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Welcome to another month at The Palais...
Hold on to your hats as we could be in for a very bumpy ride!
Being the dutiful son that I am... I contacted the outpatient department
at the hospital we visited on Monday via the "land line" on Tuesday morning. After being initially given the run around... I eventually spoke to the Neuro-surgical Registrar on call and explained the situation to him. He said he'd investigate and call me back....
Needless to say... I'm still waiting for the phone call.
It is now Thursday
This morning I had planned to contact the Hospital first thing... But....
Just as I picked up the telephone... I heard a very loud screech of breaks, skidding, thumping, shattering of glass and then silence. "That can't be good"
I thought to myself as automatically I dialled "000" our emergency number and strolled up the drive way to investigate further.
Traffic outside the house had indeed come to a stand still and looking toward the vacant block next door I noted that a small silver car with a crumpled-in arse had slid down the embankment and come to a halt near the drain. Pulled up on the other side of the road was a very large bus. Fortunately empty... having just completed the school run but I suspected responsible for the crumpled-in arse of the little silver car now lying in the ditch....
Other drivers had already stopped and were giving assistance to the driver and passenger that I could see in the small car. Plus at least half the neighbourhood lining each side of the street out gawking... Some still wearing their night clothes... and watching on like vultures around a fresh lion kill.
"Police, Fire, or Ambulance?" says the disembodied voice on the telephone suddenly whisking me back from standing on the African savannah.
"Its a car accident" I said...
"Putting you through to the Police" said the voice.... dial tones and ringing...
"Hello? Police. Officer "Soandso" speaking" says another disembodied voice.
I report my observations of the accident giving its location to officer "Soandso" on the end of the phone who stated that they had not had a call regarding the crash, but would dispatch Police, Fire-brigade and Ambulance services after what seemed like a barrage of questions.
"Was anyone trapped in the car? Was there visible fire smoke or fuel leakage? Are there any fatalities? I couldn't confirm the fatality question (There were enough people there assisting without me wandering over to ask"Is anyone dead? I'm asking for the police woman on the end of the phone)... but it was a no to the smoke and fire. As for people trapped I said that as yet no one had gotten out of the car. I'd better send the SES* as well she said.
She then took my details... thanked me... and hung up.
Within the next minute a cacophony of sirens rang out around the district. And a multitude of blue and red lights appeared. The Police and Ambulance arrived simultaneously closely followed by the Fire-brigade. Soon after that the Emergency service van arrived with their "Jaws of life" to cut the passenger from the car and both occupants were whisked off in the ambulance to the local hospital.
It all seemed to be done and dusted in a matter of half an hour.
Of course I just had to stand leaning on my side fence watching what turned out to be an absolute feast of hunky, fit and good looking men in uniforms!
I had to pinch myself. After... the people from the car had been safely removed of course!
I lingered a little longer watching the beefcake show then thought... "Well that's my community service done for today... Now... what was I doing before being rudely interrupted?
That's right... phoning the Hospital to sort out some appointments for the Empress.
The call was answered by a lovely receptionist whom after I spent a little time giving her some background and expressing my concern regarding the rudeness experienced with the medical imaging clerks on Monday, the fact that I was still awaiting a call back from Tuesday's conversation with the registrar on-call and my general dissatisfaction with the service that we had received,
She immediately and profusely apologised on behalf of the rude staff members stating "You should never have been treated like that" And offered a "Plan of attack" for today to try and get something sorted.
The plan was that she would attempt to contact the registrar on call and get them to call me back today before 2 pm this afternoon. If I had not head back from anyone could I ring back and we would start over again. I agreed to this plan and added that I was in the process of drafting a formal letter of complaint to the hospital, which I would be sending before the end of the week if the situation was not rectified.
By 2 pm there had been no response from the Hospital
I phoned again and after sating my name the receptionist, a different one from the earlier call, said yes Princess I'm familiar with the action plan, the receptionist from this morning filled me in. I'll put you straight through to the neurosurgery liaison nurse. I then spoke to the nurse, again, giving her the background and emphasising the urgency of the situation. She stated that she would contact medical imaging and get back to me.
Not 2 minutes later the phone rings and I walk over to the land line and pick up the receiver and say "Hello"
It was the liaison nurse ringing me back. I said "Gee that was quick!"
She said "Your mother didn't have a booking for an MRI on Monday"
I said "Yes I know that already, we were not there to have an MRI Scan on Monday... but we were sent there by the specialist to make an urgent booking for within the next few days on our way home from the appointment with him. And I just couldn't get the clerks there to understand the concept of the specialists request"
"Oh but they don't have any clinical skills" she says.
" Well from my observation they are devoid of anything that would constitute a skill of any sort" I reply
"Well I've found out that they are fully booked for today and tomorrow" she continues seemingly oblivious to my astute observations...
"That's quite alright" I say "We were not there on Monday expecting to get an MRI on the spot... we were just there to make an appointment within the next week or two so that we can then re-book another appointment with the specialist for the following Monday to review the results."
"Oh yes! That's right you will need the results to to see the doctor again won't you." The penny finally drops...
"Well I'll get medical imaging to phone you with an appointment date and time to have the scan done before the end of next week."
"Thank you for your help and if I don't hear anything by Tuesday next week I have your name... so I will be ringing you back to sort it out again!" I say as I hang up.
I certainly won't be holding my breath.
How is it that things that seem on the surface to be a simple and reasonable request. Turn into a major fucking palava?.... Anyone?..... Anyone?
Anyway.... I'll be phoning again on Tuesday if I haven't had a call by then...
In the meantime I'll be firing up the Phaff to create some boy and girl Poppy Costumes along with a Flying Monkey suit or two... That should take my mind off other matters of glaring incompetency...
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode Darlings...
Hopefully without a car crash thrown in for good measure...
******UPDATE*****
The phone rang at 09.15 this morning.(Friday)
It was the Medical imaging Department.
We have an appointment booked for an MRI on Monday Afternoon next week!
*Momentary claw retraction is called for!*
Sometimes dogged persistence and nice manners pays off Darlings
