“Say goodbye my own true lover,….”

1988 Part 1

A couple of days ago I was a day patient at Hutt Hospital having some sinister looking bumps and lesions removed from my scalp. It was done under a general anaesthetic so I was well asleep during the whole procedure.

Doctors and nurses were wonderful, caring and full of warmth and compassion. In particular Dr Sandyha Deo the team leader and main surgeon. She leads by example and her influence can be seen throughout the staff in the Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit. Whilst attending my pre-op assessment a couple of weeks previously I was able to observe her style as she greeted each patient and ushered them into her office for a chat. Everyone was treated with utmost respect and kindness regardless of age, ethnicity or named position on the scale of diversity. And it was all genuine on each occasion. No sentimental bullshit no sales pitch. Just a caring kindness effortlessly radiating from this top professional.

When I was coming round after the op I could hear a voice calling my name and see a big bright round light over my head and since it wasn’t my first rodeo I knew the light was the source of illumination for the medical team and the voice, even though it sounded angelic, was a post-op care nurse introducing herself as Leanne and her sidekick as Piper and another nurse not seen was Mariah who was apparently sitting by the computer. This last name inspired me to call out “They call the wind Mariah” someone said “What is that?” and I was able to tell them that it was a song from the American Musical Theatre production “Paint Your Wagon”. So they all rushed off to the computer and brought it up and soon were all singing “They call the wind Mariah”. Piper then wanted to know if their was a song with her name in it and all I could come up with was “Piper At the Gates of Dawn” from a 1960’s early Pink Floyd album of the same name. Also she was delighted to know that a wonderful Canadian actor Piper Laurie had featured in the David Lynch magnus opus “Twin Peaks”. “ I know Twin Peaks” she cried, clapping her hands.

And so I was awakened from my narcotic sleep and knew that I had achieved the best option from Shelley’s poem “Daemon Of the World”

“How wonderful is death, death and his brother sleep,

One pale as yonder wan and hornēd moon with lips of lurid blue,

The other glowing like the vital morn when, throned o’er oceans wave, it breathes over the world,

Yet both so passing strange and wonderful.

Our Public Health System is wonderful and the people working in it are true champions and heroes. If we want it to continue and improve then vote for Labour tomorrow for sure as little apples National and Act will reduce it to ashes whilst paying off their rich mates.

Later tonight I will get onto 1988 Part 2. But in the meantime please accept this little offering.