Picture of the week

Addenbrooke's hospital poem competition- 1st Price

Hi, Mum!



I was two cells – one each from him and you.

Fused, not confused, seems they already knew

From all they could be, what they had to be.

Divided, they decided to be me.



With every split decision that they took,

Each chose a route, put on a different look;

A cage of bone, a flow of blood, some skin,

A web of nerves, a mind to keep things in.



Some time amongst that maze I saw a light,

Felt a sharp pain, took unexpected fright;

Heard your heart, sure, but then I heard my own;

Became aware of just how much I’d grown.



Rough-hewn from what heredity portends,

Hi, mum! I’m ready now to shape my ends.





by Paul McGhee

Christmas Dinner at Crown and Punchbowl, High Street

Had a wonderful Christmas Dinner yesterday with the registrars.


Had the following:-

Cream of Parsnip Soup with Crispy Carrots.
Traditional Roast Turkey Breast stuffed with sausage, apple, herbs served with
Brussels Sprouts, Roast Potatoes and Cranberry Sauce.
Traditional Christmas pudding with warm brandy sauce.

3 more and we are out

Addenbrooke's Hospital as I have mentioned earlier have been suffering from a Norovirus outbreak which causes AGE.
Within 3 days, 17 of our 50 wards have been infected by the virus.
We just need 3 more infected wards to close the hospital down.
At the moment, all patients and doctors/nurses are quarantined (those in the infected wards).
Meals provided to the medical staff (in infected ward) round the clock (they are not allowed to go to the canteen or to 'clean' wards).
If they finish their shifts, then are required to have a shower and go straight home.
'Lepak-ing' is prohibited.

Norovirus outbreak in Addenbrooke's Hospital

The hospital has been partially closed due to outbreaks of Norovirus.
Never really heard of this virus.
Apparently it is a winter virus which causes AGE.

As usual, the nephrology ward is affected. (Nephro wards throughout the world are always involved in outbreaks- MRSA, VRE, MRO and now this virus. Dirty doctors!)

Anyway, less work during this 2-3 days.
Only running the clinic now.

Picture of the week

A pig crawls through a hole in a wall of a collapsed house in Renhe village in the earthquake-hit area of Shifang in Sichuan province, China

(Nicky Loh/Reuters)

A hard fought Boat Race in the snow

Bad weather severely reduced the numbers of spectators who lined the banks of the Thames between Putney and Mortlake to watch the 1952 University Boat Race, but it could not mar a truly spectacular struggle which, though rowed in a blizzard, provided one of the most closely fought contests in the race’s history. The highly fancied Cambridge crew, left, led for much of the way, but by Mortlake Brewery Oxford had drawn level, and a tremendous spurt from that point took them home the winners by a canvas

(From Times Photo Gallery)