Dead rodent stops operation [British healthcare]

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | 3/8/08 | Reuters

[Brilliant]

LONDON - A patient was told there was no reason why he couldn't have surgery in a hospital, despite the smell caused by a dead rodent trapped in the building's ceiling.

Andrew Cowper was due to have an operation at the Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Hertfordshire when staff "were made aware of a dead rodent in the single storey unit's roof space," the hospital said in a statement.

The hospital said its experts concluded that the dead animal was outside the operating theater and posed no risk.

But "despite being told that the trust's infection control experts had stated that Mr Cowper was not being exposed to an infection risk, he decided not to proceed with the operation," it said.

Cowper, 19, told the Sun newspaper he had waited 11 months for the operation, and the doctor told him he could go ahead despite the stench.

"He said the smell didn't represent a health risk, but I was appalled," Cowper said. "I asked him: 'If you were me, would you have the operation?' He looked at me and said 'no', so I decided there and then I wasn't going to go ahead."

[Brilliant]

"Cowper, 19, told the Sun newspaper he had waited 11 months for the operation..."

[Perdogg]

HilabamaCare - coming to America.

[nmh]

Took the words out of my mouth!

[Westlander]

[sionnsar]

‘Rats. It’s always ‘Rats...

[the invisib1e hand]

“...so this dead rodent walks into the operating room and yells, ‘Stop the operation!’ I couldn’t believe it!”

[Fresh Wind]

Where I used to work, there was a dead rat somewhere in the walls of one room. The smell was just awful, and it lasted for weeks, if not months. Short of tearing the walls apart one by one until the rat was located, there was nothing that could be done.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I would say, "Shades of what is to come under Hillary/Obama Health Care" but I really don't think the really large companies who have the most to lose will allow that to come to pass. They did it before when Hillary tried the first time. They'll do it again and swat her like a gnat. Even if she is the POTUS.

[MacDorcha]

Looks like a snack left for ceiling cat!

[driftdiver]

he waited 11 months for an operation and the story is about a stupid rat.

[Gritty]

[squidly]

The dead rat thing could happen anywhere. Waiting 11 months for the operation should be the story.

[chuckles]

Click here for Canadian health care. Link

Check the link for the woman with bladder trouble also.

[SIDENET]

[Clintonfatigued]

Democrats are very creative at undermining the military.

; )

[Clintonfatigued]

WHOOPS!!!

I meant to say destroy the health care system in this country like their counterparts did in the UK.

Damn, I type too fast sometimes.

[mkjessup]

I wonder if they were working on Cowper’s glands or something.

[Wil H]

"Cowper, 19, told the Sun newspaper he had waited 11 months for the operation..."

Hey that's the upside of hillarycare....

There will be an eleven month wait list for abortions....

[AnAmericanMother]

You get a good dog in, he'll pinpoint the location of said rat. Just bust open the sheetrock there.

I have a dog who can detect termites. We were amused, until we saw the bill from the termite man! Maybe we should offer to rent him the dog!

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Ever get a smell stuck in your nose ? I worked the sewer district for awhile some smells linger in your nose for weeks if not just in your subconscious for weeks some you never forget ! sewer stench is one Dead Flesh is another !

some of the drugs they use to put you under during an operation open every sensory nerve you have while your knocked out could you imagine having the smell of dead flesh in your nose for Months and your subconscious for years ?

By the way if you can smell it then it's floating in the air the stronger the smell the more particles per billion !