Good afternoon my friends. To my consternation recently – My creative juices have dried up. It could be the ridiculously hot weather or, in all honesty, my poor choice of topic to write about, seemingly resulting at times in me producing potentially mildly offensive material! We are all well aware of the intense heat recently which coincided last week with me having several hospital appointments. One such trip was to the bowels of the Leeds General Infirmary, where I was trying to find the well hidden Orthotics department. On arrival there I eventually discovered that my new Consultant had ordered for only my left leg to be measured for some ghastly compression stockings. No written instructions for the other leg to be assessed as well had been sent, which meant that only one leg could be measured and one stocking ordered (NB I have a two leg problem and I am bi-pedal)
However, I was informed that I could order one and only one stocking in the colour magenta if I chose. Eventually I went on my overheated, grumpy, peg-leg way to find my long lost parked car. I was given orders from Orthotics to return to this dismal department to sort out the other leg (assuming I had one?) if, or when, the permission to do this has been ultimately sent down from the NHS-on-high.
I found my overheated, almost panting car and I drove home, pretty hot and cross to find that the neighbourhood nursing team had left me a prescribed tea trolley by the front door (brown plastic on four wheels, for me to use for ‘tea’ in my house) A note on it said that the nurse would return the following day to teach me how to use it….. I was puzzled. Lessons in tea trolley use? My 10-year-old grandson Ben – here for pizza, was soon zooming around my house and garden, probably well above the domestic speed limit for such a disability aid. Misty moggie, also took to sitting on it and was still ensconced there when the nurse came early the next morning. I did wonder what instructions I might indeed need in order to drive this apparatus with care and not cause damage to my furniture or indeed myself. However, the need for an hour’s instruction on this seemed excessive, even including an observed dry run, in which this lovely visiting lady was obliged to watch my driving action and performance, and prevent any possibility arising from fire and safety issues (after all, it was designed to carry hot tea )
So eventually we talked about my various aches and pains and other household appliances, which I might benefit from. A shower seat is too big for the enclosure and a real additional falls hazard ! Most of the grab rails I already have were fitted for my husband, 5 to 6 inches too high for me to now reach, requiring me to attempt to ‘grab’ them with the aid of a small, risky step. The key safe outside, designed for Johnathan several years ago, is locked up with the key in it and numbers to open it known only to the late Johnathan himself, with the spare house key locked firmly inside it A catalogue of challenges!
The visiting OT/Nurse was lovely company, and I guess she could now tick the boxes on her form relating to assessing me for all the health and safety issues arising from the safe use of a tea trolley. The trolley is great though not necessarily for afternoon tea, rather just simply a big mug of Yorkshire tea and a biscuit barrel. However, in confidence, in private I career around the house at no doubt excess domestic speed limit, using it to distribute wet and then dry washing and newly arrived shopping to be put away, and of course Misty moggie simply loves lying on it. However, she is far from impressed when Ben wildly drives her chariot throughout the house and garden with her on it….. she looks a little pale, even for a predominantly white Ragdoll cat.
The lesson learned? I had an hour’s visit from a delightful, caring nurse who had ticked beyond the administrative boxes she came to complete. Her accompanying concern and smile was the extra invisible box, an extra bonus, which had helped me cope that morning with the acquired invisibility of my solitary widowhood.
Finally, how to feedback positive vibes to the powers that be, as to how I felt about this tea trolley visit ? I’m not sure. My daughter Clare tried to provide such positive feedback as this at a London hospital recently, only to find they only had complaints slips available……
Perhaps my gratitude through this positive website mention will be enough?
