Praise for GP after girl's pencil drama (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Praise for GP after girl's pencil drama

A WESTON Subedge mum has praised a GP who successfully removed a two-inch pencil embedded in her young daughter's arm.

Alison Keitley received a phone call from St Catharine's Roman Catholic School, Chipping Campden, to say her daughter Emily had tripped in the school playing fields.

The seven-year-old, concerned after spotting a pencil outside the school building, was on her way to return it when she fell over, impaling herself with the leaded end of the pencil.

Mrs Keitley said: "I got the dreaded phone call just before 1pm last Wednesday. When I arrived at the school, you couldn't see anything of the pencil, just a pink hole and a lump where the pencil had snapped off and the other end had embedded itself into her arm.

"I was so shocked as was Emily who was in a lot of pain. It had gone through the fleshy part of her left arm about two inches from her wrist."

Mrs Keitley was recommended to visit Chipping Campden's surgery, in Back Ends, where Dr Giles Bointon is able to perform minor surgeries.

Within 30 minutes of the accident, Emily was seen by Dr Bointon, who removed the frayed piece of pencil and placed four stitches in her arm.

Mrs Keitley said: "We're so lucky to have a doctor who can perform minor surgery here locally in Chipping Campden. In the time it would have taken me to reach Cheltenham General, the doctor had given Emily local anaesthetic and removed the frayed pencil. We hear so many negative stories about the NHS but I cannot praise this doctor enough and the town service he provides enough.

"The teachers and children were also really kind and supportive, when we returned to the school to pick up Emily's twin sister, Jessica, we received a pile of cards made by children at the school."

Emily, who has recovered from her ordeal, returned to school last Thursday.

Her mum added: "She was very brave in a distressing situation. I dread to think what might have happened if it had hit her chest or eye, it just doesn't bear thinking about."