Mission accomplished. Eventually.

So I arrive at the hospital 20 minutes early having been told to come at 12. That's not a 12:00 appointment, just when they want us all to arrive, apparently, because the afternoon surgical session doesn't even start until 13:30, but they want everyone here at 12 to check in and sit around like idiots. There were 3 other patients in the waiting room by 1:30, at least 2 of them having procedures requiring general anaesthetic - so probably longer and more involved than mine, yes? Yes. So they schedule me third (not that they told me that, I just heard the receptionist & nurse talking.)  Oh yes, and the first guy doesn't get taken down until 2pm. So not only was I going third but they were also running late from the beginning. I HATE this hospital. I think I'd rather go blind than come back here if I need more treatment. I HATE HATE HATE HATE it. How can an organisation supposedly based on healing be so fucking inconsiderate? The waiting room was sweltering, no water available, and the staff told us nothing...  while discussing other patients in ways those patients probably wouldn't appreciate if they knew about it.  Just to be clear, HATE. I'd actually rather have been at work - with.eye.pain. Truly. Especially as this treatment is essentially an experiment that may confer no or very limited short term benefits. FFS.
I actually got taken to the theatre at 15:40 - only 4 hours or so after I got there. The procedure took 20 minutes including the obligatory pre-op chat with the surgical nurses (which I actually enjoyed) so I didn't really feel the balance was quite right there. Luckily the local anaesthetic had zero effect on my balance, my stomach, or my eye sight so after all my concern about leaving by taxi or getting M out of work to collect me I actually walked the mile to Reading station, travelled back on the train, and then walked another 1.5 (approx) miles home with no ill effects apart from sore feet. Then we ordered a takeaway and I drank whisky because after all that I lacked the energy to cook or behave.

Food today:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs
Lunch: cream cheese pancakes walking through Reading
Dinner:  egg drop soup
Snacks: cheese, nuts and pork rinds - the last 2 illegal but portable and (in the case of the rinds) homemade so no nasty additives (or hidden carbs)