Patients Of The Lesser Gods!

A slight digression.

We all know the way it works. You travel miles to a hospital appointment, wait for an eternity in the waiting area and after all that you don't even breathe the same air as the consultant! You get seen by the registrar (if you're lucky!) then trundle home feeling as if the whole thing was a complete waste of time.

You're probably right!

The lesser gods do exactly what the 'boss' has told them to do, the agenda for the appointment is set in stone and none of your concerns can initiate any deviations from that agenda. The lesser god will report back to the 'boss' and your concerns might be addressed at the next appointment (if you're lucky!) which could be at least six months away.

So the lesser gods simply do what they're told - they usually haven't yet done the day course on decision making!

It's much the same on the wards. The lesser god arrives at your bedside, ready to trot out whatever he/she has been told by the 'boss', then trundles away again without resolving anything. He/she will report back to the 'boss' who may, or may not, issue further instructions.

So when Ben Marsh, lesser god, arrived at Hari's bedside we were aware that his attitude and communications had been decreed from above - but that is no excuse!

There he stood lecturing me about Hari needing to attend the GP surgery on a weekly basis,to be weighed and have blood taken - because 'she needs this' , as if I were some errant schoolchild who needed taking in hand. There was no explanation as to why Hari needed regular weighing and blood tests, just the general indication that somebody needed to check up on how much I was neglecting her.

I wonder if he realised how ridiculous he was making himself look?

Or was the 'boss' responsible for the creation of this impression?

In retrospect the whole scene must have looked hilarious! His two accompanying lesser gods stood, stony faced, obviously trying to disapprove of me and to reinforce his attitude - what are they all doing in medicine? They should be on the stage! Oscar winning performances from all three of them!

That was ten months ago and our GP surgery has never requested that Hari be weighed or have bloods taken.

So obviously this was all very urgent!

More about the weighing and bloods later!