The Stature of Waiting

There was a certain irony, on several levels, in sitting reading this whilst I was waiting in the surgery for the mainly pointless medication review part 1 to take place. I say mainly pointless, because I had had all the blood tests and other metrics done in the clinic less than a month ago, and I really did not see the point of having to have them redone when I had all the results in a letter with me. It took a bit of persuading... 

I had also been waiting six weeks for this appointment as I'd dutifully booked it through the online system as we'd all been instructed was the preferred  way from January 3rd. "Oh no," the nurse said, "Please do phone in if you can't find.one that works."  "So, I spend time to do the on line system, then as it doesn't work as the appointments there are really limited timewise for those who are at work, I get to spend more time trying to get through on the phone. I'm not convinced this is really any more efficient for anyone." Silence....

I'm going to be waiting six seeks for the follow up to this as the only nurse who can do Part 2 is signed off at the moment. But I was told if the system then stopped me ordering more medication because I'd not had the review (which I've been trying to organise since the end of February...) I could get a GP to sort an emergency re-authorisation. I am afraid my face gave my thoughts away completely. I do give thanks regularly for the NHS, but on days like today, I do despair.

I'm reading the book as preparation for Good Friday and the fact I'm leading the hour's meditations as well as playing the organ. (There's a lot of silence in this service.) Canon Vanstone was the first preacher I ever really listened to as he made me think much more deeply and I re-read his books every few years or so. Several friends had recently commented they had found this a particularly good read for different reasons, so it felt like a good time to revisit it.