Friday, July 29, 2011

Bloody bloody ...

The other night I watched Julie & Julia, (thank you Thomas & Elke). Excellent film when you have concentration problems & are fixated on all types of food whether you can eat it or not! Excellent cinematography too on my tiny TV ;0)
I have so many films to watch it is untrue, my concentration is coming back gradually, I only hope that it comes back way before I have to go into hospital again so that we can watch some of them.
I stopped work on Monday, just until the treatment has finished & I am feeling better. I thought I would have lots of time to myself, but so far it has been a really busy week. I had to go to get a blood test on Tuesday, thought I would keep it simple & just book myself an appointment at one of the local health centres instead of going to Mayday & risking sitting for hours in the huge waiting room full of sick people.

Arrived at the health centre with 20 mins to spare - I didn't know how long it would take to walk there & didn't have lots of energy, (I also have this ocd thing about being late). To my surprise, they called me straight away. I took off my fleece (well, it is summer!), took out the forms & heard that sound you don't want to hear:
The flobotomist drew a sharp intake of breath & said, 'Mayday won't take those forms, you need to get them transferred.'
Turns out that there are political & locational wranglings between hospitals.
Me: 'So, what do you suggest?'
FB: ' Well, seems you have two options, you could go to the originating hospital & get the tests done, or you could go to your GP & see if they will transfer the information onto Maydays' forms.'
Me: 'Oh, well I can't go to the originating hospital, I will see what my GP can do.'
Luckily my lovely GP has her surgery 800 yards away, so I quickly slow walked (?) up to the surgery, explained the situation to the receptionist - fully expecting to be told I would have to phone in the morning to make an appointment to see the GP - but no, she straight away transferred the details to a similar looking form & took it off for my lovely GP to sign.
By the time I arrived back at the medical centre it was 5 mins after my original appointment time, I was a bit knackered so I thought I might as well line up to make a new appointment & if I'm lucky it will be this morning & I can sit down for a bit. Nope, the flobotomist saw me in line & whisper\shouted (?):
FB: 'Miss Bullock, (dunno why but I loathe being called that, it is one step away from being called my original christian name - ugh), you may come in now.'
I walked into the FB's room, she shut the door & said 'Did you get it?.'
I just wanted to laugh as it sounded so cloak & dagger, but she was being very sweet, so I didn't.
Me: 'Yes, here it is, I can't believe that all this is necessary just for a blood test.'
FB: 'If you need this doing again, get the originating hospital to ring your GP and get her to give you the form.' 'By the way, Mayday won't forward the results to your hospital, you will have to pick them up from your GP next week Thursday & take them to the other hospital.'
Me: 'Ok, right then.'
So, in the end, it was not quicker, simpler & less tiring than organising a lift to the originating hospital & I have something to do next Thursday in between the hospital appts on Wed & Fri!
Cut the grass yesterday (our lawn & neighbours'), frigging strimmer broke just as I was about to start so I had to do the edges by hand, took twice as long!
Must be time for my nap now :0)

5 comments:

  1. You are so naughty - cutting the grass!! But, well done you for overcoming all of the bureaucracy surrounding geographical borders! Steph for London Mayor or is that Croydon Mayoress??? LOL Big hugs, see you soon xxxx

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  2. ((((((((HUGS))))))) Why does everything need to be so complicated!!?!
    Hope you managed a well earned nap xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  3. I bloody hate politics with a vengeance!
    Please don't do too much Steph, the grass can wait xoxoxoxoxoxox

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  4. Shall I pop over with my industrial strap on strimmer? We can do Ellen and Mambo, I'll let you be Riply x

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  5. This blogger has a bug in it which makes it a pain to comment on comments unless I do it as anon . . . apologies:

    M: you would make a better Mayoress than me by a long shot! xox

    S: I did in the end ta love xox

    N: Life is political love, there is no escaping it - Sitting in a glass box wrapped in cotton wool is not living love, you will have to trust me xox

    C: Yes indeedy! I am ready LOL! xox

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