My Ear

After a frustrating afternoon at the RNTNE (Rotal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital that I am hating more and more each time)it was decided that I needed to go on the waiting list for a myringoplasty operation, with an added grommit because my Eustachian tubes don't work (which is were it all started going wrong 25 years ago apparently!) which is why I keep getting infections.

Anyone still awake?

I was told the waiting list is 6, 8 and 9 months depending on who I spoke to. Due to the severity of my case, I will have to be kept over night and have to take a week or more off work. Plus, according to the information booklet they gave me, it looks like I won't be able to take the tube for a while. It's going to make travelling to work a nightmare. I fucking hate the buses! I would have to get the legendarily over-crowded 29.

It also means no clubbing for a couple of weeks, which will suck fucking donkey. Naturally, I expect the surgery to fall around the Tony De Vit memorial party at Trade, which is always the most awesome party of the year.

What sucked about RNTNE? Well, for one thing, staff the mumble/speak quietly/speak English poorly. HELLO, this is a hospital for people with hearing/ear problems, they should make sure staff speak English clearly, slowly and loudly.

Despite it being about 2C outside, the waiting room was roasting, crowded and they provide no reading material or anywhere to hide from the socially challeged people who surrounded me.

My appointment was at 3:20 pm, but I arrived at 3:10. I had to wait in the queue for ages at the reception and they had the nerve to write my arrival time as 3:23! FUCKERS. I WAS THERE WAITING IN THE QUEUE, I WAS NOT 3 MINUTES LATE. I wanted to strangle someone.

I was also talked down to by silly nurses when I asked to see a specific Doctor that has been dealing with my case. "Oh, he won't see you, no". ASK HIM. "No, he's busy!" ASK HIM. HE ASKED ME TO ASK FOR HIM. "Oh, but he has soooo many patients, he's not likely to see you?" So what happened? They asked him and he saw me.

The lady that did my hearing test was absolutely lovely, but tended to speak quietly. My hearing has also gone down since.

When I was seen by the Doctor (who they didn't want me to see), I had the most interesting, unpleasant experience of my life. The Doctor got out a 2 foot long thin rubber thing. He gavwe me something to sniff to numb my nasal passages. It felt just like you've had a line of coke. Except instead of a feeling of exhiliration the thin, black tube rubber thing was shoved up my nose, and up my passages. It was seriously freaky. I cannot describe it, but it was akin to torture. I felt like sneezing but couldn't. It felt like it was going to go into my brain or out of an eye socket. My eyes watered and my nose ran once it was taken out.

I was later sent to the pre-assessment unit for the operation, but it was after 5 so they couldn't see me as there was no one there except for one man. He was very friendly, and gave me an appointment on the same day that I have already booked off work. I explained it was for my birthday, and he said "OH, it's my birthday today! I've not told anyone...well, until now. I've told you!". It was amusing.

So that was my afternoon.