So what was so tiring?
The early start? (7:30 am train)
The bitterly cold wind?
I reckon it was all the sitting around:
You arrive at the hospital, navigate the maze of corridors (even after 10 years I still get lost), book in, and sit in a chair in the waiting area (a corridor).
Someone comes, and moves you to another chair for blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels.
You sit in another chair.
You do a "walk test" - this entails walking up and down a measured length of the corridor for 6 minutes while someone keeps count of how far you go (487 metres today).
You sit in a chair for blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels again. (There's no point really - my fingers are so cold, that by the time they have got a reading I am breathing normally again, so the levels are back to normal again.)
You move to another chair.
Someone calls you to be weighed - I'm 3 kg less than last time :)
You sit in a chair in another corridor.
You get called to see the consultant, and sit in a chair in his room, then lie on a couch while he "has a listen" and prods you about a bit, then back to the chair (No significant changes, which is Good News as far as I am concerned).
You go and sit in a chair in the waiting area.
You go upstairs for blood tests; there are 50 patients before you, so you sit in a chair in the waiting room.
You are called for the blood tests - you sit in another chair and are sensible and brave for a few minutes. It doesn't really hurt. Only a little scratch. She's very quick.
Back down to the chair you first sat in when you arrived.
Another doctor needs to see you - guess what - another office, another chair.
Back to - but as you lower yourself in a chair it's "no, don't sit there, come in here and I'll give you your next set of pills and sort out the date for the next appointment". This is nice - a swivel chair with a soft comfy seat. I resist the temptation to have a few twirls and try and pay attention.
And we've escaped! I arrived at 9:30 am - it is now 1 pm.
 |
| "Le Pain Quotidien’s logo depicts a loaf of bread being pulled from a traditional bread oven." Got this pic from wikipedia -I always wondered what the logo was meant to be... |
We got off in Charing Cross Road, checked out a couple of bookshops, mortally offending the assistant in Foyles by trying to buy a clip-on light for my Kindle ("a what, dear? don't know anything about them. Sure you've got the name right?").
I tend to get off at the top of the road, as I find walking downhill substantially less tiring than going uphill!
We carried on, taking in a diversion through China Town, still all red lanterns and fortune cookies from Chinese New Year(but no brollies, crowds or dragons).
At the bottom of the hill lies Trafalgar Square with living statues, and a bare-kneed (brr) bagpipers. We ended up at Waterstones (who do know all about Kindles and had 2 different kinds of booklights for sale - one at £29.99, and the one I bought, for £7.99).
Then we carried on, still downhill, and caught the bus to get to the station to get home. I bet those cavalrymen were glad of their warm winter cloaks. I hope their shiny brass helmets have nice fleecy linings.
We got home at the reasonable hour of half-past-five. One answerphone message, one email, and a pile of post.
So - that close shave? Well, if you've been paying attention, you will know that I've given up Freecell and Solitaire on the computer for Lent. And after all that sitting about, and book-browsing, and walking around, I very nearly forgot, and came sooooo close to clicking on All Programs=>Games=>Freecell. That would have Really Spoiled My Day. Phew. A Close Shave.
No comments:
Post a Comment