Frustrating Appointments Day
Well, today was a mess.
Booked a taxi to arrive 20 minutes before the first appointment of my day. I was sitting outside for a while, and the taxi was a no-show. I'm thinking there must be traffic holding them up. Called. Yep, stuck in Inverness. Dispatched another driver from town; meanwhile, I'm calling the GP to say I'm going to be late.
GP receptionist says if I can get there 10 minutes after my allotted time, they can swap me with the next person who has already checked in.
Taxi driver arrives to pick me up at dead on the appointment time. Go into GP, and they say they have a slot that afternoon. Great! Um, no, it's at exactly the same time I have to be at the other end of town to receive three (3) vaccinations. What about two hours later? Sure. I take it. I'm having blood tests for my GP, and blood tests for my consultant, which my GP surgery is doing 'as a favour'. They have to be done today, before my next injection of biologics.
Walk out of surgery, and down to the back of the high street to peruse stores. I've got two hours to kill. Then I head to a cafe halfway down the high street to have some food, as I've not eaten due to not feeling the best. Sit down, order. Start scrolling on my phone, and the alarm goes off. Huh? Shit, it's an hour later than I thought. Quickly ask the ladies to box up my food to take away. I got the time completely wrong. The taxi being late threw me right off schedule.
Hurry down the high street to the vaccination place. Made it with a minute to spare. After the vaccinations, the administering nurse asked if I was driving or walking. Um, walking to the other end of town because I have to have bloods drawn, but not for two hours. The nurse then told me what I need to watch out for, and that it might not be good. That's OK, because I will be sitting in the surgery waiting room; best place for me.
Carry food, coffee and two bags to the local hospital. Sit outside to order a taxi to pick me up after bloods. All booked!
Go to surgery and say I will be sitting here for a while, if that's OK. Sure. Reception booked me in and said if the healthcare assistant can take me earlier, she will.
Janelle comes out, sees me and decides that because my blood is difficult to draw1 so we'll wait for the allotted time, as she only has nine (9) minutes. Nae worries. I'm not going anywhere for another two hours.
Finally, my appointment comes around. I go in and immediately apologise because I know that I'm dehydrated, as I've not been feeling well since the early morning. Janelle puts the fan on for me, because I'm also overheated, and then we play a game of find the vein that will release its contents. Yeah, that didn't go well. First attempt was a dud. Second attempt was OK for four (4) vials. Then, we got one vial from the back of the left hand. Then the back of the right hand for the last two vials. At least we had a laugh while chatting. Oh, and Janelle is the master of the painless blood draw. I'm so glad she does mine.
Finished up with Janelle, then went back to reception to wait an hour for my taxi. Thankfully, this time Katie turned up early, and I'm home by 17.30.
Still feeling pretty nauseated. Still struggling to drink fluids, let alone eat.
After all the steps I got in today, I just hope I sleep well tonight and wake up feeling a bit better.
Let's hope both my appointment at the local hospital and the city hospital next month go better than this. Though now there is no bus from the bus depot to the hospital anymore, which sucks.
