Have a waffle with Carol

[Tony G]

Sis

Relieved to hear of your release. Now I can concentrate on trying to remember what I have forgotten to pack, what to put in the hand luggage, what not to put in the hand luggage, what winter clothes to wear to Gatwick etc etc

Love

Tony

XXX

[Carol Townsend]

Thanks David
The pain is definitely easing off.
I agree with your suggestion about coming to Castara to recuperate. Those shady seats in front of Cascreole would be nice to rest on. Then a dip in Nylon Pool would be good, followed by a natter with Gaston Jackson in the forest, and learn more about the wildlife. Maybe see a tarantula this time... and the sunsets, and the hummingbirds, dancing in the street to "always on my mind...yoh yoh".. hugged by a big Rasta, being called "man"..

Maybe you, Tony and Steph can persuade Himself the air fares aren't that expensive, and he has admitted he would like to return one day in the future.

Anyway, Tony, I believe you are taking off this very evening!
Don't worry if you've forgotten anything. If you have, it probably wasn't important anyway, with the exception of PASSPORT, MONEY, TICKETS, CREDIT CARD ,SUNSCREEN, INSECT REPELLANT, SWIMMING GEAR, SHORTS, SHIRTS,SANDALS,UNDERWEAR,SUNGLASSES,HAT
and your password for the forum!!!
There. All done.
Have a wonderful time both of you.
Love Little Sis
XXXX

[GillMathews]

Glad to hear you are home Noe.
Hope you are soon back to your normal self and up to full waffling capacity.
Happy hols to the latest lucky travellers.Sure you will all have a great time. Try not to create to much havoc when the forum clan have gathered, but on the other hand why not? live for the moment
watching with and awaiting progress reports.
Bye for now Gill x x

[Carol Townsend]

I've had several encounters with the National 'Elf Service, usually because of family members' 'elf, and occasionally my own. Despite its many problems, I do believe in it as a system. As Gill says: Bring Back Matron!
Friday 4th January:
First day back at work after the Christmas hols. Felt very odd in abdominal region.
By Saturday:
Pain on right sight and stomach playing up. Uh oh!
Sunday:
Pain made worse by walking, coughing, bending, yawning- anything really. Decided not to move all day.
Monday:
Here we go. Time to face The Doctors Receptionist.
I was prepared for a fight. Monday morning is never the ideal time to get an appointment. Everything is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week these days, except the doctor, so everyone suffers in silence over the weekend and then mobs the surgery on Monday.
I had my script ready as I picked up the phone.
"There's a lot of sickness and diarrhoea around at the moment you know!" barked the rottweiler.
I played my trump card. "I have pain on the right side of my abdomen. I'm worried it might be the appendix."
" Eleven fffyf"
"Sorry, was that eleven fifteen or fifty?"
"FIFTY. FIVE OH!"
Sound of angry fingers slamming on keyboard. Go on then dear. Break it.
I arrived at eleven forty five expecting to see a waiting room heaving with sick people.
There were three. With three doctors on duty. Not a bad ratio to my mind.Clearly the rottweilers were being very efficient at scaring the patients off.
The doctor was calm, unflustered and charm itself. She examined me in all the places doctors usually do, and asked if my appendix was still intact.
" Yes" I said.
"Uh huh" she said. All doctors say "Uh huh" in every given situation, which no doubt applies to doctors across the world.
She then frowned and said "Hm. There's a couple of things going on here. I'd like you to go to the hospital. I'll give you a letter. Tell me what happens. I'd be interested to know."
It's encouraging to know that your GP is interested in their patient.
I left the surgery, resisting the temptation to wave the letter at the rottweilers and give them the one-fingered salute.
Bought two magazines, phoned the family, and caught the bus (yes, the bus) to the 'orspital.
Anyone who has been to Accident and Emergency knows that you can count yourself very lucky indeed if you wait less than four hours to be seen.
I was very lucky as it turned out; a mere two hours crawled by before I found myself being prodded and pummelled and interrogated by the doctor. I had blood tests, X rays, and the tube thingy (Gill will know what it's called) put in my hand ready to be put on a drip.
I was then trundled into the lift and taken to the ward, which was in a lovely newly -built wing, and, because they thought I might have something nasty and infectious, put in a side room, much to my delight.
Don't tell them, but I think it was a Private Room, not intended for the peasants.
I felt slightly guilty, like I'd sneaked into a First Class carriage on the train, and was waiting to be found out.....
I unravelled the intricasies of Patientline, applied for a mortgage and made a few phone calls. I discovered you can watch TV without headphones, send e mails and use the Internet!
There is a handset for controlling the device; you press various buttons for the TV, radio etc, then you open it up and there is a little keyboard inside! You need a knitting needle to use the buttons and mouse, which is the size of a small pea, and it is slow. So slow that at at first I thought it wasn't working, so did everything twice and got into a pickle, like posting in duplicate! Whatever you do, don't make a typing or spelling mistake, as unless you press the backspace button very slowly and very gently, you get this: ooooooo!
However, I managed to talk to you and send the odd e mail, and felt very pleased with myself.
At about nine o'clock a nurse appeared." Have you seen a doctor since you came on the ward?"
" No. Am I in for the night?"
" Oh yes. You might need an operation and that drip takes six hours."
"Oh." Sigh.
She came back five minutes later. " Sorry. Because you're in this side room they forgot about you. You might as well settle down as they might be a while yet."
"Hmmph."
I went to sleep.
At about two o'clock I was rudely awaken by the six hundred watt lights being slammed on. It was the Gestapo come to interrogate me, in the shape of
a young lad of about fourteen playing at doctors. He asked me the same old questions and prodded and pummelled me in the same old places, just like on those hospital programmes he'd watched at home with his mum.
" We don't think it's appendicitis because it's getting better, but we'll monitor you during the night."
" Please sonny, I've got a ghastly headache, and I'm so thirsty, couldn't you ask mum if I can have a drop of water and a painkiller? "
" Ok I'll get the nurse".
Mummy nurse; Mary, who was round, and what Charles Dickens would call "comely" ( as all nurses should be ) allowed me one mouthful of water and some paracetamol.
She then tried to change the drip attachment in my hand, which had been giving me problems, couldn't do it ( I have small veins ) so had to call another nurse to help. It was eventually sorted out, and Mary said: "You should write a book; "My day in hospital." "
I don't think I can quite squeeze a book out of my experience, however!
I spent the rest of the night trying to sleep through my headache, but was fully awake by six.
Spent the next two hours or so watching TV, and then, hooray! I was going to be allowed breakfast.
There is nothing like being starved to make you appreciate hospital food. That's why they do it you know.
A teacupful of cold porridge, one slice of bread with a scraping of butter and marmalade. Yum! Please sir, I want some more....
I was then offered tea, coffee, hot chocolate.
"Yes please!"
"Tea, or coffee, or hot chocolate."
" Oh OK, tea then."
Another hour passed.
A hush fell on the ward.
The Head Honcho had swaggered in, surrounded by his ever attentive and adoring entourage.
What is the entourage for? Well, there are four earnest medical students clutching clipboards, hanging on his every word and writing notes. Then there is one to mop his brow, one to carry his coat tails and one to scatter rose petals in front of his feet. Rather like Steve Wooler entering his office I would imagine...
" We have decided "( is that the royal "we"?) he proclaimed, "that you can go home. It may have been an infection in the area around the appendix, or it may be the gall bladder. We'll send you an appointment for a scan as an out-patient. I'll get you some painkillers."
And with a sweep of his coat tails he and his scurrying entourage had gone.
I went home. On the bus.
So, I'm now back to "normal" and looking forward to my scan on 5th February.....

[Carol Townsend]

Hey Young Bill!
Where are you? I'm feeling very lonely at the moment without some of my regulars. I hope you're not working too hard.
Say HI, or something... please!
Carolnoe
XXX

[Bill B]

Hi Carolnoe,

As you said I'm working hard now. The first month after the close of our business year is always busy (primarily due to all the prep work needed for taxes and various government reports ) I feel that I am personally responsible for producing enough paperwork to keep about a dozen bureaucrats busy "shuffling" for at least a half a year

I also received a new toy for Xmas (a Canon Rebel XTi 400 DSLR camera) and I'm spending what spare time I have learning how to use it properly.

Glad you're feeling better; aren't hospitals wonderful places ?

Bill

[Carol Townsend]

That was a swift reply Bill!
See ya!

[Carol Townsend]

PS
Guess what I did today?
Helped the children make plasticine models of Planet Earth, amongst other things. Now that's what I call WORK!!

[Carol Townsend]

PPS And how are you getting on with your Canon whatsit thingy?
My hubby is getting into cameras, and he takes it all Very Seriously, which provokes some serious mickey-taking from me!
Cheers
Carolnoe

[GillMathews]

Hello Noe,
Yep, you have got your waffle thingy up to strenth again, Hooray,the NHS can tick another "target reached,treated in minimum time with successfull outcome" box.Congrats on becoming a statistic,what was your name again?.
I do actually love my job, allways have really but O.M.G! am I frustated with what deems to call itself management .Off to work tonight for my first of 4. I expect to be busy as nights allways are these days but thats ok because we are good at team work in theatres.So when you are tucked up in your fluffy wincyettes I will have my trendy "blues" and clogs on. All in a nights work eh!
So glad you are better and hope you stay that way.
Bit of a torment with so many people away in`Bago in the suuuuuuun isn`t it
Bye for now
Gill x x

[Carol Townsend]

Evening Gill
Enjoy your work "today".
I'll be thinking of you when I'm in my wincyettes( how did you guess) and my pink bunny rabbit slippers my kids gave me for my birthday.(Must get round to showing you). And I've just realised; those "croc" shoes that were all the rage this summer must have originated from hospital clogs!
See ya!
Carolnoe

[Bill B]

Carolnoe,

So far I'm very impressed; it's quite an improvement over my Canon A540 which is basically a small digital "Point & Shoot". It's especially good under low light conditions at a distance. One of the reasons I purchased it was to take pictures of my grandson who swims for Carroll College. My previous attempts usually turned out way underexposed and grainy. This past weekend my new toy took some excellent shots. It also can take up to 27 shots at 3 frames per second so I was able to get some good sequences of his turns, which he said he can analyze and hopefully use to improve his form.

Are you sorry you asked, now that I've bored everyone with all the details.?

Bill

[Brian Taylor]

little "anorakish" but not too bad yet
steph

[Hugh S]

I have to admit that before reading the wonderful story about your adventure at the hands of the NHS I was a skeptic. I am now a believer. The perfect short story. Funny and without a hint of selfpity. Your patience serves you well for your students.

Thanks, Hugh

[David Watkins]

At approximately 1600hrs local time,Phill and Sara tied the Knot.That evening a wake(oops sorry )a celebration was held at Coddries where lots of White Oak ,Carib and a little Forres Puncheon was consumed.As well as the bride and her groom those present were Tony G. and Jeanette,Carole and Gregory and many others,including yours truly.I think it is true to say a good time was had by all,and that there were a few lie ins and mild hangovers this morning.
Anyhow congratulations to the happy couple.
David

[GillMathews]

Hi folks,
Where is our waffle lead writer . Bit concerned in case she has been snatched back by the local centre of excellence in health care to be drip fed with subliminal thoughts in order to offer glowing reports in chapter two of her short story
Worried of Letchworth

[Mel M]

I was wondering this too - as a reader of The Waffle rather than a contributor I always looked forward to the ramblings of all of you and in particular Carol's very entertaining life stories. Hope you are well Carol. Come back soon.

[Jill M]

You don't think - - maybe - she's GONE ON HOLIDAY and not told us ?

[Gisela Grell]

It starts to get a bit strange that Carolnoe does not post anything for days.
Hope she will be back soon an well!

Cheers
Gisela

[Phil Walker]

At approximately 1600hrs local time,Phill and Sara tied the Knot.That evening a wake(oops sorry )a celebration was held at Coddries where lots of White Oak ,Carib and a little Forres Puncheon was consumed.As well as the bride and her groom those present were Tony G. and Jeanette,Carole and Gregory and many others,including yours truly.I think it is true to say a good time was had by all,and that there were a few lie ins and mild hangovers this morning.
Anyhow congratulations to the happy couple.
David

David-

Got back Sunday morning, but internet has been down since. Just up now. Yes a good night was had by all

Don't know how many hours married now, but it's all good! Thanks to all who turned up to make a great night. Going to do some posting of our experiences. Got some great photos too. Heard you've a cold and it rained all day one day after we left . Well it's actually sunny here and not too cold (at the moment)- hides jealously of Tobago weather

If you want to contact me use this e mail address, not the other one. This is my works- philipw at farg. co. uk

(Dreams of Coddries and white oak.........hmmm.........)