You couldn’t make this up……………………

It has been our nightmare, the phone call from the hospital to say Hubby’s Op has been cancelled.
The phone rang this afternoon just before 1pm and I answered.  I recognised the number before she said who was calling and passed the phone across to Hubby.

It was not good.
He was asked if he’d had his COVID test, to which he replied yes, when, where and at what time.
There was obvious confusion at the other end as it would appear this was not the correct hospital for the test.
Hubby pointed out that he had been surprised at the change of venue too and had queried it, but it was correct that he was to go to a local hospital and they were expecting him.
The Op hospital could not find the results, or a record of the test being done.
Hubby confirmed that the hospital nurse had said the details would be sent on to the relevant department.
They didn’t have them.
What followed was almost an hour and a half and most of the credit on a mobile phone chasing the test results from point A to point B to point C.
The local hospital couldn’t give the results of the test as they didn’t keep them, but gave Hubby a number to ring.
This had a recorded message to say that calls could not be taken at this time.
Onto the internet and both of us frantically trying to find a telephone number for pre-op assessments.
We found two,  both of which had full voicemails and no messages could be left.
I almost ended up calling The States but recognised the telephone number was not a UK format.
We tried to redial the number that they had called us from at 1pm.
The recorded message said that this number was not one to rely to.
No email addresses available for anyone.
Hubby dug out the Op paperwork and rang the numbers of the assessment girls who had sorted everything out. No reply and then the phone died.
He rang the main switchboard of the test results hospital and was given a direct line………… which stated there were 16 people in the queue.
Last resort was to try the assessment girls again, and bingo, a response, but again the phone died. Frantic redial through all the numbers and recorded messages and got back to our lassie who had been trying to call us back but the number failed.
She said she had a contact in the results department and would call them to find out what was going on, then call Hubby back. We confirmed my mobile number was the one she had.
Ten minutes later she rang to say she couldn’t get through but had sent an email. She was off home now (2.15) and would be on it first thing in the morning as she was in at 8.
Not much good to us as we have to be there at 7.15.
If they have no results or it’s positive, no op and he’d be sent home.

Hubby was in such a state, he had to go for a walk…….. on his own. I know that feeling.

While he was out, my mobile rang. It was the hospital but a different girl.
Relief the results are in, negative, and the Op can go ahead as scheduled.
I told Hubby before he cleared the door threshold when he got back. He was a mess.
Looking at the paperwork, the landline number they have for us is that of the cottage. We left in 2014. Thank heavens we haven’t changed our mobile number, but once again it goes to show that they don’t keep their records uptodate.

As my title implies, you can’t make this up.

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