I've had to visit Ashfield Medical Centre just after 9 o'clock this morning as we need another medical certificate for E.S.A. claim. I mentioned on Friday that I had rung early on that morning and was told that the doctor would only be available to call back on Monday (today). Never mind that it might possibly be vital that the D.W.P. need this document before any further payments are made. Just another dose of bureaucracy, unfortunately. The woman on the surgery reception wouldn't budge an inch. I said we really needed the medical certificate as it needed to be in the post fairy urgently, but there was no way she was going to let me have it even when I said that Carol was in hospital. I would have to have a doctor's phone call. I couldn't see a doctor as none were available. I just said that the system was inflexible, which it is. I did get her to give me a doctor's call-back but she couldn't guarantee when. So I went home and thought that I'd have to wait a few hours before the doctor rang. Why ON EARTH couldn't he just sign the medical certificate and have done with it, and I could collect it later on in the day, without all the hassle of the doctor ringing? He must know that Carol is in hospital and on Ward 22.
I did try to ring the ward to get them to tell Carol I was going to be in later. I think I rang three or four times, but it was obvious that they weren't going to answer. No doubt nobody was on reception to take my message.
Fortunately the doctor rang within about 30 minutes from walking in the door. He was able to say that he'd sign the new medical certificate and it would be ready after 6 o'clock this evening. I won't pick it up until tomorrow morning. So, at least that is one less thing to worry about.
I went into see Carol on the ward. Another patient on the ward. Also, we discovered yesterday, from Ross, who is the pastor at Shenley Christian Fellowship, who told us that the daughter of one of the pastors at M.K.C.C. was also on Ward 22. Which we didn't know about until yesterday evening, so we went to see her as she is in one of the single rooms on Ward 22.
Carol's temperature is still not totally under control. The doctors say that they have found what they believe is the source of the infection and that they have put Carol on a far higher dosage of antibiotics. She cannot be discharged until her temperature is more stable for at least another 48 hours.
I'm determined to discuss all aspects of our journey with cancer, however difficult it might be. In some ways it's almost therapeutic to put all of it in writing. The ups and downs and highs and lows. Our battles with petty bureaucracy and so on. The latest is applying for benefits. Since Carol's salary from the Academy has stopped we really have no choice. We have got the P.I.P. sorted out (Personal Independence Payment) and the E.S.A. is going through (which is why we needed the medical certificate) But now we're waiting to hear about Housing Benefit. As we hadn't heard anything from the Council, not a letter to acknowledge our application, as I would have expected, I decided to ring them this afternoon. It took at least 45 minutes to get through. Now I need to supply them with identity for myself and Carol (ie. Driving licence, some form of paperwork with our name and address on, a utility bill.) proof of earnings (bank statements) and take it all in to the Council offices. So, why did they not ask for all this when we first applied and why did it take my telephone call to them to get this information? Words fail me.
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