Pseudocyst

The adventures and life of a Specialist Nurse in Upper GI and Bariatric surgery. If you then double and triple this by having a primary school age child AND being married to another Nurse then you have double the trouble….aehm I mean fun. Hobbies are playing chess, board games and being taxi for our son!!!

Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this blog are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

health

  • Antibiotics, Allergies and the Bit Where the Guideline Quietly Gives Up

    Disclaimer This blog is a professional reflection based on clinical practice and learning. It is written in accordance with the NMC Code and relevant social media guidance. No patient-identifiable information is included, and some details of clinical situations have been intentionally altered to preserve patient anonymity in accordance with NMC professional guidance. One of the… Read more

  • Direct antibiotics into a liver abscess cavity: clever innovation, niche rescue strategy, or something we simply do not do?

    Disclaimer This entry is for professional discussion and educational reflection only. It does not constitute individual medical advice, formal guideline instruction, or a recommendation to deviate from local hepatobiliary, microbiology, or interventional radiology protocols. Clinical decisions should always be based on the individual patient, imaging findings, microbiology results, senior multidisciplinary input, and local policy. Some… Read more

  • A “Quiet” Week (Apparently)

    Disclaimer This blog occasionally references real-life events, hospital life, parenting logistics, junior tennis politics, and the general chaos of modern family scheduling. Any clinical reflections are written in a personal capacity and should not be interpreted as medical advice or official NHS policy. Patient details are anonymised and altered where necessary. Also, any resemblance between… Read more

  • The Relentless NHS, the Prescribing Paradox, and Becoming the Doctor You Once Chased

    Disclaimer This blog reflects personal views and experiences only. It is written in accordance with the NMC Code and social media guidance. No patient-identifiable information is included. The content is intended for reflective, educational, and professional discussion purposes and does not represent the views of my employer, colleagues, or any organisation. Any resemblance to specific… Read more

  • Another Week in the NHS: Snot, Surge Capacity, and a Surprise Email

    Disclaimer This blog reflects personal views from an Upper GI clinician and parent, written while mildly hypoxic, heavily congested, and fuelled by Lemsip. No patients were harmed, no discharge summaries were intentionally delayed, and any opinions expressed are my own — not those of the Trust, the NHS, the LTA, or whoever currently has my… Read more

  • Resident Doctors’ Strike Before Christmas: Pay, Politics, and Patient Safety

    Disclaimer This blog post is written in a personal and professional capacity. The views expressed are my own and do not represent those of my employer, the NHS, or any professional body. The content is based on publicly available information at the time of writing and is intended to contribute constructively to informed discussion on… Read more

  • Interpreting Liver Blood Tests in the UK: ALT, ALP and Bilirubin — Mechanisms, Patterns, and What NAFLD/NASH, ARLD and Gallstones Do to Them

    Disclaimer Educational overview for clinicians and informed readers; not individual medical advice. Following my recent entry regarding LFT’s I though I follow this up with this blog entry: Why these three markers matter “Liver function tests” (LFTs) are misnamed: ALT and ALP are primarily injury/excretory markers, while bilirubin reports excretory capacity and, when high, overall… Read more

  • The Curious Case of the Liver Enzymes (or: Why My Wife Thinks I Don’t Know My Job)

    Disclaimer: This blog post is brought to you by the Department of “Apparently I Know Nothing.” Any resemblance to real domestic discussions is entirely intentional. Medical information below is accurate (because yes, I do actually know my job), but the tone is—how shall we put it—somewhere between “Dad joke” and “mild existential sigh.” The Interrogation… Read more

  • The hidden costs of bariatric surgery abroad: why the NHS can’t afford to look away

    A deep dive into the UK’s “bariatric tourism” problem — the waiting list mirage, the real cost of complications, and why we badly need an audit. Disclaimer This blog reflects my own views and analysis. It does not represent the official position of my Trust, the NHS, or any professional body. I remain firmly bound… Read more

  • Romania Trip Part II: The Tooth, the Whole Tooth, and Nothing but the Tooth

    Disclaimer: This post is my personal account of an unexpected (yet oddly successful) dental detour during our summer holiday in Romania. It’s not medical advice. Please consult your own dentist (ideally before your abscess bursts while you’re sightseeing). Most families go on holiday for beaches, sightseeing, and maybe a cheeky cocktail or two. We, however,… Read more