On Sunday lunchtime my ten year old suddenly vomited and complained about stomach cramps.  My wife and I exchanged weary looks as the vomiting continued, both of us wondering whether the whole family would soon be heaving away with a collective dose of whatever bug he had picked up. 

A visit from the doctor at the end of the day left us in little doubt that this was gastro enteritis and we were soon all compulsively washing hands and surfaces in a desperate bid to keep it at bay.

To cut the story of a very long night short, it turned out that we were not likely to catch anything – because it was appendicitis.  An emergency rush to hospital, a tense day of tests, followed by an operation on Monday evening – exhausting, frightening and nerve wracking.

The NHS is an amazing institution in an emergency.  Patient, sharp-witted, compassionate, over-worked, doctors and nurses swung into action and calmly saved my little boy’s life.  I am so grateful I could burst.  Boy do they deserve their pay rise!

Two days later, I found my son sitting up in a hospital bed with a teacher (yes they have a school at the hospital!) going through a lesson about teeth in humans and animals.  What a change from the way hospitals were when I grew up – horror stories!  They look after primary school age kids here and those taking GCSE’s.  And, least you wonder, they now have Squarehead and our Lessons for Life Plan to help them.

Least I could do.