Post 112: 7th March

A very frustrating morning on the telephone. I ring Jo, the co-ordinator to see if she can give me any more information about the proposed admission. There is a message on her answer phone; she doesn’t work on a Friday. Then I try Prof P’s secretary; she doesn’t do Friday’s either. Annie, the MacMillan nurse didn’t call back yesterday following a message. I ring her in the hope she might be able to help sort this out, to be told…yes, you guessed it, another Friday phobic. At this point feeling wholly and utterly abandoned I burst into tears. That accomplishes little in my quest for information, so I have to put the thinking cap back on and try again. I ring the general hospital number and ask for admissions. The admissions receptionist says it is the wrong office; I need surgical admissions..but they don’t answer. Maybe they don’t do Friday’s either. She gives me the number and after a few more tears I try them. This time I speak to a man who is unable to tell me anything definite about Tuesday. He does give me a thread of hope. A woman called Linda is organising things and will call me back this afternoon.
True to her word she does ring me and turns out to be the knight in shining armour I was searching for. Yes they are expecting me on Tuesday. She will try to find out why I have a clinic appointment on Monday and she will do her best to cancel it. She promises to call back with more info, even if she has to work overtime to do so. She recognises how important this is to me. I believe her and am not disappointed. A couple of hours later she is able to give me details. I am to go for a pre assessment on Tuesday at 1pm which is likely to last two hours. After that they should have a bed ready for me in the ward. The operation is scheduled for Wednesday. The clinic appointment was a routine follow up to the last one. It is cancelled and the likelihood is Prof P will see me on the ward. I hope that the administrative mayhem does not reflect on the medical expertise of the team!
There are plans to sort out now. I will find out the telephone number of the ward so that if close family want further news they can ring direct. I can sort that out when I am there on Tuesday. In the interim Chris will have his mobile phone with him and can ring Daniel, who can then email Rachel…