Friday, May 20, 2011

View from my hospital window

Amazing views from my hospital bed window and a brilliant distraction from any ailments. Very uplifting actually, so I'm sure that's all beneficial for people's health. Well, it is for mine anyway.  The views changed all through the day and night, different cloud formations and light levels, varying amounts of traffic on Westminster Bridge and on the river, a police boat speeding along purposefully at one point. Who needs a TV with a view like that.

It's my favourite hospital in London, partly because of the location and the history, traced back to the twelfth century.  I find it vaguely humbling for some reason that there's been a place on that site for hundreds of years dedicated to treating the sick of the city. It's bigger than any one individual, people come and go, but the tradition and history of the place keeps on going, almost having its own momentum. There is a good little exhibition on in the foyer at the moment with old photos and illustrations from the past few hundred years, in addition to the permanent display cases of objects and ephemera relating to surgery and nursing at that hospital. There is a bit about eyes, including a current lens implant, which addresses my workmates' lunchtime musings over what they actually look like (small bits of plastic, definitely not like tiny breast implants). It's nice to have free lunchtime piano recitals that anyone can wander into, including patients, and lovely ceramic tiles including a large depiction of the tale of Dick Whittington, a former Mayor and benefactor.

The op went well, though apparently it was more complicated than usual ones. I am now recovering and have my fingers crossed that it will all heal up properly. It's very liberating not having to rely for 100% of your vision any longer on external things (glasses, contact lenses etc). Sometimes people say, what would you rescue if your house was burning down and you had a minute to get out, and the answer is usually a pet, a possession, kids. For me, it would have been all my eye stuff I suppose, not that I've ever had to put it into practise. But I''ll never know now as they're like normal people's eyes, more or less. It's REALLY great. What a wonderful surgeon.

15 comments:

dickiebo said...

Good luck to you, gal. I'm sure everything's gonna be fine now.

Claire said...

Thanks Dickiebo, so far so good!

Helen McCookerybook said...

That's FANTASTIC news Claire, about time too. I;m sure that this heralds great and positive changes for you in lots of other areas of your life too.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Helen, I think it might!! Life seems to go in good and bad patches sometimes, so maybe I'm due a good spell soon (not that I'm superstitious and have no sense of automatic entitlement of course!)

Bloody blogger won't let me comment on my own blog...

Annette said...

Thats brilliant news, so glad its worked out well.

Annette said...

Thats brilliant news, so glad its worked out well.

Annette said...

Thats brilliant news, so glad its worked out well.

Annette said...

Thats brilliant news, so glad its worked out well.

Annette said...

Thats brilliant news, so glad its worked out well.

Annette said...

I am so pleased Ive printed it about 20 times!!! but when I keyed in that word for your comment page it kept telling me I hadn't done it properly so I kept doing it.
Sorry!!!
PS I wonder how many times I ahve to do it now?
LOL

Annette said...

I am so pleased Ive printed it about 20 times!!! but when I keyed in that word for your comment page it kept telling me I hadn't done it properly so I kept doing it.
Sorry!!!
PS I wonder how many times I ahve to do it now?
LOL

Annette said...

I am so pleased Ive printed it about 20 times!!! but when I keyed in that word for your comment page it kept telling me I hadn't done it properly so I kept doing it.
Sorry!!!
PS I wonder how many times I ahve to do it now?
LOL

Annette said...

I am so pleased Ive printed it about 20 times!!! but when I keyed in that word for your comment page it kept telling me I hadn't done it properly so I kept doing it.
Sorry!!!
PS I wonder how many times I ahve to do it now?
LOL

Annette said...

see!!!!!! It keeps telling me I have done it wrong and do it again!!!!!!"!!! LOL or what?????

Claire said...

Thanks Annette! I should stop doing miserable blogposts now in theory.

The multiple comments made me really laugh, blogger is a bit of a pain when it gets things wrong!!