Still waiting for surgery!

It was now past lunchtime, and I was still sat waiting…I had endured Bargain Hunt, Homes Under the Hammer, Cash in the Attic and I couldn’t take it anymore.  A lady had come into the waiting room and attempted to access Netflix but had failed, the TV was stuck on BBC…literally stuck there.  We were now on lunchtime news and any longer we would be in Doctors territory and I wasn’t in the mood.  Still, nobody had spoken a word to me since 8am!

By now I had a headache, I hadn’t drunk water since 6am and hadn’t eaten since 9:30pm…although thanks to the Ramen I was like a Camel and had reserves it seemed.  I didn’t feel too hungry, but I was unbelievably anxious. Had they forgotten me? Was I wearing the cloak of invisibility? Because it was like I wasn’t there.

At 2pm a Nurse walked towards me and told me that finally I could get gowned up.  She was lovely and apologised profusely for my wait, she couldn’t tell me why I’d had to wait but I shouldn’t be waiting any longer now.  She asked me some more questions, showed me to a bed and drew the curtains around.  She handed me my gown and sexy surgical stockings and showed me where everything was on the ward.  There was nobody there but me, I was to change…put on my gown and dressing gown and the stockings and wait to be called.  I did as I was told, however anybody who has had to wear surgical stockings will know that these are not the easiest things to get on…I hopped around the cubical, laid horizontal in the chair, stretched myself over the bed just to get one of the stockings on.  I needed a minute before I attempted the second one. By the time I was gowned and stockinged up I was having a hot sweat and I slouched in the chair fanning myself with the stocking packet. And then I waited.

The ward was quiet, I walked around, visited the bathroom, did a little dance…the stockings were now cutting off circulation and so I did a stretchy dance like when you first put your jeans on after they’ve been in the wash…is it just me? I was still waiting. By now I was starting to get upset, it was nearly 8 hours since I had arrived, and I’d been told I was first up. I decided that if nobody came to see me in ten minutes, I was going to get dressed and tell them to stick their operation and go home. I’d had enough.  Five minutes later a nurse bustled down the corridor with another patient, she was told to get gowned up and put on the stockings (ha! Good luck with that, I thought!) The curtain drew back, and I was told that another patient was now going before me, I pushed my head into my hands “WHAT IS GOING ON!!” I cried. “I honestly don’t know!” the Nurse said apologetically, “You’ve been so patient, and I am sorry…I promise you are next.” She lowered the bed and told me to lie down. I curled up and texted Janne, I was supposed to be home by now.