At opposite ends of life, two stories of how love conquers all…

Arthur Holland and Val Cowen were teenagers in Blyth, Northumberland half a century ago when they fell in love.

Separated by job requirements, they lost touch. Val moved to the Midlands where eventually she married and had two children, and Arthur travelled the world as a steel erector before settling in Canada.

About 10 years ago, unknown to each other, they returned to Blyth and Val became landlady of the Crown pub. Fancying a drink of beer one day, Arthur walked through the door and the romance resumed.

Said Val: “Arthur says he has carried me in his heart ever since we were teens and met at a disco.” They quickly decided to marry and make up for lost time.

A WEDDING

Several years previously Arthur had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, which was treated successfully. But four weeks ago, doctors discovered the disease in his jaw, lung and liver.

Knowing Arthur’s condition was terminal, the couple moved quickly to fulfil their lifelong wish.

Last week, wearing his best suit with a rose in his buttonhole, Arthur walked with the aid of a stick to a flower-filled room in Newcastle Royal Infirmary, There, in the presence of family members, nurses and doctors, he and his bride finally exchanged wedding vows.

Said Val, “All Arthur ever wanted to do was marry me.”
***
Jenna and Dan Haley were devastated when they learned from Jenna’s first scan that the brain of the baby boy she was carrying would not form properly and he would probably die soon after birth.

Rejecting the obvious option, they named the boy Shane Michael and began to do all the things they had planned to do as he grew up. They visited the beach and the zoo and travelled to New York to see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.

They started a Facebook page, “Prayers for Shane,” which attracted almost a million “likes.”

When Shane was born, he lived for just four hours, long enough for a large extended family to attend his baptism. Announcing his death, Jenna and Dan wrote, “Shane spent his entire life in the arms of people who loved him unconditionally and you could not ask for a more beautiful life than that.”

***
I dropped by my doctor’s surgery last week for an injection, which I have to get every three months. I found Sister Ann quite upset.

A gang of youths had driven a car at a pair of seagulls in the road outside her house, then reversed over them.

The birds were alive but had broken legs and she took them to a veterinary surgeon. How could people be so cruel? she wondered.

As I was about to leave, she asked, “Would you like your flu jab?” It was the first day of the annual, nationwide campaign to beat any winter influenza epidemic — free anti-flu injections for all. I was delighted, since this saved me from making an appointment and having to return on another day. God bless the Health Service, I thought, not for the first time.

Of course, not everyone is so lucky.

A report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman said her office investigated 1,652 complaints by patients in 2014-15, significantly more than the 852 cases the previous year.

The majority — 34 per cent — concerned the failure of hospitals to apologise when their medical staff made mistakes.

Other complaints advanced by patients included errors in diagnosing conditions, poor treatment and lack of communication. The Ombudsman’s office has been criticised in recent years for not doing its job well enough by investigating too few cases and dragging its heels over decisions.

The Ombudsman, Julie Mellor, said: “I strongly believe National Health Service leaders should welcome feedback from patients and recognise the good opportunities that good complaint handling offers to improve the services they provide.”
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Nowhere is the war between generations as evident as in cyber world.

Mom sends a text to her son: “Your aunty died today. LOL.” The son replies: “LOL? Don’t you know that means Laugh Out Loud?” “Oh,” said Mum, “I thought it meant Lots of Love.”

Another mum telephones her son, “What does IDK, LY and TTYL mean on the computer?” Son: “I don’t know, love you, talk to you later.” Mum, “OK, I’ll ask your sister.”

Mother sends an SMS to her daughter: “Windows frozen.” She replies: “Pour warm water.” Mother: “Now the computer is completely broken.”

Elderly lady to helpline: “My computer is frozen and no matter how many times I type eleven, it doesn’t help.” Agent: “What do you mean type eleven?” Lady: “The computer says Error Type 11.”