8.12.15

Pre Op Outpatient Pleasantries, or as i like to call it Poop Day!
Actually its 'Pre op assessment day' but  couldn't make an acronym with those letters!
Knowing how bad the traffic is at the moment and it being rush hour (or hours), and the parking being a nightmare around the hospital, i left in plenty of time.
Appointment at 9am so left home at 7.30. If i drove straight there it would take 20 - 30 minutes, and i thought if i get there too early i can have a coffee and play on my iPad.
I got there at 7.55, drove straight into a parking spot fairly near the hospital and the coffee shop opens at 9am!!
So i sat in the day ward waiting room from 8-9 thinking i could have had another half hour at least in bed.
Eventually saw a nice nurse who asked my life story, did my observations and measured my height and weight, which is always unnerving!
Apparently they test you for sleep apnoea nowadays!!! She asked if i snored, do i ever stop breathing for a short period of time, do i get tired easily?
How would i know, I'm usually asleep!
She said the anaesthetist may delay the op and send me for sleep studies! Somehow i don't see that happening.
She said i should have an ECG as i had heart problems during chemo. Oh no, i thought. Another department and a long wait.
How wrong was i? I was taken to another room and had a few stickers (maybe good girl stars) planted in different areas, a few cables connected and told to stay still and not talk! Now you all know how difficult that is for me.
Then she asked me a question!!!
I looked at her, confused. Should i whisper my reply? Should i blink, doing the morse code?
'Its ok, you can talk now', she said, realising what my problem was.
It had taken about 2 minutes, if that.
Well back in the day, i used to do ECGs and it was a much bigger job. Different switches had to be flicked and i looked very knowledgable and important. I think even the cleaners can do an ECG these days (tho not so good at keeping the wards clean unfortunately!).
So, 10am and i was asked to leave!
A few chores and home sweet home.
Now time to shut the eyes and test myself for sleep apnoea!