget to A12590327 for the benefit of others. Care to write a few sentences explaining why/how it works? Or shall I just add your story as a quote?



GB

Feel free to use the story, then I can tell S he's in the Guide to LUE .

I don't know why it works. After watching a programme on rockets yesterday I could theorise. Pressure, gas, tight tubes ... .

Perhaps Z might know? It wasn't common knowledge to the young doctor there.

Btw I think any fizzy drink might do - I choose coke because I knew it would be very fizzy and I thought fizzier the better.

I'm glad the Coke did the trick for him. Did you know it will also take rust off of bolts?

I've added the quote as is (corrected typo of course)

Fresh cola kills rats, I knew - because they can't belch so they explode. Potent stuff. Never thought about its medicinal qualities before, except I do keep a bottle of unopened cola in my fridge in event of wasp stings.

GB, my husband used to swear by carbonatged drionks to help with acid reflux. He'd sip on one slowly. I never quite understood how it would help, you'd think just the opposite, but he thought it did.

I can't abide carbonated drinks, unless it's a splash of lemonade in my Malibu because the pineapple juice has run out! I never heard of that...I keep indigestion tablets in my medicine cabinet for such ailments Hypatia

Well, he had a habit of snacking after supper. All he would have had to do was not eat anything after 7 o'clock. And I agree with you about the carbonated drinks. I have one maybe a half dozen times a year, mostly if nothing else is available. They are way too hard on my bladder. I do keep a small bottle of ginger ale on hand in case I feel nauseous.

I can't drink anything too late in the evening or I'll be disturbed in the night due to full bladder wanting release. Sometimes twice. So it's easier to not drink!

Agreed. An ounce of prevention.

something for younger readers to look forward to

An ounce of prevention. Oh yes.

S’s reaction to this incident? Must keep a bottle of coke in the cupboard. (He’s bought one and it’s in the cupboard.)
My reaction to this incident? Chew Your Food Properly!
Hmmph.

Exploding rats though, I didn’t know that. Or about the wasp stings. That would have been handy two weeks ago. There was a wasp in the arm of my fleece when I put it on in the morning. Somehow it feels worse that it happened first thing in the morning. It stung me three times.

I love the quote being in the entry, thanks GB

S has been informed he features in the Guide to L, U and E. He is taken aback, but pleased.

GB, if you're reading, he wants to know how you use cola for wasp stings - I assume you put it on the sting? Or do you drink it? He was stung three times himself last month by a wasp trying to nest in his chainsaw suit.

You put it on the sting.

You reminded me of a joke about live yogurt being good for thrush, a patient in the waiting room announced that it did her no good whatsoever, and it also ruined her best panties. I have no idea how the rest of the patients kept a straight face.

Amazingly I don't keep cola in the house. I am allergic to wasp stings so I keep antihistamine tablets (take immediately) and also the cream Anthisan for the actual sting (matters not which insect, I regularly get flea and midge bites from my garden which I am not allergic to) the cream really does work to relieve the pain and itching when it's healing).

I am almost freaked out that the same wasp stung you 3 times and also happened to your husband, and realise how lucky I am. The last time I got stung, a wasp got inside my wrap-around dress when I was out with my children at the local theme park. I checked my leg and the sting on my thigh was already the size of a dinner plate. I called a worker over and they radioed the medical staff. They had no antihistamine, neither did I! But they offered to run me home so I could medicate myself and the girl got me home within 5 mins.

I think my allergy stems from when I stayed at my grandma's cottage as a little girl, I remember going past the rockery and seeing activity, I didn't know it was a wasps' nest and went too close. I ran away but one went down the back of my dress and began to sting me. I screamed and my grandma kept hitting my back to try and kill the wasp, I remember it fell out and she trod on it but I had already been stung lots of times.

It's strange how you can conquer your fear in the face of a worse fear though. When I had Laura (she is now 33) we took her shopping in her buggy, I saw a wasp land on her little hand. I would have freaked if that had been me. But I reached down and used my own hand to gently sweep it off her. When I told my husband he was astonished that I had voluntarily touched a wasp.

GB, your reaction to the wasp stings is frigtening. I'm glad there was someone there to get you home in a hurry.

That bottle of coke is still in the larder. And the bottle from the hospital vending machine is still the best £1.10's worth ever.

The best purchase of the last twelve months might just be the little portable stove for taking to the wood. I love it's three legs that fold up and pin in place when not in use. I love the six foot chimney that comes apart in sections that stow inside. I live the flat top that boils a kettle, or heats a pan of beans and sausages. I love the baked potatoes cooked inside even when they're mostly incinerated, or mostly raw. I loved the slightly oak-smoked BBQ'd bananas that N suggested last weekend, and the toasted croissants she brought. I love the thin trail of grey-blue smoke rising from the chimney. Yes, that was a very good purchase.

I love hearing about your log fire!

Thank you for refreshing this convo thread it was nice to read back through

I was just talking of my wasp allergy this week with my own trip into hospital. Every member of staff I spoke to asked me what allergy I had because I had a big red sticker on the front of my file with "ALLERGY" in bold black print.

A couple of joked that there'd be no wasps in the operating room. I am also allergic to wine and mushrooms but I don't think I needed to tell them that!