Catch-up

Haven't felt like posting for a while, but at last there's something I want to write.

Several years ago OH had a cataract op. It was a time when the NHS had a backlog and a team of surgeons came over from South Africa. 
They travelled the country in two purpose built vehicles. The first was reception, waiting room and specialist consultation booths. Here they assessed patients.
OH was taken there and back by taxi, all patients were transported that way. 
A few weeks later the taxi took him for his op.
The second vehicle was amazing - a huge trailer opened  up sideways. It had a day ward with leather couches, an anaesthetists area and operating theatre.

This time everything was at the teaching hospital (St. Paul's eye unit). The place is a 'nightmare' to get to and to make it worse we were told by friends of roadworks and a new one-way system. So we did a recce a week before the appt. Worked out the route and navigated the one-way system. 

Appt day came round and we went to the hospital, I dropped OH at the entrance. It was hours before he rang to get me to return and collect him. 

On the journey back he told me what had happened. He'd spent ages in one waiting room after another. They'd asked him the same questions at each stage as he saw various people. Then someone had said he'd get another appt to return and complete the assessment. That's when he'd asked them whether there was any reason it couldn't be done there and then. He'd been told it would involve waiting... He'd already spent most of his time waiting so another wait was no problem.

So he waited and all assessments were completed.

Next, we received an appt letter for January 2013. 

Then, out of the blue another appt letter, cancelling the first and rescheduling for 10th Nov. Saturday? Another backlog had built up and this time ops were being rescheduled for Saturdays.

Last Saturday was 'the 'day'...now we're in the recuperation stage.