Well, all I have left to dp now is pack my toothbrush and make a packed lunch.
Oh and remember to take a pen; I may not be able to wrest the camera away from Mum.

And see if I can talk one of my parents into giving me a couple of pounds spending money for soft drink or crisps or whatnot, as I literally just have my fare.

Thanks for all the support.

I have confidence in you Sundae. You'll do great!

Ugh, I feel like a jerk for not reading the entire thread beforehand. It's not too late to chant, "I do believe in Cherry," right?

Never too late.

I hope it all went well, Cherry, and you're recovering comfortably.

Best wishes from here, hope all went well. I do believe in Cherry!

Been thinking of you, Sundae, on and off all day -- hope things are going well.

Also wondering how much more stylish than anyone else on the ward you are. :)

keeping a warm thought for you Sundae

Thinking about you this morning.

I believe in Cherry!


*waits for updates*

What every body else said.

Buses, buses...
Bus to Milton Keynes was packed. Market day in Leighton Buzzard (en route) and MK.
Had to sit in the whellchair/ pushchair folding seats when I got on, which I hate because you can't relax knowing you can be asked to move any time the bus stops.

Luckily I moved up the bus when lots of old giffers got off at Leighton Buzzard. Sat in front of a man with a really bronchial cough though. Thank FSM I now have short hair.

Mum saw me off which made me feel really loved.
Me at the bus stop - unaware of the phlemy future.

Journey to Cambridge delightfully uneventful, ditto Cambridge City Centre to Addenbrookes. Still didn't take any pics of Cambs. One day, one day.

Got to Addenbrookes super-early, of course. Travelling across country you just can't know there will be no breakdowns or diversions or accidents. And once I was in Cambs I might as well wait in the warm for free, right?

Checked in.
Sat for about 30 minutes and then, as last time, the nurses used the time to weigh me, check my height, take my blood pressue etc. They're good there. Although I wonder why my height has now been taken at three different hospitals? Do they not share records, or are they worried I am growing/ shrinking?

About 30 minutes before my official check-in time, I met one of the Ward Doctors.
She went through my records, my medical history, the procedure.
Warned me that my previous blood tests had shown my blood to be "thin" so I would require medication before the biopsy. Competant and personable. And pre-Raphaelite; pale skin, pale eyes, red hair.

Back to the waiting room, then off to another suite within the ward to have a canulla fitted, and more blood tests.
OWWWW!
OW!
Bloody hell. Lovely Eastern European chap. Very good English, jslight accent and unfamiliar name.
Tried to fit the canulla to my left hand. Oh, sorry. Vein was apparently too fragile and exploded. Retch, retch.
So right hand it was. And it bloody well hurt too. Poking around in there.
Can't fault him, they're my veins after all.
After a lot of poking and prodding he didn't manage to get enough from my hand, so had to get additional blood from my arm.

So I left there feeling drained, back to the waiting room.
BTW I'm going to moan about this canulla all the way through this thread. I'm sorry.
I'll say once that I know it's small beer. But it was the worst part of what ended up being a pretty decent experience. If I'm going to repeat the maons at least I'm not prefacing them all with a repeated apology.

That thing is huge!

While I was waiting I was kept updated on the status of my bed.
They where waiting for another patient to have an epidural, but it would be free soon.

In the mean time a lady came to take my order for dinner (see the Dinner thread.)
I was quite happy. It was gone 16.00 but I'd had the prelims and was in the right place and being looked after.

Got my bed at about 16.50.
As I say, not an issue. Wasn't sat in some anonymous place wondering if I'd been forgotten. And I'm glad I was relaxed about it because when it came it was a doozy. Single room, en-suite! Jackpot!!!

En-suite.
Lovely shower - properly powerful, even with the canulla it still ended up reasonably pleasant.

I know, Clod.
And because it was on my right hand... (TMI) I wipe with my right hand. It was a tricky job not to catch it on the toilet seat.
And it stung and itched like an insect bite for pretty much all the time I had it in.