The following statement comes with the caveat that perspective is important and everything is relative (all will become clear by the end I hope).
This week has been really quite rubbish.
Monday set the scene. I left nice and early for physio (finally getting my NHS appointment!), was supposed to be there by 8.50 so I left at 7.45 seen as it had snowed. My phone rang on the way, didn't answer it (obviously!), when I parked for physio I had a message telling me that the clinic had been cancelled. Had to be in town (very close to physio!) to sort out paperwork for new job), but I was way too early so I turned straight round and went home again. That took more doing than it should have done 'cos I managed to get stuck in the snow... Anyway. Wasted journey and no physio. This made me grumbly.
Tuesday. New job day. This got off to an equally bad start. A journey that would take 10-15 minutes for most of the day took me almost an hour (which I am reliably informed is excessive, even for rush hour!) so I was late. Turned out not to be a big issue 'cos I had to wait around for a health and safety talk and tour of the fire exits etc. In principle the job was OK. I was conscious that I was involved in work that was actually important (unlike work in the teaching labs where if it went wrong you lost a few marks or started again!) and I didn't want to mess up so I was happy to be given a straight forward (if not tedious) job to do for most of the day. It mainly involved transferring things from one vessel to another, lots and lots of times. Unfortunately, whilst my brain was perfectly happy with this (I was actually starting to enjoy it more than I thought I would!), my arm was not so happy. At the time it was starting to get a bit sore but it wasn't too bad, I was happy to put up with it...but alas things weren't to be - my day of excessive pipetting clearly aggravated something because it has been extra sore since. To the point that I had to speak to my employer about it, and it was decided it was for the best that I didn't go back. So I don't have a new job any more (but still have an annoyingly grumbly arm!).
Wednesday. I'd been waiting for this one for a while - time to see the consultant about my arm! Very impressed with how my consultant dealt with me, I managed to ask everything I wanted to (instead of sitting and nodding when required!), and he gave me answers so it was a productive appointment, even if it didn't have the outcome I was hoping for. It would appear there is nothing more to be done for me so consultant is writing to GP to get me sorted with new painkillers, and although he is not optimistic, he's going to refer me to another consultant, just on the off chance he comes up with something because he knows how much it bothers me, and the impact it may have on the future and stuff... So yeah. Can't say as I'm thrilled at the prospect of this being as good as it gets! Just have to hope that my new consultant can come up with something, probably won't see him for 2-3 months, but I have met him before (on work experience) so I have faith having seen him in action!
Right, Thursday. Here's where the perspective comes. I had arranged to spend a morning on ITU with one of the consultant anaesthetists. Obviously can't go into the details because of confidentiality and stuff but it's fair to say I've had a lot more luck than the people who are currently patients there... I was only there for a short time but it was really quite intense. Feel like once again I learnt a lot (and was called a "legend" for finally remembering the percentage of oxygen in air...), patient communication being high up on the list...particularly when discussing end of life type stuff. So this was not a bad morning, in fact it was quite enjoyable for the most part (although I was closer to tears than I'd expected to get at one point!). The rest of Thursday was sorting out the job stuff, which meant some unpleasant conversations. Oh, and I got a rejection from Southampton so that's one less option for studying medicine!
I thought today (Friday) was going OK, didn't really do much, but then I got a rejection from King's so there we go. What a week. Back to work at the shop over the weekend. I'm looking forward to it - shall be putting this week firmly behind me if I can and trying to get back to "normal".
Having made it through these last few days tonight shall definitely be involving some sort of chocolate. That's definitely allowed because I've been on the turbo trainer today! (Still keeping up my 2 sessions a week, despite little prospect of getting back on a bike properly in the near future!).
Suspect that's enough whinging from me for one week!
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