Thursday Thoughts: Consulting Hospital Consultants

a post about me thinking about things
... or more probably
just some random ramblings...

I've spent rather a few hours at the hospital here in North Devon these past few weeks. I must say, from the start, that our hospital here in North Devon is a VAST improvement on the old Victorian building at Whipps Cross, back in London where we used to live. Go there for an appointment and you would expect to be there for half a lifetime. When my mother was taken poorly back in 2009 we had to wait seven HOURS before she was even seen for an initial assessment. 

Waiting times here are (in my experience so far) not usually much longer than an hour. However, I recently 'had words' with one of the consultants. 

My hands are still not working properly after the serious fall I had back at the end of March. (I fell flat - like a pin being bowled over, putting out my hands to save myself...) I was leading a horse in at the time, and he managed to stomp on my thigh (though this could have been MUCH worse!)

Here's a pic...

Although the right thumb still aches a bit, the left is out of its cast but very stiff, very sore and very aching. I suspect I’ve damaged the tendons, but I’ll find out more when I go back (again!) to the hospital in mid-June.

I did have ‘words’ with the last consultant I saw, though, because the person before him hadn’t listened to what I had said. (And neither did this chap - until I told him outright to be quiet and listen to me!) 

The very first consultant was marvellous. He showed me the x-ray and the MRI scan of my left hand, explaining everything. We also had a chat about horses treading on people (he was most impressed by that horse-foot-shaped bruise!.) Second person a couple of weeks later didn’t listen at all to my concerns about both hands. In fact in the follow-up letter he sent, he put that I’d had a fall two weeks back. (Actually, by then it was a good SIX weeks.) He’d put that it was the tendon, Carpel Tunnel, in my right hand, but nothing whatsoever about the base of my thumb being the area of pain. Nor did he register that I’d been stomped on by a rather large horse. Nor did he suggest that perhaps we ought to have an x-ray. 

He gave me a brace to support my wrist. Not much use when it’s the thumb that’s damaged... although he did suggest putting my left hand in plaster, which helped things a lot.

So, come Chap Number Three I was somewhat p**d off when he read out from his notes all the wrong information. 

‘Two weeks ago?’- ‘No, two MONTHS now.

‘ You had the cast off last time?’ – ‘No (held up hand) I had it put ON.’ 

But I had to repeat myself as he obviously wasn’t listening. 

I was trying to tell him that initially I thought the right hand was OK, just bruised, but it was still painful and I was worried there could be a fracture.

When he talked over me and said words to the effect of ‘I haven’t got all day!” I retorted, “well if you’d stop patronising me, stop saying what you want to say and listen to what I’M trying to tell you, we could get on and be done a lot quicker, couldn't we!” 

I’ve a feeling it rather shocked him that a patient had dared to talk back to him! Anyway, I finally got an x-ray of my right hand ... apparently not broken. Fair enough, I can stop worrying.

Left hand however is still fragile. He wanted the cast off - but nothing else was done, so I'm now waiting for Round FOUR in a couple of week's time... 

What irritates, neither of these second two chap were prepared to listen to me. Neither of them asked 'so what's the problem?' Nor did they introduce themselves. Which I find is SO rude!

HOWEVER...

I’ve managed to keep working. Jan Christopher #2 (A Mystery of Murder) is not far off being finished, and good news for Jesamiah Acorne fans: I am re-publishing When The Mermaid Sings (expected release date late June) 

Not only will it be in e-book AND paperback format, it has a super new cover AND (hold your excitement dear reader...) some new, additional scenes!

When I originally wrote it for Silverwood Books’ S-Books novella project I was limited to 40,000 words maximum. Now I’m publishing it myself I’ve added about another 10k, so we have several more scenes about Tiola – seeing her and her family when she was a child.

Keep an eye on the front page of my website for the latest information!

When The Mermaid Sings
NEW updated and extended edition
coming SOON!

< Previous Post