Well, I seem to have survived both the Fat Doctor and the Foot Doctor.
I arrived at St. Thomas’s Hospital around 9:45 for a 10:10am appointment. I went to the clinic, and stood in a queue behind a gentleman who hadn’t shown up for his appointment and was arguing with the receptionist about making another appointment. She couldn’t do it (because “the computer says ‘Nooooooo…'”) but he didn’t believe her. Finally I checked in and went to sit down and wait for the surgeon.
A short nurse came out and bellowed my name. I followed, and she said, “Take your shoes off to be weighed.” Well, I had my air boot on and that takes a few minutes to remove and the same amount of time to put on. I said, “I can’t take this off; please just weigh me and take off about 2-1/2 kilograms.” She looked at me and barked (and I do mean ‘barked’): “Take your shoes off. Do you want me to lie? Doing that would be lying.”
At that point I was ready to put on my coat and walk out. I said, “Well, I’m not taking this boot off. Do what you like.” She said, “So you refuse to be weighed then.” and wrote that down on the piece of paper. “Sit down.”
I went back to the waiting area ready to explode. Someone sitting behind me went over to the receptionist and complained about a bad smell in the area. For a moment I thought that maybe I hadn’t showered, but it turned out that someone was having a leg ulcer cleaned out in another room and the smell was unpleasant for some. However, I couldn’t smell anything at all.
The short nurse emerged with a spray bottle of air freshener and told people to move to another area to wait. As I couldn’t smell it I stayed put along with one other person. The nurse sprayed the air freshener around and muttered to the other person (I guess that “refusing to be weighed” means that I am a non-person) that we will all smell after we’re dead and the stench was only dead flesh so it was natural. After she toddled off, I looked at the other person and we wondered what planet Nurse Ratchett came from.
The nurse then asked me to come along with her. In passing she opened a door and muttered something I didn’t catch, so I continued to follow her. She rounded on me and said, “I told you to wait in the examining room!” I truly hadn’t heard her. So I went into the examining room and waited for the Fat Doctor (ie, Bariatric Surgeon).
After about 20 minutes he knocked on the door and swept in with an entourage consisting of a dietician and a student. We discussed options and he recommended that my case be presented to the Primary Care Trust for funding. If it is funded, there is then a 3-month wait for the operation. Gastric bypasses have been found to not only help people lose weight, but in type-II diabetics they seem to reduce insulin resistance. There are a few side effects, and I’ll have to eat stuff that’s been liquidised in a blender for a couple of weeks, but I’m willing to do it in pursuit of weight loss and diabetic improvement.
I took the opportunity to mention how rude I thought the nurse had been. The doctor said that he had no problem with weighing me with my boot on, and the dietician took me to the nurse’s station, shooed her out, and weighed me and reduced it by 2-1/2 kg, just as I’d suggested. No problem. They will speak to the nurse.
Off to the bus stop for a 148 to the Elephant and Castle, then change for a 40 to Denmark Hill and Kings for my appointment with the Foot Doctor. As I’d taken my infected foot into my own hands and started taking antibiotics but not called the foot clinic, I was ready for a bollocking from Tim, the cute Diabetic Podiatrist. But when I got there, I said to him, “I’ll tell you what happened last week if you promise not to shout at me.” He smiled and said, “I never shout.” which I can believe. I told him and he said, “Fine! I’ll give you a prescription for two more weeks.
The ulcer on my left foot has significantly reduced in size. There doesn’t seem to be any problem with the right foot at the moment. So, he dressed both feet and I went on my way.
I missed the Centre Drop-In this noon, but decided to have linguini with butter and garlic this evening just to spite the diabetes. I expect I will have high blood sugar tomorrow morning, but I am feeling quite well this evening.
Man, what a crap woman.
I believe she even beats the Lipid Nurse I ran into a month or so ago.
If my heartburn doesn’t improve by my next Bariatric appt in early Dec, then I’ll have an endoscopy to rule out an ulcer. I’ve had an ulcer before and I know i don’t have one. Then Doc said he’ll remove the lap band and do the traditional gastric bypass. Hope my ins approves the procedure.
I hope so too…I’ll light a candle.
wish u good health 🙂
Thank you…muacks!
Sounds like Nurse Ratched!