It Never Rains but it Weeps

04:20 and I'm awake, thirsty and need to vent my bladder. I wander down to the garage kitchen. Grab some water and notice some lights left on. It's some lights in the garden. I get a dressing gown, put on my cheap, copy crocs and wander up to the pavillion to reset the light timer. It's warm, dry and still. A perfectly nice pre-dawn moment. Back to the house and back to bed.

What's this? I've got my bandage over my PICC line all wet, how careless. Oops it's bleeding, bugger, what to do?

I have an advice line. I call it. To avoid visiting the very busy E.D. I'm advised to Call 111 and explain the line can be removed but due to the simplicity of the procedure it's unnecessary to travel to Truro E.D.. An on call doctor can do it. (Fat chance). I call 111 they call the on call doctor service. Very quickly I get a call from the on call service doctor . I'm now waiting for a call from Bodmin hospital! They don't call the on call doctor calls back. There are no clinicians qualified to do the job. Go to the E.D. in Truro now where they will refer me to the Headland unit when they open at 8 but because the E.D. is busy I need to get going. It's now 06:00.

So to get a PICC line removed with great care, because of my high risk of sepsis. 6 phone calls later. I'm on the way to E.D. in Truro!

Should have gone there first!

Almost 07:15 now. I'm in the E.D. I'm the only person in the waiting area which may be a good thing. The first seat I go to is next to a table with blood on it. I've moved. The seats are not at all comfortable.

The journey down was uneventful and speedy until Truro where moronic drivers occupy the outside lanes all through the town holding up traffic behind them. I know I shouldn't but I often undertake them. Tricia is parked up waiting. My wait has started. I have been warned that I may need to wait until 08:00 for the Headland (cancer) unit to open. Ho hum!

At 08:30 I got to the Headland unit. 49 cm of tube was pulled out following all the correct procedures I was on my way home at 09:00. It's now 11:00 I'm going back to bed for an hour. WHAT ELSE COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG!! WAIT I have an outbreak of shingles!!! Can I swear now!