Busman's holiday

Deceptively placid scene at the hospital

Thursdays are my retirement day. It is the day of the week when I pursue my 'career' as a retiree rather than engage in the volunteer work I perform on the other four weekdays. So the last thing I was thinking of yesterday morning was spending the better part of today at the hospital where I volunteer three times a week.

All that started to change yesterday afternoon when I took a call at my other volunteer workplace that one of our nursing home clients had fallen at home and broken her leg and was at the emergency department of 'my' hospital awaiting admission for an operation. An hour later and Ae called to inform me that she too was being admitted to 'my' hospital for an urgent heart procedure.

Two hospital visits in one day might be an act of efficiency, even if unplanned, but the situation took on the feel of a French farce when between these visits today I received a call that a third friend was in emergency at that moment and also awaiting admission.

I think I need a sedative.