Don't Let 2016 Get You Down!

Christmas holidays are over for me and the year is almost at its end. Most people have declared 2016 to be an awful year, the never ending list of celebrity deaths and countless negative political events seem to have shaped the year overview. In medical world it seems as if its even worse with junior doctors contracts being imposed, poor evidence circulating mainstream media and bombings of hospitals in the middle east (a recent BMJ editorial highlights this casting aside of moral boundaries, a dangerous development).

Its easy to think that it has indeed been a 'crap year' but I think this just highlights an underlying frustration with how things are going. Its for the first time I highly recommend we all listen to the Queen. And no not the Freddie Mercury kind, although 'don't stop me now' always made me feel hyped up in a 'tiger defying the laws of gravity' kind of way. For those who arn't familiar with it, every year on Christmas day just after lunch, the Queen gives a speech to the nation. It's usually just a well orchestrated and politically-correct summary of the charitable acts and travels around the world she undertook, this year despite not mentioning Brexit once (come on queenie, its history) and seeming to be fixated on the olympics (I bet she always wanted to compete that's why, corgie hurdles anyone?) she decided to focus on the theme of INSPIRATION.

Yes well, 2016 has left nothing to inspired from unless you are a fake news producer, a dedicated neoliberalist or loving Pokemon Go. We should all INSPIRE, take a deep breath (see what i did there) and take on 2017 with new vigor. And not just skip into 2017 like all the gym goers who will be skipping through the gym entrances on January 2nd to only find themselves two weeks later using their new running shoes to microwave pot noodles in (I might have exaggerated here) BUT to take on 2017 full on! 

What does that mean? you will ask, honestly I don't know, I'm writing in a stuffed airport lounge in Luton so its hard to be inspiring here, I guess what im trying to say is:

"Don't let 2016 get you down!" which may be hard to say to a hardcore Star Wars fan a day after Carrie Fisher (princess leia) dies (she died drowning in moonlight strangled by her own bra). 

Go into 2017:

• Prepared for the worst (yes David Attenborough will die one day) 
• Know your enemy! what is neoliberalism, best 2016 comebacks
• Make a new years resolution 
• Stick to your new years resolution (hardest challenge yet)
• Read every day (top articles of 2016)
• Always check the evidence and for gods sake don't listen to fake news

Junior doctors and learned helplessness; a rant.

Pete Devesons's speech opposing the motion "This house believes that medicine is the best career in the world", recorded at the #BMJLive Big Debate in London on 23/10/15. Its been a rough ride for Junior Doctors but now lets take action, keep looking up. 

CPR It's easy actually

So continuing on from my last post on first aid although slightly on a tangent, I just want to drop some points on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Its actually easy and could well help YOU save a life one day.
Vinnie Jones gives a breakdown in the video above;

Call an ambulance!*
120 compressions a minute (to the tune of 'staying alive' by 'the beegees')
If you are out on your own without a ventilator, no breaths
Compress the sternum (the bony middle of the chest)
About 5cm deep or 2inches
Two hands with arms straight and locked, use your back
Allow chest to fully recoil after each compression
Dont stop until the ambulance arrives

*(and get someone if available to find a public defibrillator and follow the instructions on the case)