Boy, do I feel ready for a holiday

[GillD46]

We're visiting in December for a look around prior to a short cruise in January, so I'll thank you not to make a mess, Gill

I'll leave ut neat and tidy

[screwy]

3 weeks on Sunday on Arcadia. Can't wait....... Just need to feel the sun.

But you live in God's own county where the sun always shines Sue. lol

[Kendhni]

I never thought I would have to admit to this but I actually get depressed if I do not have a couple of holidays in the pipeline.
After a very scary year for Julie (healthwise) we are off again in a couple of weeks, then we have a cruise later in the year and a couple of holidays lined up for next year.

I hope everyone enjoys their holidays

[Stephen]

And you and everyone else Ken.

[RB1961]

We're off in 2 days time....1st holiday for 2 years due to other commitments.

Can't wait.

RB

Bon voyage RB. Hope you have a great time and the weather is kind to you.

Thanks Foxy.

[kaymar]

Well, that's me totally depressed now with all you lot going off on your holidays.

We can't do anything or book anything at the moment because Ken is waiting to be called for a cataract operation. He was told he was now ready for the op on 26/3/15 and there was a 3 month waiting list. We advised the admission section of the 3 holidays we had booked for the period April to July 11th and because it messed up their 'targets' they wouldn't put Ken on the waiting list but advised us to ring when we got back. They have said it will probably be October or November now because the local hospital has problems due to bed blockers who really should be in care homes. One receptionist made the remark that Ken had deliberately made himself unavailable by having the holidays booked although they were all booked well before 26/3. and the insurance company wouldn't cover a cancellation as he was under investigation when we bought the insurance. We now dare not book anything - it is so depressing having nothing to look forward to.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your holidays and think of us admiring our new fencing which we are now going to use our holiday money for. Some how it isn't quite so exciting as a holiday.

Maureen

Maureen, can you not use your unspent holiday money to have Ken's cataract removed privately? I had one done a couple of years ago, waiting time two weeks, admittedly it cost about £2,500 but we have insurance so only paid the £250 excess. Expensive, but saves a lot of messing about, quickly restores his eyesight and allows you to book some more cruises. Certainly worth thinking about.

[towny44]

Two weeks today and we will be setting off to Southampton to join Celebrity Eclipse on 13th Sept for a Canaries, Azores and Madeira cruise. That should compensate for the lack of a real summer at home.

[Kenmo1]

Maureen, can you not use your unspent holiday money to have Ken's cataract removed privately? I had one done a couple of years ago, waiting time two weeks, admittedly it cost about £2,500 but we have insurance so only paid the £250 excess. Expensive, but saves a lot of messing about, quickly restores his eyesight and allows you to book some more cruises. Certainly worth thinking about.

Hi kaymar - we have discussed this option and if it drags on past October, November, I will ask Ken again to seriously consider it. What is annoying is that it would probably be done on the Isle of Wight by the same person who would normally do it under the NHS but 8 weeks later. Ken is against the idea at the moment. Luckily, he has very good vision in his other eye.

Mind you, compared to some of the other forum members who have had long periods without cruises, we really haven't done so badly this year - a cruise in April from Dubai to Southampton, a week in May in North Wales and a 2 week cruise to the Baltic at the end of June. I shouldn't be whingeing at all but like Kendhni said it is depressing to have nothing in the pipeline ( except a new fence of course, which has been on our to do list since February 2013 when we moved in).

Maureen

[jay-ell71]

I am puzzled by the comments the hospital made about Bed blockers. Does ken have to be admitted onto a ward for the cataract op? It is usually a Day op and takes about 20 minutes. My OH has had both eyes done. He says it is marvellous and No, we didn't pay for it. It is a disgrace that Ken wasn't put on the List, they could have given him a date in August couldn't they? Sounds like a very unsympathetic appointments clerk.

Next Sunday we are flying to Istanbul for a cruise visiting Turkey & Greece. Can't wait to get away from this miserable summer. Our last holiday was in Madeira in March. We thought it would be nice to be home for the Summer!!!!!!

[Kenmo1]

am puzzled by the comments the hospital made about Bed blockers. Does ken have to be admitted onto a ward for the cataract op? It is usually a Day op and takes about 20 minutes.

You are correct, Jay. It would just be day surgery, probably only taking about 20 minutes but there have been constant problems at the local hospital all summer with various problems. MRSA, staff shortages etc and a couple of local Nursing Homes have been criticised by the local Care Commission so admissions to them were held up for a while until things were sorted therefore causing the problem of bed blocking. Therefore, a lot of ops were cancelled even on day surgery. We have noticed in the local paper that the local NHS is offering people the opportunity to travel to Southampton or Portsmouth to have ops there but when I phoned up about it they said it was for orthopaedics, urology and general surgery only so Ken wasn't in that bracket.

Hopefully, it will be in the next few months - thank goodness it isn't both eyes but perhaps he would get some priority then.

Have a lovely time in Turkey and Greece. It is one of my favourite areas to visit.

Maureen

[Silver_Shiney]

Hopefully, it will be in the next few months - thank goodness it isn't both eyes but perhaps he would get some priority then.

this seems to be something of a postcode lottery. My mum is near Southampton and she got both eyes done. My MIL, in south Wales, had one done and was told that, because she can now see out of one eye, they won't do the other one

[Dancing Queen]

Maureen, have you considered phoning the Consultants secretary and asking to be considered if a cancellation comes up at short notice, I've done this a couple of times for my OH and always got an appointment within a week, secretary's are far more accommodating than receptionists.

[Kenmo1]

Maureen, have you considered phoning the Consultants secretary and asking to be considered if a cancellation comes up at short notice, I've done this a couple of times for my OH and always got an appointment within a week, secretary's are far more accommodating than receptionists.

Jo, I had better stop hogging this thread as it has gone rather off topic but I did speak to one (very nice) receptionist in the pre-admissions section and told her that Ken would be happy to do a last minute cancellation if one cropped up. She said she would make a note. Now when I ring, I always ask for the nice receptionist by name so that I don't end up with the miserable one who said Ken had deliberately made himself unavailable. I think I must have caught that one on an off day.

Maureen

[The Tinker]

Maureen, have you considered phoning the Consultants secretary and asking to be considered if a cancellation comes up at short notice, I've done this a couple of times for my OH and always got an appointment within a week, secretary's are far more accommodating than receptionists.

Jo, I had better stop hogging this thread as it has gone rather off topic but I did speak to one (very nice) receptionist in the pre-admissions section and told her that Ken would be happy to do a last minute cancellation if one cropped up. She said she would make a note. Now when I ring, I always ask for the nice receptionist by name so that I don't end up with the miserable one who said Ken had deliberately made himself unavailable. I think I must have caught that one on an off day.

Maureen

No - I think you call them jobsworths! My husband made it to the waiting room for his hernia op and they then cancelled as he had a high temperature. He refused the next available date as it was too near my daughter giving birth and his busiest time of year for work. He was struck off! Complained to GP as this was a farce having to see doctor, consultant, etc etc again. We had a letter stating they would kindly reinstate him on the list again!! What a performance. Not heard a word from them for 5 weeks - I just know they will ring and try to book him in when we are on holiday!!

[Dancing Queen]

Maureen, have you considered phoning the Consultants secretary and asking to be considered if a cancellation comes up at short notice, I've done this a couple of times for my OH and always got an appointment within a week, secretary's are far more accommodating than receptionists.

Jo, I had better stop hogging this thread as it has gone rather off topic but I did speak to one (very nice) receptionist in the pre-admissions section and told her that Ken would be happy to do a last minute cancellation if one cropped up. She said she would make a note. Now when I ring, I always ask for the nice receptionist by name so that I don't end up with the miserable one who said Ken had deliberately made himself unavailable. I think I must have caught that one on an off day.

Maureen

Oh you're not hogging the thread at all, the topic is 'do I feel ready for a holiday' and once Ken is sorted out you can come back and say yes and tell us what you've booked fingers crossed for you.

[jay-ell71]

Alec got his second cataract quickly by phoning the surgeon's secretary and getting a cancellation. Getting things done in NHS is definitely patient led. We have got a number of earlier appointments by nagging the secretary or appointments dept!!!
Good luck. I really hope Ken gets his op very soon. Let us know. I am sure he will be very pleased at the difference it makes. J

[Silver_Shiney]

Jo, I had better stop hogging this thread as it has gone rather off topic

With all that faffing around, you'll be more than ready for a holiday, so I don't think you're off-topic at all.

[Manoverboard]

Jo, I had better stop hogging this thread as it has gone rather off topic

With all that faffing around, you'll be more than ready for a holiday, so I don't think you're off-topic at all.

Urm ....

The Mods will decide who is ' Off Topic ', Maureen isn't, and who is guilty of ' Back Seat Moderation ', eh Alan,

[Silver_Shiney]

Ah, so you agree with my humble opinion, Mobymod!

[jay-ell71]

Ooh sorry. Cataracts and their removal were rather close to my heart.

My holiday is only 6 days away now. J

[Kenmo1]

Ooh sorry. Cataracts and their removal were rather close to my heart.

My holiday is only 6 days away now. J

It was me, Jay, worrying that I was hogging the thread although, admittedly, over this weekend it seemed to be fairly quiet on here with everyone out enjoying themselves so I suppose it helped pass a few hours while it was quiet.

Where is everybody ???? All on their lovely holidays. I feel so sorry for anyone who has come to the Isle of Wight over the last few days. Today is really miserable again. Having said that we would try to stay on the Island more during the summer (and it can be great when the sun shines) we are now rethinking that idea. It always used to be that up north had all the rain and we had all the sunshine but that doesn't seem to happen anymore.

Maureen

[jay-ell71]

So cold here in the Cotswolds last night that we put the heating on for an hour.!!! It has rained from early morning and is showing no signs of stopping this afternoon. Fed up. I wanted to go shopping for holiday "essentials".

[The Tinker]

Yes what happened to our summer - I don't think I have worn any of my summer clothes this year!

[Manoverboard]

Anybody want to buy a Weber Bar-B-Q with many accessories ... plus a few cobwebs ?

[oldbluefox]

It was roasting hot up here in Costa del Cumbria today - shirt off and down to my string vest!!!

Actually I'm off to Leicester tomorrow to decorate my mother's kitchen so no time to enjoy the sun which was really lovely. Today it was the Keswick Show so they would have had a good day.