Many years ago I burned my right hand very badly in a kitchen fire. I had to regularly attend the outpatients at the Sheffield Royal Hospital. At first I had to have my arm in a sling and my hand totally immobilised in bandages but as the weeks went on the dressings got lighter and I could use my hand normally again.

One day however, when my hand was almost better again, I had a very amusing experience. The doctor on duty that day was one I had never seen before. He was Chinese or Japanese I think. He wrote on my card as usual and I went to the nurse. The nurse changed the very small dressing and then she said, "You have to have your arm in a sling." I was surprised and alarmed and protested that I didn't need a sling and wouldn't be able to drive back with my arm strapped up. She insisted that she had to put one on as the doctor had put that instruction on my card. Finally I said that there must be some mistake and insisted that she went to the doctor on duty to check. She was very reluctant but went.

A few minutes later she came back looking embarrassed but giggling slightly. She said "It doesn't say "SLING" - it's the doctor's signature!" He was a Doctor Ling and his first name either began with S or a squiggle which could have been mistaken for one! Since he was the doctor on duty that morning I realised he must have signed everyone's card the same. I said to the nurse, "How many patients have you sent out with a sling then this morning?" She replied, "All of them, but one was a poisoned thumb so that was alright!"