"Wait for hip re-surfacing operation at Charing Cross"

I took my wife into the hospital at the agreed time of 11:00 on Monday 10th December. They said her operation would be late afternoon, however at about 7:30 pm, they said they could not fit it in that day, it would be done the next day. She could go home, but as that is 30 miles away - not very practical. Of course she hadn't eaten all day, and the catering had finished - but they did manage to find her a couple of sandwiches. The next day at about 4pm, they said they couldn't do the operation that day either, and they couldn't guarantee the next day either. They said it was best if she went home and came back the following Monday, when they guaranteed it would be done.

We returned the following week and it was done. My wife thought that all the staff were excellent - Nurses, Occupational therapist, and the surgeon.

But what annoyed me, was this cancellation - I got the impression, that as she wasn't in enormous pain, we were someone who could be canceled - they took no notice (didn't ask) about our circumstances - the fact that we were not particularly local, that I had had to take time off work, organise lots of friends to help with our children - as I work on a freelance basis - I had to have additional time off work - and therefore lost money. Because we were non critical, we had to wait a relatively long time for the op, but having got there, apart from emergency situations, we should keep our appointed time in the schedule.