Time Spent

I was just thinking about how much time I've been spending at SGH and NCC. Some visits are short like I'm in and out in an hour while others are almost 5 hours long (excluding operations).

• consultations - waiting time to see doc + see doc + payment (first and last takes the longest. Incidentally, if you choose not to wait and pay, SGH will mail you the bill for your settlement. That'll save a bit of time.)
• pre-admission testing - these take a while 'cos it involves many stations. First off would be registration and payment. I chose to pay up front using credit card and AIA Healthshield so I wouldn't have to revisit payment upon admission. This is followed by the blood test. My 2 ops were too far apart so I had to have blood drawn again for the 2nd op and yet another time on the same day 'cos the blood clotted and couldn't be use. Next station would be the nurse taking your height and weight and checking other particulars. This is then followed by the anaesthetist (I checked the spelling) for medical history and assessment of general health so that there would be no surprises during GA. Last stop would be the assessment by the surgical team (I think). Each station involved waiting so I waited 5 times for the first pre-admission tests. For the 2nd op, I had more requirements (x-ray, ultrasound, bone scan) so it took even longer. The x-ray and ultrasound of my liver I did on the same day as the pre-admission tests. Bone scan was on the following Monday.
• admission - since I settled payment during pre-admission, this procedure was more of a verification. Please take note that the ticket machine issues 2 tickets with the same number each time. Not sure why but I tore mine off and left the 2nd one there which was picked up by another lady. I assumed it was for the staff to clip to my case file or something. Total elapsed time from arriving at SGH : 10mins.
  
• bone scan - waited for my turn for the jab at 9.30am then waited for the dye to travel round my body till 1.45pm. Scan took about 20mins by my estimation. Total elapsed time: 5.5 hrs.
• 1st operation - my first op was the first of the day but I had a long wait for a bed in the ward and for the effects of GA to wear off before I could leave. Total elapsed time : 13hrs.
• 2nd operation - this was scheduled at 2.30pm but I was required to be admitted at 7am for the sentinel dye procedure where the dye was injected into me and scans taken to check where the sentinel lymph nodes are. Also, I was to stay one night 'cos the next morning they would teach me the exercises on how to take care of my right arm and I would also get an opportunity to meet a survivor. Total elapsed time : 18hrs.
• radiation - first session yesterday. Radiologist said this would be longer than the other days except for the day when I would see the doc and on Tuesday or Wednesday when they would spend extra 2 mins to take x-rays. Total elapsed time : 75mins.

Travel time to and fro takes about an hour each way by bus and train. Bus 970 is direct but it's a tour bus, going through this housing estate and that. Other than resting on the bus, there's nothing much I can do whereas I can knit or crochet on the train if it's not packed.