The kindness of strangers

On Monday I had my (now) annual neurology follow up appointment and since the bus that stops near my home goes by the the hospital in Hertford I decided it was time for a new adventure.

I hoped to have no problem with this adventure thanks to placing a beacon on my destination on my Voice Vista app.

My journey started well with my app telling me how far I was from my destination and calling out the roads I was travelling on and passing… then as we were going in the countryside between my hometown and the the back of Hertford the dreaded (but half expected) “loss of internet” announcement meant the beacon was still pinging but all road calls ceased.

I’m desperately looking through the fogged up windows on a grey drizzly day, on a route I’ve never taken before for anything in the blur that could be a clue…

I’m hoping the driver remembers to let me know the stop to get off at…

I asked a passenger nearby if we are nearly there…

I’m beginning to feel more panicked…

Suddenly a clue overhead the railway bridge near the station, a passenger is getting off I go to follow and am told there’s a stop nearer the hospital…

The driver pulls in and I get off as does another passenger.

I peer into the gloomy day wondering how to safely cross the busy road when the young lass offers to walk me to the crossing lights, when we’ve crossed she offers to walk me to the hospital entrance. Now I’m in control and oriented on my destination I thank her for her help and continue along my way.

I’m an hour early as I enter the bustling hospital foyer and pause a moment to assess the blurs and remember the layout from my visit 9 months earlier (follow up to the London MRI). A passing staff member checks I’m okay after reassuring her, and now oriented I find my way upstairs first to the loo, then the clinic reception.

I mention I’m an hour early and when told I probably won’t be seen before appointment time reassure the receptionist I didn’t expect to be.

I was called into my appointment as the screenshot shows a little earlier than expected and showing my doctor what I see with my good eye was the easiest part of the appointment.

By the time I’d been hammered (reflex tests), prickled (to test numb areas) and pushed (or pulled) against the (junior) doctor and the consultant popped in for a chat I wasn’t at all surprised to learn I’d need at least 2 follow up appointments.

So there will be a bone density scan, and a physical therapy appointment in my future.

Now it was time for the journey home.

Now life is fun… time to play “are you my bus?”

The 324 sailed by as if it couldn’t recognise a blind woman with white walking stick, long white cane, and wearing a bright yellow coat before I had chance to react. I wasn’t too panicked as I knew it wasn’t the one to take me to my door. However I realised I needed to move further along the bus stop and make myself even more obvious just in case.

Next large blur was about the time of my bus I signalled it to stop… and it was the Stevenage bus.

Luckily pulling in directly behind was my bus letting a passenger off.

As I got on a passenger called out where there was a seat free.

He obviously saw something in my face as I ended up telling him how stressful it was to catch a bus on a route with multiple buses and he told me I was doing great.

When he got off, I sat back and tried to relax… which really only happened when we reached the hospital in my hometown and I was back on my familiar route.

I hopped off the bus at the shop to pick up some lunch, etc. Got in fed the cats, put bits away, had lunch, then feeling thoroughly washed out took a nap.

Only looking back I realise I was feeling like a 6 year old who got lost on a family outing- once she’d been found and could stop pretending to be brave she fell to bits.

Until next time