A Long Wait

Time is a great healer and the NHS have worked this out. You might think that they are making people wait on trolleys in corridors because they have a lack of funds or because the doctors and nurses are tired and overworked but you would be wrong.

In this tautological era, where Brexit means Brexit and the talk is of a shared Society we need to remember that patients need to be patient.

I know this.

Honestly, I do but it was good to be reminded.

Yesterday, I waited patiently (even though I wasn't the actual patient) and I do feel better.

I went with my mum to the Royal Free Hospital for an appointment.  When you have something that doctors can see on a scan but they're not really sure of what it is they know you need to be an even more patient patient and will send you to a hospital that requires a two hour trip.  Public transport is designed to make you wait.

There's nothing I like better that sitting and eavesdropping on conversations when I don't have anywhere else to be.  It was like a little holiday.  On the train there was a woman who told us her life story.  We thought she was funny.  Because you have to plan for delays, you will arrive with time to spare.  When the hospital is on the edge of Hampstead Heath you can while away an hour patiently waiting in a coffee shop/bakery/health food cafe full of interesting people.  Young men will trip in and kiss older men and suggest the gang hasn't been together for a while.  They will tell stories and exaggerate.  They will try to impress by saying that they miss studying.  The young man will look shocked and say, "It must have been a long time since you studied."  The older man will tell of his studying medicine in Guatemala (just for fun) and how he can't practise in England because he would need to take a conversion exam.  He will tell how he completed the course in just two years because he is super good at waiting.  Then without hesitation he will turn the conversation.  "Have you ever been to Israel?" "Oh, you should it's such a massive party town."

Mum's appointment was at 3pm.  We went in at five to five and were back on the station by quarter past five.  We were patient but were kept entertained by the not so patient patients. The lady in the hat who kept pulling nurses aside and whispering loudly, "this is in total confidence, obviously."  was most put out.  She was convinced that people were being sneaked in ahead of her.  We were lined up on seats along a corridor.  Occasionally, a nurse came past with a trolley containing cups of water.  It's important to stay hydrated when you are being patient.  Along one edge of the corridor were half a dozen doors where people went when they were called.  Sometimes they came out of a different door.  The lady in the hat refused to sit next to me, "No, no, no.  I have lots of papers to look at," she said grabbing a chair and moving round the corner at the end of the corridor.  Not that she sat still, popping up and down to grab any passing person to tell them how she was going to make a formal complaint.  Her list of people to complain to was long and varied. One particular nurse was very patient on the lady's behalf.  When she was finally called in the doctor called her 'dear'. She didn't punch him.

The consultation was interesting.  The doctor looked at the scan and showed it to us.  She told us that they didn't really know what it was so they would have a meeting to look at it and call us back in six weeks time.  You know they are taking your condition seriously when they want you to do more waiting.

Next time, we plan to explore the Heath a bit more and I will take a book that I like.