A little more

Let us hope I do not hit a wrong button.
Now it was back to Boston on the Monday morning. I was there with nothing to do and from what I could see was in limbo. Well on Tuesday early afternoon I was informed to get my things ready as I was being transferred to Lincoln Hospital by private car. So off I went, the car was an old car but it was O.K I guess that the journey took about 45 minutes.
I was taken to a sort of basement. I found out that it was an assessment ward and NOBODY was there for more than 24 hours maximum. This of course didn't include me. Again nothing seemed to happen for ages, eventually I was given a bed and that was it. I have never had such a night in hospital like it. The tooing and froing of the staff with patients being admitted and discharged all night with the odd one being admitted to a ward.
Wednesday morning I again was more or less ignored. However late morning a Nurse came and told me that I would have the operation the following morning. I just said O.K.
About 30 minutes later a man in a white coat came to see me, he told me that the next morning(Thursday)I would be transferred to Queens Medical in Nottingham for the operation. He told me that they were better suited to do the operation, anyway he told me they had a good relationship with Queens Medical. I asked him who he was, He told me his name was Jonathan. I then saw his name tag, I then told him that he was a Doctor, he told me he was. I never saw him again.
A lilttle later, a Ward Sister came to see me. She told me that I should be ready to travel to Nottingham by 8.00am the following day and that a Nurse would be accompanying me. I asked her why this was so, she told me it was the rules. Although I would be going by Ambulance and a medic would be in attendance, a Nurse shoud be present. She then told me that she would try to travel with me. She also said it would be nice to do a little shopping while I was having my operation. I thought what a waste of money. A Sister travelling with me.
Well Thursday arrived, I was ready to travel well before 8.00am as the place was just like a cattle market, Beds were used very regular. Most of the others who arrived in the ward was there for less than 2 hours.
I waited and waited, suddenly I saw the Sister, she told me that she was going with me and that the operation was booked for 9.00am. It got to 8.30 when the Ambulance men arrived making some excuse. I then knew it was impossible to get to Queens Medical by 9.00am.
What a performance. I was taken to the Ambulance, strapped in on a stretcher. The Sister sitting opposite me with the Ambulance man keeping a watch. It is very uncomfortable in those Ambulances but we passed the time by talking in general. The Sister told me that almost certainly she would finish her degree and become a doctor.
Eventually we arrived at Queens Medical, the traffic had been very heavy as one would expect at that time of day. I was taken out and people were staring at me, I felt a little fraud, strapped in and being wheeled in the hospital. I don't know why but I took particular notice of where we were going. just as well as I will say why later.
We got to the reception where we booked in, went through to the preparation area. The Nurse there asked me if I could walk. I told her I could if they took those straps off me. anyway the service was excellent. I was wheeled straight in given my local anaesthetic and the next thing I knew was when I was left to recover. Eventually the nurse came to see me, I knew immediately that the operation had not been a success. She informed me that I would have to come back again where all would then be well.
When I was fully alert, I was taken back to the reception area, the Sister was waitng for me and told me we had to wait for the Ambulance crew, a different crew to the last ones.
Eventually the crew arrived. Proper trained Paramedics. they were very professional, checked my heart rate, blood pressure regular. I just thought this was costing the NHS thousands. Well we got back to Lincoln mid afternoon. Back I went to the same bed. However early evening a doctor came to see me and told me that I would be transferred to a Ward and the next day would be discharged. I wondered why I was being moved into a fresh bed just for that night. Anyway about 8.30pm. I was moved to this ward. It was full of men who had had operations, some were very poorly, there was one though who told me he lived in Gainsborough and he too was being discharged the next day.
The next morning a Doctor came to see me, gave me my discharge papers and informed me that I must be back again in about 3 weeks to go throught the procedure again. Transport was being arranged.
About an hour later a man came and this man from Gainsborough went with him. About 20 minutes later, back he came laughing and informed me that it was me who the man had come to pick up. It was only when he asked the guy which way to go that he told him to follow the sign to Gainsborough. Well I was once again taken by private car back home. All I could think of was just how much I was costing the NHS.
Anyway I got home and then waited for Lincoln Hospital to contact me. After about 3 weeks I decided to ring them up and ask what was happening. After several phone calls, one Nurse found out what was supposed to happen and arrangements were made for me once again to attend Lincoln Hospital as an inpatient. The final installment will be tomorrow.