If this woman supports the junior doctors, so should the rest of us

Last Updated: April 26, 2016By

This appeared on my Facebook feed a few minutes ago (at the time of writing) and I reckon it’s worth your attention. It’s by a lady named Ria Hockey. I’ve edited it a little for spelling.

“If you’re feeling pissed off at the Junior Doctor Strike Action because your appointment got moved or you have to wait an extra hour in A&E for your sore throat then take a minute and read this.

Ria Hockey.

Ria Hockey.

“My name is Ria. I am 33 and have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility Type with secondary Intestinal Failure and Gastroparesis amongst other lovely things.

“I have just been discharged from hospital after my second case of Urosepsis in four months.
“For those who don’t know, sepsis kills!
“It doesn’t care that I’m a mum to two beautiful boys, it doesn’t care that I’m a wife to my amazing husband or that I’m a daughter, sister and friend.
“I have been SO lucky to have junior doctors, consultants and specialists to save my life.

“It’s the junior doctors who take the time to stop for a moment and make sure you’re OK.
“It’s the junior doctors who work ridiculous hours but are still there at 3am when you’re having a crisis.

“It’s the junior doctors who now need our support.

“I’m sure many of you have had appointments cancelled or moved due to the strike.

“I’ve had my surgery to replace my PEG-J postponed for four weeks and have to have these two painful nasal tubes instead but I’m not complaining.
“I SUPPORT THE STRIKE!!”

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13 Comments

  1. David April 26, 2016 at 7:34 am - Reply

    A very brave, principled lady.

  2. Jim Round April 26, 2016 at 9:40 am - Reply

    I support Junior Doctors all the way, the problem is, I think public support will wear thin the longer this goes on.
    Look back at other long strikes, one Side usually caves in, how long can Junior Doctors survive on less pay lost through strike days?

    • Mike Sivier April 26, 2016 at 9:55 am - Reply

      They’ll quit and go elsewhere in the end – creating more problems for an already-overloaded NHS. Hunt’s fault, again – but who’ll take the pain?

      • Jim Round April 26, 2016 at 9:59 am - Reply

        I can see a large overseas recruitment drive coming, why train doctors when you can poach fully trained ones from elsewhere.

        • Mike Sivier April 26, 2016 at 1:18 pm - Reply

          And immigration increases.

  3. Neilth April 26, 2016 at 9:49 am - Reply

    Just watched a box pop on BBC rolling news. There were a couple in the crowd who were very anti Junior Doctors making outrageous claims. One who said he is a trainee lawyer was particularly pro government and I’m wondering if he was a Tory Party plant.
    (H)nut will not back down on this because if he loses his political career will be in the toilet. As has been said many times he is anti NHS and wants to see medicine privatised, he has published a book which included these views a few years ago.
    He has no understanding of science, medicine or the scientific method and is incapable of understanding statistics or analyses.
    He believes in magic of diluting a substance to virtually pure water and that water retaining the properties of the original substance.
    Cameron and Osborne should have sacked him months ago but it’s probably too late now as they would be seen as weak and that would harm the referendum.
    The wisest course for the Junior doctors is to keep emphasising (H)nuts political bias and the government’s ideological attack on the NHS. They are seeking to fatally damage the English NHS in order to justify its privatisation. I invite all junior doctors to get the hell out and apply to work in Wales or Scotland where the true spirit of NHS is still appreciated.

    • yarmouthboy April 26, 2016 at 11:21 am - Reply

      Very good analysis. Cameron has never made a good decision since he became PM. Osborne is just a bean counter with a serious facial problem. Hunt is a smirker (amongst other things) and has bitten off more than he can chew. I personally think that the public will continue to support the JD’s. I have been waiting over a year for a hernia operation and have been told I will have to wait a further 11 months. Like the lady above said though, there has to be personal sacrifice if the NHS is to be saved.

  4. casalealex April 26, 2016 at 10:29 am - Reply

    I applaud Ria.
    Having to cope with her own medical problems and raising her family whilst suffering; her unselfishness in her support of the NHS junior doctors’ action is heartwarming for the many others who are in a similar position, and who also support the junior doctors and nurses of the NHS.

  5. Steve Davis April 26, 2016 at 11:42 am - Reply

    With regards to the BBC plants, in particular the idiot lady who called Saturday the graveyard shift; I had five and half hours heart surgery in emergency on Saturday, and I’m not a ghost, no thanks to the cheesy grinning Hunt who wants chaos to happen to justify privatisation.

  6. che April 26, 2016 at 12:20 pm - Reply

    What a lovely lady

  7. paulrutherford8 April 26, 2016 at 12:37 pm - Reply

    In my experience, it is the people with the most serious conditions who rarely complain about the NHS and recognise from experience how hard the Junior Doctors work.

    Even though I live in Wales, I totally support them, and at hospital yesterday, I didn’t find a single member of staff [of all grades], who didn’t agree with their actions.

    Like in everything they do, the tories just won’t give in. As with IDS and benefits, Hunt has no intention of listening to anyone… and Cameron won’t do anything. He’s as supportive of Hunt as anyone.

    • Brian April 26, 2016 at 3:19 pm - Reply

      Let’s face it. Cameron is the architect of all that happens, either that or he should stand back and admit he has no control over his government ministers

  8. mrmarcpc April 26, 2016 at 3:07 pm - Reply

    Very brave of Ria to share her story with us. CHunt has made a mess of this right from the get go, I hope the doctors don’t cave in, that is what the of course the tories want them to do but I hope they don’t, more of us should be supporting them, not surprised to hear the tories will plant hecklers at their rallies to change public opinion, like that dozy mare on QT last week, obvious tory plant!

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