All ready

Happy New Year to one and all.

I'm working 5 to midnight again tonight - my very last on call shift, as I am giving up the "on call" part of my job.  I will still be doing 5 to midnight shifts, just not on call.  The "on call" person rarely gets away at midnight, and recently has regularly been in the department until 2 or 3 in the morning, or even later.

Tomorrow morning a colleague is very kindly taking over my on call at 0700, to ensure that I get away on time - as I'm catching the 9.45 plane to Amsterdam.

Walter is already in Germany, with his sisters, and I am flying out to join them for the weekend.  I'm all packed apart from toothbrush and hair brush (I hope).

Now for some lunch, a quick visit to my dad, and back to work - the department (and the whole hospital) is under considerable pressure - even going to the extent of declaring an "internal major incident" to mobilise people - this enabled them to get patients discharged, clearing the decks for further emergency admissions yesterday and today.