For one Sheffield family, a Christmas celebration about a decade ago transformed abruptly from festive cheer into a critical health emergency, culminating in a frantic dash to Accident and Emergency.
The Larger-Than-Life Friend Who Grew Quiet
The central figure in this holiday drama was a beloved, witty family friend, known for his sharp gossip about local MPs and colourful tales of Sheffield Wednesday footballers. His presence usually guaranteed laughter. However, one particular Christmas, his circumstances were starkly different. Having recently fallen down the stairs while holding a whisky and a suitcase, breaking his ribs, he had been advised by doctors not to fly abroad to join his family. Consequently, he spent the day in Sheffield, attempting to rally but appearing increasingly unwell.
As the morning progressed, the usual flow of anecdotes dried up. He insisted he was fine, but his pallor suggested otherwise. Struggling to climb the stairs for a rest and unable to manage even a tentative bite of Christmas lunch, it became clear he needed medical attention. The family faced a dilemma: call an ambulance, but how long would the wait be on Christmas Day? Opting for speed, the narrator and their mother decided to drive him to hospital themselves.
A Festive Yet Fraught Hospital Scene
The car journey proved decisive. By the time they reached the hospital, the friend's condition had deteriorated severely, shifting from simply "peaky" to being barely responsive. With the help of other outpatients, they got him to a ward, where the familiar, sterile hospital smell mingled with the aroma of institutional food.
The scene within was a poignant mix of forced festivity and underlying gloom. Tinsel was draped optimistically from drip stands, and bowls of uneaten Christmas pudding sat congealing on bedside tables. Throughout it all, cheerful nurses—who undoubtedly wished to be at home—bustled about, offering comfort with the distinctively Sheffield term of endearment, "duck".
The Aftermath and a Family Legend
Once visiting hours ended, the family returned home to a cold Christmas dinner and subdued television. They played a local board game, Sheffield Shares, but the mood was deflated, the snow outside mirroring a sense that the holiday had been lost.
The full severity of the situation later became clear. Their friend had not just broken ribs; he had suffered a punctured lung and later developed deep vein thrombosis. Thankfully, he eventually recovered. This dramatic episode has since been enshrined in family history as "the Christmas I saved a life". While the narrator humbly refrains from confirming the absolute truth of that title, the annual retelling, as the friend himself might quip, ensures a good story is never spoiled by the facts.
