A father of two children described how his family evacuated their hotel at night and then left on foot.

With his wife and two kids, ages seven and eleven, Nick Stafford arrived late last Wednesday on the Greek island of Rhodes.

Their hotel, the Gennadi Grand Resort, was evacuated on Friday night.

Mr. Stafford, age 40. claimed that they only brought what they could carry and that their destination was a resort seven kilometers (4 points 3 miles) away.

The family from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, claimed that a local offered them a ride after they had walked roughly halfway to their destination.

"We ended up staying in a different hotel close to the coast, where we shared a hard floor with hundreds of other guests. ".

The family tried the Faliraki evacuation center the following day, but it was already full. Once in Rhodes Town, they found a room for the night after boarding a public bus there.

Monday, Mr. Stafford made an effort to retrieve the rest of their belongings by going back to the first hotel they stayed at.

But he claimed that by the time they were 10 minutes away from the hotel, "the situation had worsened," the hotel had once more been evacuated, and they had been "turned around by the police.".

Everyone is in the same boat, so it has undoubtedly been stressful, he said. "It's pointless to become angry. ".

The four-person family was hoping to return to Gatwick Airport late on Monday night on a British Airways flight.

British Airways released the following statement: "Our teams have been working round-the-clock to support our customers in Rhodes and have been in contact with them constantly to provide assistance.

We regret the difficult circumstances and are happy to have rebooked the family on the first flight we have been operating from the island since the weekend.

. "

Source link

After his father had a rare tumor the size of a rugby ball removed from close to his spine, the man is getting ready for a 15-kilometer charity run.

On August 1st, Arjan Dayal, 18, will participate in the fundraising challenge in Leicester's Victoria Park.

In January of this year and in 2019 respectively, his father, Hardip Dayal, received two diagnoses of a Solitary Fibrous Tumor.

Arjan is organizing a fundraiser for the hospital charity that supported the recovery of his father.

In February 2019, Hardip, 45, received a diagnosis of a Solitary Fibrous Tumor.

The small tumor, which can develop almost anywhere on the body, was located close to his spine and resembled a rugby ball in size.

He underwent six months of MRI scans before being referred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore, London, for surgery to remove it.

After that, a scan in January revealed another tumor in his vertebral column.

He had a 16-hour procedure in April to remove the second tumor and rebuild his vertebrae.

Arjan said, "Dad has really struggled with his health the last few years.".

He is still recovering and getting stronger every day, but there is a chance that his full strength, mobility, and sensation won't come back. We will just have to wait and see how he does. ".

Arjan decided to try raising £1,000 for the RNOH's charity after being so impressed by its facilities.

He proclaimed himself to be "excited" to be running in his sponsored race.

I generally keep myself in good shape, but for this I had to train a little harder because I've never run 15 kilometers continuously, he said.

He added that he hoped his father would be able to watch some of his effort along with other family members and friends.

Source link

A new service is helping hospital patients who also struggle with alcoholism.

At Musgrove Park Hospital, a group of nurse specialists deals with both patients who abuse alcohol and those who are dependent on it.

Somerset has significantly more hospital admissions related to alcohol than the national average.

The patients "greatly appreciated the education and support," according to lead alcohol nurse Lottie Lee.

The alcohol care program at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (FT) is available every day of the week.

According to Somerset FT, one in five county residents drink to harmful levels for their health.

If the problems mentioned in this story have had an impact on you. The BBC Action Line is a resource for assistance and support.

Compared to the national average of 537 per 100,000, its hospital admissions for alcohol-related illnesses are 668 per 100,000.

The Taunton-based service, according to Laura Jones, clinical service manager for gastroenterology and endoscopy at Somerset FT, aims to decrease the number of patients admitted to hospitals for alcohol abuse and shorten hospital stays.

She said: "One of our nurses will visit the patient on the ward and conduct an assessment when they are referred to the alcohol care team.

They may be referred to an outside agency, such as the Somerset Drug and Alcohol Service, or they may continue to be under the care of our team. Along with our psychiatric liaison team, we collaborate closely. ".

Assessing a person's desire to cut back on alcohol, according to Ms. Lee, is "a really important step.".

Then, we can direct them to local detoxification programs and even make referrals on behalf of weaker patients. We can also educate family members, patients, and coworkers about alcohol. ".

Every week, she claimed, they were gradually seeing more patients.

And the people we've helped have expressed to us how much they valued the information and assistance we provided them regarding alcohol withdrawal, she continued.

Source link

Marharyta Lymar, a university lecturer, had a "really normal" life in Ukraine up until 18 months ago.

Then, on February 24, 2022, Russia under Vladimir Putin invaded her nation.

She and her colleagues found ways for Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University (PMBSNU) to carry on because she was determined to keep instructing her students.

Since then, PMBSNU and Swansea University have entered into a partnership, and Ms. Lymar and a delegation from Ukraine have traveled to Wales to share their experiences.

Swansea and Mykolaiv are both industrial port cities with universities, and PMBSNU is located in Mykolaiv close to the Black Sea.

Ms. Lymar, a translation professional with experience in international relations, described at a conference how they modified their instructional strategies, provided more mental health support to staff and students, and promoted a survival mindset.

We're here to bring everyone a message of hope, she said.

"The news is all bad, but we've managed to survive and keep our country's reputation as a forward-thinking society. ".

Ms. Lymar claimed that initially, things were so terrifying that lecturers were unable to see a way forward.

"We had nothing but shells from February to April; all we could think about was staying alive," she claimed.

"However, once we realized we'd accomplished that, we turned our focus to how we also kept our country alive. ".

Staff and students endured daily Russian missile attacks in underground bunkers for the first few months of the war.

But as they gradually reestablished normal life, a glimmer of hope appeared.

Despite how awful Covid was, Ms. Lymar said, "looking back, it had given us the blueprint for how to get back on our feet.".

When it was safe for our students to leave campus and go home, we continued lectures the same way we had the previous two years because we had already been using online teaching. ".

Ms. Lymar clarified that further improvements were needed, though.

"Electricity would occasionally only be available for a few hours in the morning and evening, so we frequently had to give last-minute lectures over mobile phones.

Additionally, deadlines had to be eliminated. Each student was working in a unique environment, making it impossible to hold them all to the same standards. ".

Additional student assistance was also implemented, ranging from official counseling to routine phone calls to make sure everyone was alright.

However, Ms. Lymar claimed that one of Ukraine's biggest coping mechanisms was its sense of nationalism.

We're all in this together, so I guess when everyone is going through the same thing, it makes it easier for one person to deal with it. " .

According to her, the university treated the students like members of their family.

In the midst of the war, Mykolaiv has even developed new customs.

"Pipes have been bombed so frequently that the tap water is now so discolored and contaminated that Ukrainians now bring bottled water to each other's homes as a gift for dinner, just as we would have done before the war. ".

Gynecology specialist Mariia Hryhorian, a medical student at PMBSNU, spent last year studying in Swansea to aid in her education.

"I was immediately at ease. Swansea and Mykolaiv are both seaside cities, but we can no longer access our beaches because they are all gated. It's too risky to go there, she said.

"I'm so impressed with the tools and training, and everyone here is so friendly and welcoming.

"I need to return home with everything I've learned so I can help rebuild our nation after we win this war. ".

Many of Ms. Lymar's students, according to her, have stayed at home.

Some students on my course are currently engaged in active combat. One in particular assured me that he would stay safe and return home safely, but I constantly consider him.

"I don't know what to say when he sends in his assignments and apologizes for them being late; it just makes me cry. ".

Swansea University is also eager to emphasize the ways in which the conference and the larger partnership agreement can teach them resilience skills through the experiences of PMBSNU.

Swansea University's associate director, Emma Frearson Emmanuel, stated: "We are delighted to welcome our Ukrainian partners to campus, just as we were with their students who just finished a semester-long visit.    .

"This is a collaborative effort. We are picking up tips from our PMBSNU colleagues, like how to modify teaching strategies and help students through the most trying of times.

. "

Source link

The justice minister of New Zealand has resigned with immediate effect after failing a breathalyzer test for alcohol following a car accident.

The 39-year-old Kiri Allan was accused of reckless driving and resisting arrest.

Prior to the elections scheduled for October, she is the fourth minister in Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' cabinet to resign since March.

The crash, which happened on Sunday night in Wellington's capital, was not said to have caused any casualties.

The former minister was detained at a police station after being arrested for four hours before being let go. She will show up in court at a later time.

Ms. Allan, who Mr. Hipkins claimed was experiencing "extreme emotional distress," will continue to serve as a member of parliament for the time being.

In a press conference, the prime minister stated, "She understood that maintaining her ministerial warrant was untenable, particularly for a justice minister to be charged with criminal offending.".

Ms. Allan, who served as the minister for regional development, conservation, and emergency management, recently took time off for "personal difficulties" and didn't start working again until last Monday.

She confirmed their breakup last month and is also being accused of having strained working relationships with staff members.

Ms. Allan said in a statement on Monday that she had returned to the legislature in the belief that she could balance personal challenges with her work.

She claimed, "My actions yesterday show I wasn't okay, and I will think about my future in politics.".

Ms. Allan was once thought of as the Labour party's darling. Jacinda Arden, the former prime minister, resigned from her position earlier this year before Mr. Hipkins took over, and she was even predicted to succeed her.

Her resignation is the most recent development in Mr. Hipkins' own party during a period he acknowledged as "messy.".

Michael Wood, the minister of transportation and immigration, resigned in June after failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest involving stock ownership. Meka Whaitiri, the minister of customs, had changed parties a month earlier.

Stuart Nash, the police minister, was fired in March of last year after it came to light that he had given donors confidential information.

According to a poll conducted in April, the Labour party, which is center-left, and the National party, which is the main opponent, will compete closely in the upcoming election.

Source link

A depressed man is advocating for ketamine therapy to be made available through the NHS.

Ketamine has a reputation as an illicit party drug despite having a license to be used as an anesthetic.

But Hawkhurst, Kent resident Simon Bottle, who has battled depression for 30 years, claims that using the medication has changed the game.

More study is required, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, to determine its efficiency in clinical settings.

Before he paid for private ketamine treatment, according to Mr. Bottle, depression had a negative impact on his education, career, and personal life.

I've gone from being just about functional and dealing with it to becoming totally incapacitated by it, or what people would call breakdowns, probably three or four times, he said.

The businessman is pushing for the NHS to give ketamine to patients who haven't responded to other antidepressants. Ketamine has also been used as a drug for date rape.

"It introduced hope to a disease in which you lose all hope by definition," he said.

"One of the things that almost immediately occurred for me was a feeling of a tremendous weight beginning to be lifted off of your shoulders, something I hadn't experienced in decades.

"At first, it gave me a foothold, but soon became a springboard. That changed everything. ".

Prof. Rupert McShane of the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust supported the calls for the NHS to use ketamine to treat drug-resistant depression rather than electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which he claims many patients are "too frightened" to have after trials in the US, Sweden, and at an NHS hospital in Oxford.

In comparison to 5 percent of those taking other antidepressants, he claimed that 30% of depression patients who used ketamine continued to feel good after a year without it.

"I think it would without a doubt be a game changer if we were to get a license for intravenous ketamine as an alternative for people who have been considered for ECT," he said.

When taken in small doses, ketamine functions differently from traditional antidepressants.

"And what is really exciting is that there is new evidence that suggests it is just as effective as the best depression treatment we currently have, which is ECT. ".

Early research suggests that ketamine may be useful in treating some patients with severe mental illnesses who have not responded to other treatments, according to a spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

However, they added, "More research is still needed to determine its potential efficacy in clinical settings and what safeguards may need to be implemented should it be deemed appropriate for use in this group of patients.

You can get support from if the problems in this piece affect you. Action Line at BBC.

Source link

According to NHS data, hundreds of patients are occupying hospital beds every day in England despite being prepared to leave.

According to statistics, the biggest barrier to a quick discharge is a lack of beds in other settings, like care homes.

Hold-ups in organizing transportation, medications, and paperwork are additional causes.

In order to "ensure patients leave hospitals as soon as they are medically fit," the government stated its goal.

This is the first time data that breaks down the causes of discharge delays has been made public.

Other explanations include the need to install specialized equipment in a patient's home or conflicts between a patient, their family, and medical personnel.

According to the statistics, 1,791 patients in England in June who had spent at least 14 days in the hospital were unable to leave because there were no beds available in a residential or nursing home.

While 1,727 people per day waited for rehabilitation beds in community hospitals or other facilities of a similar nature.

The data showed that 2,033 patients on average per day were waiting for resources to assess them and start providing care at home.

According to an NHS spokesperson, delayed discharges place a significant burden on the health system. For this reason, the health service has been collaborating closely with colleagues in local authorities on a number of initiatives to send more patients home when they are physically able to do so. ".

"Delayed discharge is caused by several factors including a capacity crunch of staff and beds in social care and community health services," said Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, the membership organization for NHS trusts in England. ".

More than any other region, the south-east of England's hospitals delay the discharge of about one in every five patients.

With an average of 99 patients per day, University Hospitals Sussex was the NHS trust with the highest average of delayed discharges brought on by a wait for resources to start care at home.

It also had the highest daily average of 85 patients for delays brought on by waiting for a bed in a community hospital.

Manchester University NHS trust had the highest daily average of patients waiting for a bed in a nursing or residential facility, with 81 patients, closely followed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Liverpool University Hospitals trusts, both of which had daily averages of 80 patients.

In England, patients who were ready to be discharged occupied an average of 12,334 hospital beds per day in June, down from 12,597 in May and 12,760 in April.

11,590 was the equivalent number for the same month in 2022.

"We are working to ensure patients leave hospital as soon as they are medically fit, and the number of patients each day who are ready to be discharged but still in hospital has decreased by 2,200 in England since January," a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said.

"We are investing a record $10.6 billion to support prompt and secure hospital discharge.

"This is in addition to the £700 million that was spent last winter to relieve hospital pressures and purchase thousands of additional care packages and beds.

. "

Source link

For a radioactive gas that has been connected to lung cancer, more than 9,000 homes in Leeds are undergoing testing.

The homes in the Morley, Middleton, and Rothwell areas that are owned by local authorities are being checked for radon as a precaution, according to Leeds City Council.

Testing is being done because 9,100 homes were found to have between a 1% and 5% risk of having too much radon in them.

A spokesperson clarified that there was "no suggestion" that locals were in danger.

An odorless, naturally occurring gas called radon is found in the rocks and soil found all over the United Kingdom.

The radon level in the air outside is extremely low, but it can be higher inside buildings, and prolonged exposure to high levels can result in lung cancer, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The UKHSA had reportedly identified just over 9,100 council properties where excess levels may potentially be present, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which was reported at a council meeting.

The risk factor for the remaining 45,000 council homes is estimated to be between 0% and 1%.

The data does not include privately owned properties.

"Radon gas is not just a risk in Leeds; it is a risk throughout the UK," said Adam Crampton, the council's head of property management, at the meeting. There are parts of the nation where the risk is significantly higher than in Leeds, particularly in South Wales and south-western England.

"There isn't much evidence, either empirical or anecdotal, to back up any worry that the risk is higher in Leeds. However, it also prevents us from demonstrating that the risk is low.

"We've developed what we believe to be a robust and proportionate approach to testing throughout the city in consultation with the UKHSA. ".

Although smoking continues to be the leading cause of lung cancer, Dawn Bailey, the council's chief officer for public health, said high levels of radon were associated with a higher risk of developing the disease.

Source link

A rehabilitation center that was established as a pilot project to free up hospital beds will continue to operate all year.

People who are not yet ready to go home after a hospital stay can receive short-term care in the 51-bed unit at Turn Furlong in Northampton.

The NHS and West Northamptonshire Council jointly manage it.

It would help relieve "pressure on the system," according to Matt Golby of West Northamptonshire Council.

Patients from hospitals and people who might require additional community support are admitted to the residential unit.

Health and social care professionals working for the council and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust provide patient care.

Between the center's opening in November 2022 and the end of May, 204 admissions took place.

61 percent of those patients, according to the foundation trust, were later released and returned to their usual residence.

The authority, which is under Conservative control, will provide patients with "the best treatment before they are allowed back home to live as independently as they can," according to Mr. Golby, cabinet member for adult care, wellbeing, and health integration.

Hospitals are constantly under pressure to free up beds for patients arriving during the winter, he continued.

The center, according to him, "was one of the first of its kind in all of England.".

Mr. Golby continued, "This is a bit of a trailblazer.".

The facility provides medical care, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation services in addition to social events and classes on things like gardening and cooking.

It was "providing the right care for everyone here to meet everyone's needs," according to manager Dawn Watts.

One of the patients at Turn Furlong recuperating from a hospital stay is Astrid Cutler.

The 86-year-old: "I fell over because of a severe infection in my leg, and I was taken to [Northampton] General Hospital.

She had "a bad episode and they found two ulcers in my stomach, which I didn't know I had" while she was in the hospital for a month.

Three weeks after being moved to Turn Furlong, she complained that she "couldn't walk, couldn't do anything.".

But now, she added, "I can walk, use the restroom, dress myself, get into bed, and get out of bed. It's pretty amazing."

Source link

One of Nottingham's poorest neighborhoods now has access to counseling and mental health services thanks to a debt advice center.

At the St. Ann's Advice Center, the "Money Minded" project will provide qualified assistance for conditions like depression and anxiety.

Each week, more than 300 people wait in line at the center to receive food and fuel vouchers.

More than 75 percent of the clients, according to the organizers, also experience mental health issues.

The organization's director, Debbie Webster, said people are sobbing inconsolably because they are unable to make ends meet but many are reluctant to ask for help.

"A lot of the clients we see, 75 to 80 percent, have poor mental health, including depression, anxiety, and stress," she continued. simply having to get by each day, to survive. Therefore, through this new project, we can make direct recommendations for mental health support.

"We now enquire at reception if they are OK and in need of assistance. We normalize it and say that having difficulties is okay.

"You're not going to be in a very good mental state if you're fighting off the bailiffs and facing the possibility of losing your home. It's about being able to provide the community with a wide range of supports that enable them to emerge from a crisis. ".

The center, which has been providing food parcels for many years, thinks that delays in payments from the new Universal Credit program are pushing a lot of its customers into debt.

While waiting for Universal Credit, Angela Leivers, who was in line at the center, claimed she had gone a week without eating a proper meal.

"I had no food or electricity," she continued. I was limited to eating only bread and toast. I only had that. I was sick. I simply didn't want to live, so I felt like taking my own life. However, I reasoned that you can overcome this.

"I would be in serious trouble without this place. ".

42-year-old wheelchair-bound volunteer Lisa Holroy works at the facility.

I can hardly afford to eat, she admitted. I mostly survive on packets. In essence, the vouchers allow me to purchase healthier food.

My spinal chord is essentially collapsing because I'm not eating properly. When I don't eat right, my bones become more brittle.

If things worsen, I don't think I can live. My health is failing, my spine is collapsing, and I have scoliosis, so I don't think I'll be here.

If things continue to get worse, I don't anticipate living a very long life due to the high cost of living and inability to heat my home. ".

Patricia Shannon received two £30 food vouchers and lives in a dorm.

I need to cut back on meat, some vegetables because their prices have increased too much, and even sauces for the grandchildren because you can't do it.

"It's a huge struggle, even with bus fares and other expenses that must be reduced in order to travel and visit the grandchildren and take them places.

Mental breakdowns are more frequent, and I don't even really want to leave the house. ".

Two support staff members will be hired by the center to provide counseling and refer people who are having mental health problems to group sessions, online courses, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Source link

One of the people submitting a letter to the government asking for greater compensation is the son of a man who passed away after receiving infected blood.

In response to complaints that the government is taking its time on the matter, Coventry resident Jason Evans is one of the signatories to a letter that will be delivered on Monday.

This week, government ministers will testify before the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Mr. Evans lamented that "people are dying without receiving any acknowledgement.".

The investigation was started in 2017 to look into how contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s led to the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C to thousands of patients in the UK.

In what has been dubbed the worst medical disaster in NHS history, approximately 2,400 people perished.

Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the Commons and a former paymaster general, is scheduled to testify on Monday, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will appear on Wednesday. On Friday, former health secretary and chancellor Jeremy Hunt is scheduled to speak.

In October, the government provided interim compensation payments totaling about £100,000 to surviving victims and the families of the deceased.

Sir Brian Langstaff, the chairman of the infected blood public inquiry, however, suggested that the program be expanded in order to provide compensation for more people, such as orphaned children and parents who lost children.

Jonathan Evans, a carpenter, died in 1993 at the age of four after contracting HIV and hepatitis C while receiving treatment. Mr. Evans was four years old at the time.

He said, "People are dying, not just the infected but the bereaved families as well. We need action to happen now.".

"We are aware of 380 HIV-positive children, many of whose deaths occurred in infancy, and whose parents are now in their 80s.

"We are aware of people who have recently passed away," he said.

In their letter to the government, the relatives of the victims claimed that the delay had prevented them from feeling any tangible progress.

"Many people still perish without receiving full redress; this cannot be right.

"The interim payment for unrecognized deaths is crucial. ".

According to a government spokesman, the government "accepts the moral case for compensation, and work is ongoing across the UK Government and in consultation with the devolved administrations to consider the recommendations made in the inquiry's second interim report as quickly as possible.

. "

Source link

The mother of an eight-year-old boy who was struck by a motorcycle close to his home claims that without the air ambulance, he wouldn't be with her.

At the weekend, Air Ambulance NI celebrated its sixth birthday; during that time, it has responded to more than 3,500 incidents.

It responds to two emergency calls per day on average.

One of those calls-out occurred at Easter 2019 to Newtownards to treat Cillian Rogers, a four-year-old who had multiple wounds.

They included a brain bleed and a skull fracture.

"We wouldn't have him with us today if it wasn't for the air ambulance," Cillian's mother Courtney McCoubrey Rogers said on Good Morning Ulster.

He's doing so much better than we anticipated, to put it simply.

He most likely wouldn't have made it to the hospital or survived long enough to receive regular medical care.

"Having the air ambulance deliver their hospital care to the scene for him was really, really important. ".

Conor McMullan, age 11, was the first patient to receive treatment from the service on July 22, 2017.

Conor sustained a serious head injury while working on the family farm in Castlewellan. He was hit by a tractor trailer.

Conor was able to receive immediate critical care interventions and stabilization from the air ambulance's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) team.

According to HEMS operational lead Glenn O'Rorke, they treat about 70 kids annually.

He claimed that despite the size of Northern Ireland, the air ambulance can travel anywhere in the country in just 25 minutes from its base in Lisburn.

The most seriously ill or injured patients in Northern Ireland at the time, he said, "You say two patients a day.

"We are prepared to act, we practice daily, and we review all of our previous calls to make sure that our upcoming patients receive the same high-quality care as those who came before them. ".

"We are always ready to treat anyone of any age," he continued. "We also carry specialized equipment that is size appropriate and clearly labeled by age for ease of access at scenes, where every second counts. " .

As a neighborhood charity, Air Ambulance NI strives to raise £2.5m annually to keep the service operating.

The charity's operating costs have increased due to the current cost of living crisis, and its daily fundraising goal has increased from £5,500 to £6,850.

Courtney McCoubrey Rogers claimed she could never express her gratitude for the service.

"I get to tuck my baby into bed every night and I get to send him off to school because of the air ambulance and because people donate to the air ambulance to allow the service to run," she said.

"I am so glad it was there. It's never something you think you're going to need as a family, until you do. It should carry on.

. "

Source link

On the Greek island of Rhodes, where wildfires forced the closure of hotels in the south, vacationers from Wales encountered chaotic scenes.

One family related how they slept on a hotel floor, while another explained how they escaped as the flames got closer.

The largest evacuation effort ever in Greece has been necessitated by fires and involved 19,000 people.

One family from South Wales is scheduled to fly home tomorrow on an EasyJet repatriation flight.

At Rhodes airport on Saturday night, Caryn Savazzi of Llysworney, Vale of Glamorgan, said she, her husband, and their two children arrived to "absolute chaos.".

"We waited in line with the kids for two hours," she remarked. Many people experienced great anxiety when they learned that their hotel had closed and they had no other options. ".

They were eventually taken to a stadium in Rhodes, according to Ms. Savazzi, but as they were getting ready to sleep on the floor of a school hall at around 3 a.m. local time, a local family offered to house them.

We have been staying with them ever since they drove us to their house and set up a sofa bed, according to the woman. "It has been truly amazing.

We've only been lucky to have a better experience than the horror of others, she said. She was able to secure a flight for Tuesday to Bristol for her family.

Less fortunate were 52-year-old Lowri Jones from Crymych, Pembrokeshire, and her 13-year-old daughter Ella.

When they got to the airport in Rhodes, they discovered that their hotel in the south of the island had been impacted.

Really horrible, the last 24 hours, Ms. Jones said. She and her daughter were relocated to another hotel in the island's north, but they were forced to spend the night on the floor due to a lack of rooms.

"Compared to many other people, our situation is better. We have everything we need with us, but I know many people who are in worse circumstances and there are people fighting fires, she continued.

We were crammed onto a bus and dropped off at this hotel. The [hotel staff] has provided water and made an effort to keep us going. They can only do so much considering that 600 people arrived here.

The journey was described as a "weird experience" by her daughter Ella.

Ella said, "We're supposed to be on vacation having fun, but instead we've been worrying about where we're going to be next and where we're going to sleep.". It's not pleasant. ".

Another Cardiff family described their "shocking" ordeal of being forced to leave their hotel on Rhodes.

While on vacation with their children, ages 12 and 10, Ynyr Roberts and Gwenllian Glyn, a BBC Wales journalist, claimed they were forced to leave the majority of their belongings there.

They talked about seeing the flames move toward their hotel.

We noticed this large cloud, and then my son's phone texted us to tell us to leave the area, Ms. Glyn recalled. "I hurried to the front desk and requested to be let out. ".

She claimed though that there were neither buses nor a plan to leave the hotel.   .

Because of how quickly it changed from nothing to a massive yellow cloud, she said, it was clear that they hadn't really planned for this kind of situation. The start of the flames right by the hotel and the uncertainty of our remaining time were the most terrifying parts. ".

The family made the decision to sprint down a hill beneath their hotel as the fire got closer.

When we reached the bottom of the hill, she said, she saw a small minibus and asked, "Please, please, can you take us," to which the driver replied, "Yes, jump in.". Twelve people managed to fit into the "tiny" car.

We had to shout, "Please can my husband and daughter get on," she said, because "[my husband] and [my daughter] weren't with us.". It was extremely surreal; you only see these things in movies and cannot imagine experiencing them in person. ".

They struggled for hours to get to the airport, but on Sunday morning they made it back to Wales.

Fires forced Marlyn Samuel and her husband Iwan, who are from Pentre Berw on Anglesey, to leave their hotel in the southern part of the island.

However, when they went to the hotel reception, they were told "everything was fine" and "not to worry" because the fires were only affecting houses higher up. She claimed they also received an evacuation alarm on their phone.

But after that, she added, "we received another text and alarm.". "Until the day I die, I'll remember that noise.

"We were evacuated when the hotel's alarm went off. Although they couldn't see the fires, she said, "we were afraid for our lives and the roads were being closed.

"The issue was. We'd be confined to the hotel. ".

They were eventually evacuated to a school at four in the morning, according to Ms. Williams.

Fair play, she said, "the Greeks were very good; they provided us with food, water, and toiletries. I had to spend the previous night sleeping on a very cozy mattress on the ground. ".

She and her husband were successful in securing a Monday morning flight to Manchester Airport.

Source link

A program that provides free appointments for kids visiting GPs in Jersey has started.

Children would be given free in-person and phone consultations with GPs, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, and health care assistants, according to the government.

The services will be offered without charge beginning in December 2022, and the States Assembly confirmed that the Health Insurance Fund for Children and Young People will pay for them.

It claimed that the program came after a £20 fee reduction for all in-person doctor visits in June.

Elaine Millar, Deputy Minister for Social Security, stated that it would "improve access to primary healthcare services and invest in the health and wellbeing of islanders.".

Young people would be able to access services "without worrying about fees," according to the Primary Care Body, which represents Jersey GPs.

"With this shared commitment, we can continue to offer top-notch family medicine while breaking down barriers.

. "

Source link

After allegedly swallowing a spider while dozing off, a postman was taken by ambulance to the hospital with breathing problems.

Chris Cowsley, of Sandon, Hertfordshire, said: "I thought I was going to die. I woke up choking around 03:30 BST on Sunday. ".

When he couldn't breathe, he dialed 999, and the paramedic who arrived in the ambulance told him, "I think you've swallowed a spider," according to Mr. Cowsley.

Before being allowed to return home, he received treatment at Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

"I get up, I try and cough, try and do all sorts - I can't do anything - my breathing's getting more restricted," Mr. Cowsley said after waking up choking.

He said, "I picked up the phone and dialed 999.". "I don't know how the poor woman on the other end of the phone understood what I was saying because I was gagging and gasping for air while I was retching.

The first thing the paramedic said after looking in my mouth and hooking me up to machines was, "I think you've swallowed a spider.

"I thought that was a strange thing to say.

"He mentioned the speed at which it started. You have been sleeping; nothing has been accomplished. It obviously bit your uvula on the way down, he said, adding that. " .

He claimed that after being taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage, medical staff administered steroids, antibiotics, and a saline drip.

He saw an expert in ears, noses, and throats after waiting for a while.

"He got one of those tiny cameras and stuck it up my nose to double-check that there was nothing else wrong. ".

According to Mr. Cowsley, the doctor told him to go home because his throat was no longer swollen.

He claimed the doctor thought the paramedic was probably right but was unsure of the exact cause of his problems.

He responded, "They did suggest that I might pass it, when asked where the spider might be right now.

"I went out and purchased those bug repellents, and I placed them all over the house. I'm not having that any longer. ".

He expressed his sincere gratitude to everyone who had assisted him.

I think they might have been able to save my life, so I just really wanted to thank the Lister team and the paramedics, he continued.

Source link