Waiting.....Still Waiting!

As I write this I am sitting in my Rheumatology Clinic waiting to see my doctor. Waiting, that’s a familar word for someone with any chronic illness. We seem to do it a lot don’t we? Whether its waiting to see you doctor/nurse, waiting for medications/treatment, waiting for x-rays/scans, waiting for blood tests, waiting for an operation maybe? Or maybe your just waiting for someone to call you back as they promised. Waiting, waiting, waiting!!

These all seem to eventually happen, and largely have a positive end (hopefully). There are other things we wait for though isn’t there? The things that we don’t like waiting for, those things that don’t have such a nice outcome. Ever waited for a test result to come back, knowing full well it would come back negative? Or maybe you are expecting a ‘flare‘ any time soon. Then there is the end of the line processes, like waiting for that SI joint to fuse, or maybe the time has come to buy your first cane/walking stick? Thankfully i’m not close to that one yet, but I know plenty of you are.

So with all this time we spend waiting, all these hours that pass by as we age just that little bit more, how do you make the most of it? Its very easy to sit and moan about waiting, listing all the things you could/should be doing instead. Trust me I’m an expert on that! But how many of you think of things you could be doing and do them?

I myself am a lover of lists, my obsessive compulsive nature demands I make a list at every opportunity! Whether it’s a shopping list, or my favourite, a to-do-list, there is always a list to be made. For those that don’t have a slightly unhealthy affinity to make lists may find your self phoning a loved one, or friend? Maybe you plan your night out? Then there is the current favourite, surf the net and check your emails on you smart-phone? And, not to forget, the time old classic of playing Angry Birds! Again!

If you found yourself still waiting to see your doctor at 17:00, when your appointment time was 15:10!!! What would you do? I found myself writing this post. God bless the NHS (National Health Service)!!