Vocal Voices

Got text this morning, from the hospital in Vola Verde, to say I have an appointment on Wednesday 30 October at 4.00pm

It was supposed to be a phone consultation, but I suppose they can-t do x/rays and stuff over the phone

Cue a bit of a panic, thinking of what has to be done beforehand and trying to get hold of Darren, as he is the one to book train tickets.

Off we go to his house, he logs on, and then the problems start

Somehow or other, we can only book one way at a time Then we can only get to Porto, not Braga. So he books it anyway, we can get a bus. Looked at bus times, it will be a tight time line, but can be done, if there-s no problems.

We would have to stay the night in Vila Verde or Brago, which would not be a problem.

Then he tried to book a train from Braga back to Funcheira, our nearest station, the next day.

Only from Lisbon

Oh look, he said, train drivers strike from 24 October to 3 November

So he cancelled the first booking and I have now e/mailed the hospital and told them it is impossible for me to get there and have asked for another appointment.

Hopefully, they won-t turn around and say, sorry, get here or your op is cancelled.

Train drivers on strike, well that's a novelty, thought that was just an English disease, Jan.

Ho dear Jan big problems hope you get sorted soon why is everything so complicated good luck xx

Ho dear Jan big problems hope you get sorted soon why is everything so complicated good luck xx

Blimey what a palaver Jan, hope you manage to get it rescheduled without too much hassle xx

I hope you can reschedule xxx

That's rather annoying

If need be (just in case they can't reschedule and you can't risk losing your OP slot), could you make a 3 nights away trip of it and drive up? Stay half way up day 1, stay there day 2 and half way again day 3?

It's very long way Ria and would take us at least two days to get there, driving. And very costly, as most of the roads at toll roads.

Neither of us have done a huge amount of driving over here, and to be honest, at our age, it's a struggle.

Joquinha has sent them a e-mail, saying that as it is a 1,000km round trip, just for a few tests, could they not send the prescriptions needed to me and then I can have them done here and take the results back with me, when I go. Or send them.

He also said that it is unrealistic of them to say that they will cancel the op, because I didn't/couldn't get there.

So fingers firmly crossed

fingers, toes, paws and claws crossed from us here in my home - and that's a lot of crossing to be done