Biiiiig sigh.... Hokay..... Work in progress....

That is what I got for info at the hospital about an hour ago. Peter had called me twice this morning using his bed-neighbor's cell. Was I coming over. He was nervous as hell about his nth surgical procedure/operation. They are going to go into a vein in his lower remaining leg, and widen it to improve circulation so his remaining foot can heal. Not the end of the world, but not exactly 'fun'....

He got a bit whiny and afraid. Underandable. So I asked if he were getting full anaesthesia, (which would be disastrous) or only local. He said local, and was going panicky. So I said, 'Listen, if they give you headphones, pick something by Wagner, not Vivaldi.' He bust out laughing. (I HATE Wagner, btw...)

There is some background to that. He picked Vivaldi to listen to while they did his third amputation, The Four Seasons, and he can't hear it any more because when they get to the winter part, he still hears the buzz saw cutting through the bone over the earphones.

Yes, yeah, ok, I KNOW... it's gruesome to even think about. And Preciousses? We both have the same sort of sick humour of the kind that is the only thing that gets you through the rough stuff.

So I trundled on out there to LKH, stopped by his room, his bed was gone, but no surprise.... this time, at least, forewarned is forearmed... slipped the guy who lets Peter use his phone some money, and said, 'Thank you for calling.' 'OH! That isn't necessary!' 'Oh yes it is... thank you for doing that.'

So, on to the nurses' (battle) station.... 'Where is Herr P right now, can I see him?'

Another nurse checked the pc. 'He went under at 11:30, and it will take some time, and then he will be under 24 hour observation at angiology downstairs, and back with us in nephrology tomorrow.' You can wait if you like.'

The German term she used for this was 'in Arbeit', and I bust out laughing. They use it for construction sites, or people in the middle of decorating windows and not finished... basically... 'Under Construction'.

She was taken aback that I laughed. 'It's just hospital speak for 'he's still being operated on.' ' And I said, 'Sorry, I still think it is funny...'

As to the waiting thing, I just said, 'Listen, I've been with him so many times through so many operations, I get sort of Algerian waiting around in hospitals.' It was a purposeful malapropism. When Peter's mother was dying, she had a 'bed-neighbor' who asked Peter to close the winder, because she was Algerian to drafts. What she meant was: allergic, and the words are similar in German. Algerisch (Algerian), and allergisch, alergic. It's been the source of much hilarity for both of us for decades now, but the nurse sort of looked at me askew... It's just my defensive mode when I get nervous.

So, you see? Stress brings out that sick sort of humour in me. Not really gallows humour, just more..... desperate, I guess.

I'm supposed to be talking to Nephro... line is busy. (Drums fingers on the desktop...) Gawwd am I impatient. So shoot me.

And oh yeah... if socialised medicine is so BAAAD... and SKEERY... and EVIL... with death panels lurking around every corner.... WHY are they treating him like they are treating him????? Like they want him to get better, or something. As I've always said... 'someone is lying'.

Got through... 'He's still being inspected, you will have to try again later.'

Obviously, he got through it ok... who knows for sure? I hate being impatient. I really do.