Praise Where It's Due

At the time I would usually be thinking about writing a blog I was on the way to the Western Eye Hospital in Marylebone late yesterday afternoon to find out what was wrong with my right eye. On arrival I was walking to the receptionist's desk behind a little old lady when I and the little old lady, two feet away from the desk, were overtaken by a young woman with a friend running to get ahead of us. I told the young lady to get back in line and although she most unwillingly let the little old lady be dealt with first she certainly was not going to allow me to do likewise. Despite this irritating introduction to the Western Eye Hospital the rest of the experience was surprisingly easy. The receptionist in the 24/7 A&E clinic told me that I was lucky as there were so few people waiting to be seen.  I had to wait about 20 minutes to see a nurse who took the details and gave me drops. I then waited about 40 minutes to see the doctor who spent some time examining my eyes and who found a tear in the right eye's retina. He got his superior to have a look to see if he had made a correct diagnosis. They carried out one or two other tests and got me to sign a waiver for the laser procedure they wanted to carry out. There was then another 20 minute wait before the senior of the two doctors took me into a treatment room and lasered my retina around the tear. I have to go back in a week's time to get the all clear. All in all I was at the hospital about 2 hours forty minutes which passed quickly enough as I had taken a good book to read. No wonder a good percentage of those in the clinic were from overseas one of whom was absolutely amazed that she did not have to pay anything for the treatment she had received. "It was an emergency," the receptionist said.