The fish that got away
Praise to the physios While healthcare workers don’t seek out praise, it’s always nice when someone takes the time to say thank you. That’s why former patient George Reid wanted to say thank you to Matthew Williams, who runs the Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program at Royal North Shore Hospital. In an email to Gary Rolls, Head of Department for Physiotherapy, George detailed just how Matthew and the OACCP team had changed his life. “As a 61-year-old with arthritic knees and recently replaced hips, your physio Mathew worked his magic on me,” he wrote. “His enthusiasm and knowledge has been an inspiration so much so that I now can walk without limping, will not need surgery, and also lost eight kilos. “Congratulations on this program, it has saved the state a whole lot of money in surgeries that now won’t be needed and greatly helped my quality of life. “And of course congrats to Mathew. Anyone can rattle off a lecture for an hour on knees, but I know of few professionals who can answer so many random questions so accurately and enthusiastically.”
Quentin and Nathan Peck at RNSH
It’s the yarn to end all fishermen’s tales – and Quentin Peck knows how lucky he is to be alive to tell it. While on a spearfishing expedition with his brother Nathan and good mate Andrew, Quentin was speared through the arm by a marlin leaping over their six metre inflatable boat, about 20km off Wooli, near Coffs Harbour. It came as a huge surprise to the trio, who had no idea the fish was even in the vicinity as their boat cruised at 40kmh to the next dive spot. The marlin, estimated to be about 100kg, certainly left its mark on the brothers, although Quentin copped the worst of it. He needed to be flown to Coffs Harbour Hospital and then on to Royal North Shore for specialist surgery to reattach the tendons ripped from his forearm and broken ribs. Nathan escaped with some stitches to his shoulder where the marlin’s bill passed though.
While in Ward 5 East, Quentin’s newfound stardom was realised as he and Nathan were interviewed by Channel 10’s The Project, but not before he spoke to NSLHD News to thank all the staff involved in his care. “Everyone involved, from the first two SES guys that met us on the scene to the Westpac Helicopter, ambulance staff, to the nurses here on the ward – they’ve been amazing,” the Narrabeen local said. “We had no idea what the staff do, and it’s not until we needed them that we realised the work that goes on behind the scenes.” He faces a recovery period of about 12 months to get his arm back to the way it was before the encounter. When asked if they harbor any animosity to the fish that did so much damage, Quentin and Nathan were blunt.
Well done Matthew and the OACCP team!
“Not at all,” Quentin said.
“We’re just so lucky he didn’t do more damage,” Nathan said.
George Reid and Matthew Williams
5
WWW.NSLHD.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online