The wonder of it

No, not yesterday's non-event, but something more close to home. Someone very near and dear to me has been suffering from osteoarthritis. For some three years various medicos have opined that the problem was one of his knees and he required a replacement.

Then, late last year he saw a different consultant, specialising in surgery for knees and hips. Mr. K. ordered a new set of x-rays. Result, not a knee op, but hip replacement was required. After much to-ing and fro-ing, letters arriving setting then cancelling / postponing the operation date...
Finally, a phone-call telling of a cancellation for someone else and would the 19th be okay? Rushed preparations putting together items from the hospital's please bring with you list. Then the early morning drive to reach the hospital before 7.30.

Hours spent by me on tenterhooks, then a phone-call. As his surname is in the latter half of the alphabet, he'd found himself last on the list. Hours of waiting, nil-by-mouth. A good chat with the anaesthetist to cover the options available. He opted to have a block and lighter anaesthesia on the promise of sooner recovery.

Imagine my surprise and happiness to receive a phone-call that evening! He was back on the ward and able to converse if a little tiredly. My sense of relief was palpable. 

Yesterday afternoon I drove to the hospital, managing to do some detours as my memory failed me. Driving until I was sure where I was, then navigating from there. Then, at last I parked up on the roof of the hospital car park as that was where there were spaces, the other levels being full. Next task - to find the ward and the bay. As it happens, the site is home to not one, but officially three hospitals! It took me some 25 minutes to find the right part of the rambling set of buildings.

Finally, arriving at the ward, someone pressed the button and let me in. Oh the relief to see him looking tired, but alert and sitting up in a chair.

Sunday 22nd March
More phone-calls to put my mind at ease. He's having daily physiotherapy, but today, there's only one to do the work of two.
Today is another waiting day, waiting for the next phone-call. 

When I was there, the whiteboard had today as 'go home' day. Typically, if my stay in hospital is anything to go by, you need as much patience as you can muster. So many things can delay departure.
Physiotherapist has to give the 'okay'.
Consultant has to 'okay' discharge, pharmacy need to get their act together. This can take hours. In my case, discharge was delayed until the next day because a doctor did not sign the requisite prescription until after the pharmacy had closed.

Time will tell, and as I said to him, just follow the system and let everything take its course. Easily said; not easy to do.