As part of my pre-operative investigations I went to collect a blood oxygen monitor this morning – we had mentioned that occasionally my wife notices me not breathing during the night and so they want to check for sleep apneoa.
Very pleasant and straightforward pickup – fill in a questionnaire, demonstrate the machine and off I go 10 minutes after getting to the department. The nurse, Marie, was helpful pleasant and all you could ask for.
So, what am I writing about? Yet again, minor administrative hassles.
At the main reception in Chancellor Wing I ask to be directed to the sleep clinic – straightforward until I get there:
Him – “Did you check yourself in downstairs?”
Me – “No, but I asked for directions and I was sent here”
Him – Well you have to go downstairs and check yourself in”
(I did not even ask if he could do it there on his own screen as I am getting very familiar with ‘computer says no’)
Go downstairs, try to check in on self-check-in screens but it cannot find me. Go tot he receptionist again who speedily checks me in (I guess that when I first asked for directions she could have asked if I had checked in). Back upstairs again to be told to sit and wait.
OK, so this is nothing serious but yet again a minor administrative issue that caused me no trouble beyond a few extra stairs – but what if I were disabled, or already highly stressed?
And I go to bed tonight with the thing in the picture above strapped to my wrist…
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