Big Boy's Toy

First off, huge thanks to everyone for the wonderful support during my hour of need. The Blip community really is an extraordinary one, and I feel privileged to be part of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.

This whole hospitalisation business is bringing a lot of irritating aspects of the health service into focus, and the latest was this morning when the surgeon's team came on their rounds. The skinny Egyptian-looking guy is the leader of the band, and acts as spokesman. Today it was about why the possibility of being done today didn't turn into an actuality and when the actual surgery date would be.

There's something desperately intimidating about having a group of medical people gathered around the foot of your bed, some of whom are quite junior and obviously learning the ropes, and watching even the more senior team members deferring reverentially to the head honcho. I know some people can cope with this sort of thing without difficulty, but it isn't in my makeup to challenge professional people or fight my own corner as much as I should. That said, I did manage to ask about a definite date, and mentioned my concern that even the date of the 17th which I'd been given while I was in the previous hospital might now no longer apply ... which brings me to my point ...

Why do so many medical people resort to jargon and insider terminology when they're supposed to be keeping their patents informed? The guy this morning seemed to think it was jokeworthy to suggest that it was just as well that I'd had breakfast, because if I'd gone to the trouble of fasting it would have been wasted. He kept on saying 'I see', or so I thought, and 'I see' also came into play when I asked about my op date. As he walked away he told me that I would definitely have my bypass on either Wednesday or Friday next, 'depending on I see'.

It was only after he'd moved on that I realised he was actually saying 'IC', and that IC is Intensive Care. So my current understanding is that not being done today is because there are no beds available in intensive Care to which I could go afterwards, and that my date next week will depend on the situation in Intensive Care. It all makes sense, but it would have made even more sense if he'd bothered to realise that I might not know what IC is. Why not use layman language and actually say Intensive Care?

Anyway, moving quickly on ... I went on a bit of a wander again, along the link corridor to the main concourse and the hospital entrance near the car park on Eccles Street. I got there and back without any symptoms or discomfort, so maybe the betablockers are actually taking effect. While in the main concourse I sneaked over to a window which overlooks the construction site for the new and controversial) extension. It will be an Adult Hospital when it's finished. Right now it's just a hole in the ground.