Trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool

Pool is generally considered to be a safe sport in America. But if this recent report in The Sun is any indication, pool can be quite dangerous in England.

Andy Parton slipped during a friendly game of pool and impaled himself through the eye socket on his cue. Doctors, thinking his injury was superficial, stitched him up and sent him home.

When his eye failed to open properly in the three months following the accident, they investigated further. An MRI scan revealed that the tip of the pool cue had embedded itself in Parton's brain. A 10-hour surgery followed, which involved removing part of his skull, retrieving the broken tip, and rebuilding the top of his nose and eyebrow. He recovered and is now doing fine.

A similar, though less traumatic, incident happened to Chantel Faill in 1999. A male friend came in to give her a bear hug and ended up piercing the top of her mouth with the pool cue he was holding. Medics gave her a pain reliever and sent her on her way.

For the next 12 years, Chantel struggled with aching and congested sinuses. Subsequent doctor visits failed to pinpoint the problem. Relief only came when she finally coughed up a tissue-covered cue tip.

Let these incidents serve as a warning to you pool players out there. Whatever you do, be careful...and never, ever put your trust in the British health care system.