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Friday 27 March – Project Alison Day 55: Horrible day ahead! Going to the hospital for retinal screening. Really scared. What if it hurts? Rosie’s working and I’m not allowed to drive because the drops will affect my vision, but Mac’s offered to take me. Hope he waits outside while I have it done. If he hears me scream, I’ll die of shame!
‘Are you sure you want to come in with me?’ Alison cast a sideways glance at Mac as he walked beside her, car keys rattling in his hand. It had taken them ages to find a parking space and they’d driven round and round the various areas of the hospital, until they’d finally found a free space in the very spot they’d first checked. Typical!
Mac had got out of the car and seemed to take it for granted that he was going inside with her, which made Alison very nervous.
‘Of course. You don’t want to go in there by yourself,’ he said, nodding to the smart new building where the diabetic unit was housed. ‘Anyway, you might be in there ages. You’ll need someone to talk to. And so will I.’
She nodded, determined to look as if none of this bothered her at all. She took a steadying breath and pushed open the door, trying to stay calm as she headed to the reception desk, despite the weird hospital smell and the sight ofNHSuniforms.
The receptionist directed her to take a seat in the waiting room, and she and Mac found two chairs next to each other and sat down.
She wanted to make conversation with him, she really did, but she was too nervous. Her mouth was dry, and she felt sick. Every time a nurse came out and called another name her stomach lurched with dread.
‘How are you feeling?’ Mac asked gently.
‘Fine.’ She meant to sound bright and cheery, but her voice cracked, and it sounded as if she was about to choke instead.
He held her hand in his, holding her steady, reassuring her without a word.
‘Alison Parker?’
‘Oh, God!’
‘It’s okay,’ Mac said. ‘I’ll be right here. Don’t worry.’
‘You can come through if you like,’ the nurse told him. ‘Not into the room, but there’s another waiting area nearby and you can sit with her while the eye drops take effect.’
‘You don’t have to,’ Alison said weakly.
‘Don’t be daft. I want to.’
Still holding hands, they followed the nurse through the double doors.
‘Just in there, Alison.’ The nurse nodded towards another set of doors. ‘Follow me,’ she told Mac, ‘and I’ll show you where you can wait.’
Reluctantly, he let go of Alison’s hand. ‘You’ve got this,’ he murmured, and she nodded, because she didn’t want to look like a total wimp even though she knew she was.
Another nurse was waiting inside for her, all youth and vitality and cheeriness. She beamed at Alison.
‘Don’t look so worried! Is this your first retinal screening?’
Alison nodded. ‘I–I’ve heard it’s really painful.’
‘Stings a bit,’ the nurse said. ‘Probably like getting shampoo in your eyes or something. But it wears off very quickly, honestly. The trick is to blink really rapidly as soon as the drops go in.’
‘I don’t like anything near my eyes,’ Alison admitted.
‘Oh heck, me neither,’ the nurse said, laughing. ‘Don’t fret, Alison. You’ll be fine, and it’ll be over before you know it.’
After checking a few details with her and getting her to read some letters from an eye chart, the nurse stood over her and administered the drops. Immediately Alison could feel the effect.
‘Blink, blink, blink,’ the nurse instructed, and Alison blinked for all she was worth. Before she knew it the stinging faded, and it was done.
‘There you go,’ the nurse said brightly. ‘Now, you just need to go through to the other waiting area and give it a while for the drops to work. You might find your vision goes a bit blurry. Did you bring sunglasses, by the way?’
Alison nodded. ‘Although it’s not too bright today, is it?’
