Walking the Tightrope: Tired Of Waiting
Sally Codman has spent so much time in waiting rooms that she has adopted a Kinks song as her personal theme tune - "Tired of waiting for you''.
I've adopted a new theme tune lately; - "Tired of waiting for you" by The Kinks. It's an appropriate little number which echoes the above sentiments in the repetitive way of pop songs.
Just recently I've caught myself humming it in a variety of waiting rooms - until I've received some strange looks. Now I try and hum it silently in my head, they can't touch you for it (but I suspect my vacant expression while I'm doing this makes me look slightly touched).
Over the past few months I seem to have spent more than my fair share of time in waiting rooms. Although only a couple of the appointments I've been hanging about for have been my own. The rest have involved taxi driving family members to a variety of unpleasant but necessary appointments.
The Waiting Game began when my elderly mum fell last Easter. Next came Eldest Daughter's visits to the Doc, followed by visits to the nurse ( blood tests), back to the Doc, off to the hospital for more tests, then back to the Doc for the results.( She's fine by the way).
This was followed by a couple of visits with Only Son to the Docs, plus more visits for treatments for a minor ailment which has more nuisance value than anything else.
Although the horrid-tasting medicine prescribed for another problem - his mystery stomach aches which came on a bedtime and school time, seems to have done the trick. (Yes, I suppose I do seem a bit gullible. My excuse is that I once ignored Eldest Daughter's stomach ache and we nearly had a burst appendix scenario, so now I'm extra careful where stomach aches are concerned!)
Slightly less stressful, but equally time-consuming waits have involved dental check-ups and fillings for myself and the three kids (around eight appointments) alongside visits to the opticians (six or seven) and hearing check-ups (Middle Daughter, Mum and elderly Auntie (some five or six in all - but I'm rapidly losing count.)
Then, just to round things off, Big Cat has been to the vets three times and the rabbit twice. Still, at least the hamster was considerate enough to die quietly in the night, thus saving us another outing.
And long-suffering Husband is brave enough to make these trips alone - if I nag him long enough to get an appointment in the first place.
Yes - I now consider myself an experienced Health Service accompanist. I know how long it takes to drive to our local Hospitals, how much change you need for the ticket machines ( forget the free car parks - there are never any spaces) where most departments are and which tea bar serves the best cuppa. ( I could even make a decent job of a blood test if needs must!)
I was feeling quite sorry for myself, adding up the hours - not to say days - I've wasted in waiting rooms, when I read about Dewsbury couple Dean and Carol Maddocks. This brave couple, who's nine-year-old daughter Alice suffers from a serious blood disorder, are spearheading a major campaign for a new £100m children's hospital for Yorkshire.
The Maddocks - who know all about health service waiting rooms - say seriously ill local children and their families suffer unnecessarily by being shunted between Leeds General, Jimmy's and Cookridge hospitals for vital treatment.
I heard Carol on a local radio station explaining what it's like to push their daughter from one hospital to another at night - running a gauntlet of drug addicts and prostitutes en route. She told how operations are cancelled because of a lack of intensive care beds and how she's seen very sick children walking across open courtyards in the snow and rain, trailing bags and tubes behind them.
Families like The Maddocks with desperately sick children deserve better than this. They need a new hospital where treatment can be given in one place, eliminating some of the constant stress involved in caring for sick youngsters.
I resolved to stop whinging about waiting and back their Campaign. Help is needed to lobby MPs, local Health Care Trusts and the Government and hold fundraising events.
If you'd like to help you can find out how by ringing Dewsbury 509161 or 461636.
COPYRIGHT SALLY CODMAN 2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
