Yesterday, (2nd June 2014) I published what I believed to be a heart-felt recommendation for Suzan Collins’ book “Beyond my Control”
Those who know me, which is most of you reading this blog, will know that I would never knowingly offend or upset anyone and that compassion is one of my most prized characteristics both in myself and others.
I was, therefore, distressed to find the following on Twitter.
victoria smith @victori89243114 1h
@ailsaabraham@suzancollins That’s not a book review. Its you shouting about how gr8t things are in France. Have you read the book?
@ailsaabraham@suzancollinsYou have been insensitive about a very proud lady! I am so angry!
@ailsaabraham@suzancollinsI didn’t like the piece where you wrote something about ‘you let them kill you darling’.
While I am still a little unsure as to exactly what caused this outrage, I am publishing a full apology to Victoria Smith and anyone else, especially Suzan Collins if they were offended by my piece. I offered to delete my post but other readers have asked me to leave it as they found it compassionate and instructive.
I will, however, repeat that the book is excellent. I still think it should be required reading for anyone dealing with the NHS.
Once again, Victoria Smith, I am deeply sorry to have caused you such rage.
The Bingergread Cottage 
Can’t see why she was complaining.. You said it was a book to be read, you said we all need to read it . Comparisons with France were justified because it pointed out that it could be better over here, and it opened your eyes to the way her mother was treated. I won’t read it because it will make me cry. I can’t read anything with an ending that I can not change alone, such as ‘Philomena’ and her plight… But I can see why, from your review, people need to read it, and you pointed out that it was well written. Don’t take your review down. You haven’t offended, you have made aware… Two different things entirely.
Thank you very much. I appreciate your comment as that is exactly what I was trying to do – counterpoint how things could be so much better in the UK as we seem to manage them here.
For what its worth, having been on both sides of the NHS and care for elderly and vulnerable, I found yesterday’s post to be very compassionate. Its a fact of (most) lives of over 70s in the UK that doctors are Gods, nurses are angels and any reason to need assistance of either, is to be avoided at all costs because we can’t be a nuisance. (I qualify this through spending my working life as a social worker supporting the elderly in one guise or another and watching grandparents, parents in law and other relatives go through te system)
Yes pride does play a part but surely medical teams should be made aware of this and take steps to counteract it; offering to do something as oopposed to asking whether anything needs doing. Its subtle, but hugely important.
I have yet to read Suzan’s book but will definitley make a point of doing so.
Thank you for bringing it to our attention, and at the very least, you’ve got people thinking about and talkig about care of the most vulnerable in scoiety
Thanks, Di – coming from someone who has seen it all at first hand that is very much appreciated.
I’ve read and reviewed the book and gave it five stars for the way it dealt with a subject that should be close to all our hearts. No idea what prompted such an outrage but I’m with you all the way on this one
Frankly having been through several years of defending my mother’s physical and mental well being through a number of encounters with the health service, I felt and commented at the time that the review was excellent. I have a number of friends in France who have said exactly the same thing about the difference in health care. Leave the review up.
I wonder if perhaps the complainant read your review too quickly and didn’t realise that it was, in fact, a positive review of the book but a well-deserved slating of the state of our health service. Many of us have ‘been there’ with elderly relatives (and, indeed, not so elderly). With the way the NHS is going, perhaps the French system would be better – although I don’t know that I’d trust our government not to f*** it up!
Thank you all. I have also re-read the original piece and cannot for the life of me understand what caused the vitriolic outburst on Twitter.
I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who have asked me not to remove my review. It is greatly appreciated.
I don’t think that you should be apologising for your review – I read it and there was nothing wrong with it at all. It’s your opinion, and whatever you say is your business – it was not offensive in any way. It’s not cool that you are hurt by this ranting groupie, who makes absolutely no sense with her agro. Ignore – not worth your time and well beneath your need to notice.
Thanks Jo – usual case of sticking head above parapet and getting bricks thrown at it.