Yikes!

Our British neighbors came over to dinner last night. And they told us a story that was kind of amazing and really scary. And the power went out, no less! But still....

A woman was riding to the airport from the New Territories in Hong Kong, on the back of a motorcycle. The motorcycle had a slight accident and she was thrown off. She was a bit bruised, but seemed okay. So she went to the airport and checked into her flight to London and got on.

What she didn't realize was that she had broken a rib, which in turn had punctured a lung. Some cavity was filling with air and was deflating a lung or something. She was in danger. So, the general announcement went out: "Is there a doctor on board?"

There was. But lungs was apparently not his speciality. However, his services were needed and of course he came forward. Then he had to do a makeshift surgery. He unbent a coat hanger and poked a hole in the woman's chest. Then he created a vacuum, drawing the air out of that cavity. So everything was okay, for then. (By the way, the things were sterilized in brandy!)

But then, the woman had to use the lavatory. She went in, and put the bottle that was keeping the vacuum going on the counter. But it slipped and reversed the action. She collapsed in the lavatory.

So, the doctor (poor doctor!) was called back again and it was a simple matter of putting the bottle back in position. She was fine, after that, and got to the hospital in London okay. But still!

So that was the story of the woman with the punctured lung on the flight to London. That, along with descriptions of Oman and Hong Kong, made for an enjoyable evening by candlelight (and I even got to work on my quilt!!!)
Saro