The Operation Date

I have known this date was going to be real at one point and I even thought that this major surgery might happen before Christmas after the recent pre op appointment. 

Part of me wanted it before Christmas, to start 2017 as I meant to go on, healthy and happy. 

However last week I decided that living in limbo never quite knowing if in 2 weeks time I might be having an operation was ridiculous only to have the rug pulled from under me. 

Here in the UK we our NHS system has something called 18 week pathways for peoples care and although it is slightly more complicated than what I am about to say it basically means that you are seen and treated within an 18 weeks period. 

Unfortunately when I finally spoke to a lady at the Hospital it seems my surgery will require 5+ hours to hopefully complete and as such there are more limited number of surgery slots. 

With several people on the list before me I was give an operation date of the 1st February 2017 (just days before my pathway breaches and the hospital have a fine to pay for going over that set 18 weeks) However this means I would still be in hospital when my youngest boy (and last baby) turns 1 so have declined it, meaning the person behind me in the list goes next and I have had to take the next available slot which will now be the 15th February 2017. 

I and then to mix it up its smack in the half term so we won’t just have Jacob at home we will have Joshua too. 

The general consensus from everyone is positive that we can sort it but the organiser in me needs it sorting, so I can then mentally take on the challenge of dealing with the pain that is only set to increase before it gets better. 

Maybe I am over thinking things but knowing that I did far too much after my last surgery and far too soon was a possible contributing factor to the mess my poor body is in now has me on total freak out along with the thoughts of our NHS system as a whole.

I am so grateful for the NHS and the system that is in place for people needing medical help. I am also cross at the system that also allows such waste to occur within it that means waiting times are longer than they need to be and it often sees those that need the help not getting the right help at the right time. 

I worked in the NHS and saw the waste that occurred daily from staffing to purchasing over spends and all this goes round in my head, especially as I know how many appointments are missed by people every year and how many surgery slots people don’t turn up for. 

I have read the status about people telling everyone they are entitled to free paracetamol for their kids for a cold – When actually that ‘free’ prescription would have cost the NHS £10+ to pay for when they could have bought it over the counter for a few pounds…. On a while as a nation there are too many ‘entitled’ people our there that cant see the bigger picture and how this might effect them further down the line.

However today I am thankful for the NHS and their staff, I am angry at time wasters and general free loaders and today I am going to try to stay positive and look forward.