#18 – Monday 30th

meeting

view from mt bedroom window... I think taken on monday...

First day in hospital! Doctors seemed pleased to see us! Met a GP who used to run the hospital – until recent re-development, consultants have now been brought in, many of them just locum. Small hospital, two main wards, not sure of their titles – like A&E/Receiving or Emergency receiving unit maybe? There’s a resus and HDU attached… Even with only two wards I’m getting lost a lot… Met Rebecca, an elective student from Northern Ireland… she’s apparently in our flat.. arrived last night & left just before us that morning – I hadn’t heard a thing…! We both failed to bleed a patient and then spent the day clerking two patients – we were terrible. This is absolutely the hospital for me, 40% of (the few) medical patients are over ninety years old – absolutely fantastic. Thankfully the Dr we were reporting too, (aunty-betty-thirty-years-younger-look-a-like) turned out to be a sweetie, and spent the afternoon telling us where to visit and encouraging us to take days off – we were forced out of hospital just after four to plan our travels. Saw some patients from Westray, my Westray GP was slagged off – Orkney’s pretty small…. Quick swim, absolutely fantastic swimming pool – although my swimming cossie (newly purchased pre-elective, fitting perfectly then) was now pretty snug… Swimming went okay.. so hopefully I’ll be able to complete this weekend’s triathlon… Tesco was therefore a shop filled with goodies – it was obvious Rebecca and I were shopping hungry (Tesco visits totally 7 now – gracious!) Had to go back in as we forgot washing powder… was accused a few times of stealing two baguettes.… Made it home & cooked dinner – Rebecca taking photos for her ‘food diary’, to prove to her Mum she’s eating properly… About half nine Rosie and I decided to look into flying to North Ronaldsay for one night, flights are reduced from about £75 return to £21 return if you spent a night on the island….