The next evening, the 29th, Mrs. BTAL to be rushed to the hospital. She spend 8 hours in the ER then into emergency surgery to remove her spleen and other internal bleeding issues. She lost over a gallon of blood (which had been pumped into her in the ER) during the surgery then was put straight into ICU. 24 hours later they transferred her from the local/regional hospital to Addenbrookes in Cambridge as her condition was beyond what they could handle.

She spent 18 days in ICU. 15 of those days she was completely sedated while they dealt with mechanically supporting her blood pressure then kidneys and respiration.

After ICU, it was another 5 days in the liver ward followed by a transfer back to the regional hospital for yet another 8 days in a general hospital ward.

The ward Dr. who processed her discharge prescribed all the wrong drugs. One in particular would have been fatal if we had left the hospital with it. Thankfully an observant nurse caught the issue.

Here's the bullet points regarding the British NHS.

The good:

• The paramedica/ambulance crew were great.
  
• The emergency room treatment was very good.
  
• Addenbrookes ICU was incredible. They do a 1 to 1 nurse to patient model 24/7.

• The quality of care in the wards was very poor.
  
• Staff/nurses were not well trained.
  
• Pillows, blankets and even wheelchairs were in short supply.
  
• Had to wait 2 weeks for the mobile MRI system to make its rounds for a scan.
  
• Bed availability on the wards are in short supply.
  
• An upper GI test had to be deferred to here as the wait was approx. 4-6 weeks.

House Democrats had already been preparing to release their own 2012 budget, under the leadership of Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the budget committee. The House Dems' budget plan had been in the works for weeks, as Van Hollen had been meeting with every major caucus in his party to craft an alternative to the Republicans' plan. Last week, the GOP's decision to push out Ryan's plan to radically alter Medicare and Medicaid in the middle of the 2011 budget fight threw Democrats for a loop. Now the news of Obama's speech has left Dems on Capitol Hill grappling with another unexpected turn of events that could force them to change their plans, as they won't want to be too out of sync with whatever Obama proposes.

Johann Hari sets sail with America's swashbuckling neocons

The conversation ebbs back to friendly chit-chat. So, you're a European, one of the Park Avenue ladies says, before offering witty commentaries on the cities she's visited. Her companion adds, "I went to Paris, and it was so lovely." Her face darkens: "But then you think - it's surrounded by Muslims." The first lady nods: "They're out there, and they're coming." Emboldened, the bearded Floridian wags a finger and says, "Down the line, we're not going to bail out the French again." He mimes picking up a phone and shouts into it, "I can't hear you, Jacques! What's that? The Muslims are doing what to you? I can't hear you!"

Currently, just 37% of liberals Strongly Approve of the president's performance

Nelson is expected to issue a ruling on the players' request for an injunction to end the lockout some time next week or the following.

So far, the effects of the lockout include:

1. No free agency prior to draft day (Apr 28)
   
2. No access to team facilities impacting players coming off injuries
   
3. Players forced to pay COBRA to continue their health insurance
   
4. Some teams have layed off or cut wages/hours for staff and assistant coaches
   
5. No roster bonuses paid and no off season training activities (OTA's)

It's possible Nelson will hold another hearing to evaluate the players' claim that the lockout is causing "irreparable harm", but the topic was argued in both the players' and owners' briefs to the court. "Irreparable harm" was discussed only once in the previous hearing, during Nelson's questioning of the players' counsel.

"A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday indicates that the budget agreement that prevented a government shutdown is popular, with Americans supporting it by a 58 to 38 percent margin. But there's a partisan divide, with two-thirds of Democrats and a majority of independent voters backing the deal, and Republicans divided."

"TWO THIRDS OF DEMOCRATS AND A MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENTS VOTERS"

So let me get this straight.  Obama is a huge traitor to the democrats for a deal that an overwhelming majority of democrats and most independents support and most republicans don't like.

Hello.