"It’s not a job, it’s a vocation"

Just prior to my 70th birthday problems with arthritic knee, saw a consultant who recommend total knee replacement. Just after my birthday got an appointment for operation, consultant was really nice, very professional but warned 4/5 were very successful. Trust me to be in that other 5th.

About six months later still suffering pain, decided to leave it, probably just still stiff, this was a bad mistake on my part. Saw consultant who recommended some physiotherapy, didn’t help.

Back to consultant, by this time knee was swollen, they recommended an aspiration on my swollen knee, came back from microbiology, negative for infection.

As the months passed really sore, reluctantly back to see the consultant (they are so busy don’t like troubling them) for which I got a lecture. This time in the new Orthopaedic Treatment Centre had another aspiration same result. They recommended a second opinion. Saw consultant 2, who did another aspiration, guess what - same result. 

Consultant decided on an arthroscopy, which I had recently. Results to follow.

Now for the good bit - for all the consultants, nurses, auxiliaries radiographers, domestics etc and anyone else I have not mentioned, it’s them and all of them is what makes our beloved NHS just a wonderful, marvellous and any other praising adjectives to describe it.

This new National Treatment Centre is amazing, the staff, well, it’s not a job, it’s a vocation. All kept in place by Matron Pauline, a smiling lady probably a person not to argue with even if you're at the top of the clinical tree.

This NTC is like being at an airport was looking for the duty free it’s between the anaesthetic room and the theatre.

Thank you very much will probably seen you all soon. By the way when do I get my  NHS Loyalty Card.