Patience

or my case, the lack of it.



What has struck me since we first went to our GP and said we were struggling to concieve has been the difference in how we have been handled by the NHS in its different guises.



First of our GP, once we managed to see her, was excellent. She treat us like we were human beings and took care of our feelings unlike the surgery staff surrounding her who were nosey, inefficient and often rude. I dislike reception staff asking me why I need an appointment and I even more so reception staff telling me over the phone that my blood results are 'fine' - being not of a medical background this was not helpful.



We were then referred to gynaecology at the local hospital and we founf them . . . distant, there is no other word as they had no concern for our aim to concieve and rushed through the intital appointment without explaining to much and then sending us down the road of tests which lastest for months. It seems that once you have been seen once there is no rush and I was originally asked to wait from Janaury 12, the date of my last blood test, to mid July before I could get the results. Needless to say I was less than impressed and, after many phone calls, was able to secure an appointment in April. At this appointment we were told next to nothing except that a further referral to the fertility clinic was the next step - my lack of patience failed to see why we needed the appointment when a letter to confirm the referral could have been done in January thus saving us 4 months.



From this point we waited until the end of the month before we were seen at the feritltiy clinic, a wait I was most impressed with. That began another round of tests including the HSG, bloods and the last one was an internal ultra sound. The difference we have noticed between gynae and fertility has been immense - sunddenly we are important, suddenly the nursing staff are no longer processing us like puddings on a conveyor belt and they have time to explain what they are doing, looking for and why plus what is all means to us. These tests have taken time, more time than has been easy for me to cope with but when they have to be done within set time boundaries there is nothing to do except learn patience.

We have now been referred back to the GP for ovualtion medication but the referral is 'lost' meaning I am at the mercy of the kindness of other people as to finding and processing it in time for me to use if for my next cycle - if I have to wait another 5 weeks before I can start taking it I will have no choice but to learn patience.