A tree in flower ...

...on my way to the potting shed, this afternoon.

I went for the diabetic retinopathy screening earlier today. But because I'd had YAG Laser iridotomy on both my eyes a couple of weeks ago, the nurse said they were unable to use the special eye drops they use. And they would have to do the retinopathy photos without me having those eyedrops.

They have access to my records and all recent NHS procedures and treatments on their laptops.

So, I go into the room with the machine.
The guy operating the machine takes the photo of each eye. Two I think of each eye. But when he finishes he doesn't look me in the eye. So I am getting up, the light is on now.

Because I lipread I find it disturbing when someone doesn't look me in the eye, and in this situation it can mean I don't know if I have been dismissed or not. So, for some reason I say, 'Can you see where I had the laser iridotomy in each eye?'

He looks at me. 'Oh no, you didn't have that', he said, 'You only had laser treatment to widen your blocked tear ducts, so that more tears can come out.'

'No, I haven't,' I said. 'I had laser treatment for acute angle glaucoma.'

'No, the laser treatment was on your tear ducts to unblock them, so now your tears can some out,' he repeated, explaining as though to a simple patient, ushering me out of the room.

He opens the door and is looking at the ground again, and not at me. And shuts the door.

I am stunned. I have never ever had any laser treatment on my tear ducts.

I had confirmed my name and address and date of birth, for the nurse, and then again for him. I showed my appointment letter to each one. And I was their first patient of that session.

When he was looking at the ground it felt like also it might be serious, something he found in my eyes. But he cannot tell you, you have to wait for a letter.

On the way home I am panicking.

I can't work this out, and I am not going to believe any test results that come through the post.