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So today we were up early battling the ever worsening traffic in Oxford. Destination, “The John Radcliff Hospital”.  Somewhere you would think you would have quick access to at all times, seen as though its the life support for many a sick patient in and around Oxfordshire.  The day started slow and ground to a holt of cueing traffic as usual.  But today there was more…maybe the waiting had created a hysteria through the driving community but several of the drivers were making the most ridiculous and dangerous manoeuvres, and in the few moments when we were able to move they were taking every hazardous method to over take they possibly could.  People cutting across lanes of traffic in order to get ahead by all of a meter.  The stress of the journey nearly made me go into labour early.

Once at the hospital, parking was quite simple this time round, that is until the non-thinking van driver pulled up as close to my car as seemingly possible despite there being a practically empty car park. Making getting the baby and pram out yet another huge struggle.

Once we were in the MRI unit, my partner went in for his usual yearly scan, and I sat down in the waiting area thinking about the hassle of getting up so early (on my very rare day off) getting the poorly baby to take her medicine and ending up wearing it all and hiding it under my neat looking jacket.  The awful drive up, of traffic, pot holes and demonic drivers behind the wheels of these steel death traps and the uncourteous drivers who trap you in to the small enclosed parking spaces. Why is life so hard? Why is it so complicated to get these problems fixed? Where is all our tax going if its not putting these things right?

In the midst of my internal rant I was disturbed by a frail, well aged lady stepping out of the scanning room and announcing to her husband that she was all done, quite pleased that it hadn’t taken as long as her previous visit.  I couldn’t help but look over, she was a thin woman with short spiked hair and a walking stick. Clearly frail and unsteady on her feet but still quite chipper.  She placed her coat on and then without a thought her husband started to do her coat up, fumbling with the zip he announced “I’m going to need my glasses for this” he reached into his pocket and took out his glasses case, his wife reached to help him and he insisted he would do it to save her the struggle.  He placed his glasses on and then swiftly managed to zip her up, giving her an affectionate glance as he reached the top of her coat.  He took her hand in a loving manner and slowly guided her out of the building.

I was filled with this overwhelming feeling of simultaneous sadness and love.  She was clearly unwell and very much loved by her husband in such a manner it was truly touching.  My mind went back to my previous thoughts, was I being too concerned with things that don’t really matter, should I concentrate on the people I love and appreciate every day I have with them?  Maybe…..however this poor couple now had to battle their way back home through the same or similar problems I had been faced with on the journey up.  Maybe this should be more of an inspiration to help change things for the better so that others and myself can benefit, and have an easier life?