Farewelling the Borastons

This was the last day I would be staying at the Borastons’ house as they would be leaving tomorrow for Blenheim to go olive-picking.

Aunty Jill dropped me off at Hillmorton Hospital. We had a bit of difficulty finding the entrance and drove around some of the driveways, passing a group of smokers along the border of the property until we came by one of the staff members and asked them for directions.

I finally found the pharmacy department where Joanne was already there once again! As soon as I got there we took a little tour of the facility, including the locked isolation rooms where the people who are a danger to themselves and others were locked up. They sometimes strip some of the patients and put them in this poncho-like shirt thing that is made of tough material to avoid being damaged. We also saw the other units where not-so-serious people were housed. It was a bit difficult for me to tell who was a patient and who was at staff member as staff didn’t wear uniforms!

We returned to the pharmacy department before one of the other pharmacists took me to a multi-disciplinary meeting to discuss the progress of various patients being reintegrated into the community.

What was interesting was what one of the nurses had to say about a smoking cessation conference that she had attended. She showed us one of these electronic cigarettes called an ‘Intellicig’ which replicates the glow of the cigarette when inhaled as well as the smoke that smokers blow out, only the cigarette only has nicotine and none of the dangerous chemicals! It’s just like a nicotine patch or gum and helps smokers quit. That could possibly work! It was quite unusual seeing one of them try it indoors though.

I got back to the pharmacy department to work on our task for the day which was to investigate a medicines enquiry – a practice question from a psychiatrist regarding which medication he should start his patient on for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Joanne and I worked on it for another hour before we went for lunch with the other pharmacists.

It was interesting having lunch with the other pharmacists. They joked a lot and it didn’t seem as though any of the originated from Christchurch!

I had a go at the drinks machine they had at the cafeteria which gives you free coffee or hot chocolate, but I forgot to select milk and so it gave me really hot chocolate drink! I think I burnt my tongue!

Anyway, lunch was over and it was back to work! Joanne and I were left to work on the task for another couple hours before the pharmacist came in to discuss the enquiry with us. He was quite harsh and critical on us! He ended up marking us on the spot and only giving us a ‘Satisfactory’ mark for having to spoon-feed us! Haaarsh!

Oh well, at least we were allowed to go home straight after that! Joanne and I got a little lost on the way out and couldn’t find the entrance again, but we eventually got there and caught a bus back into the city. I decided to hang around at the Food Court and write the ‘Thank You’ card for the Boraston family before Uncle John texted me and asked me to meet him there.

We then walked across the city to his car parked on the side of the road and he gave me a lift home.

When we got back to their house Jean, Aunty Jill’s friend was there again that night for dinner. I got changed and joined them for dinner. It was rice risotto that Alice had cooked for all of us. Yum!

Once dinner was over, Alice offered me some dessert and once that was finished, we talked for a bit before Jean had to leave.

I then said all my farewells and gave them a ‘Thank You’ card with some money but they wouldn’t accept the money!

Uncle John drove me over to Great Aunty Margaret and Great Uncle Rob’s house. Fortunately they had all their heaters going so it was quite warm! We all sat in the lounge and just talked and had some Milo before I went to bed to try complete my hospital placement workbook. I don’t think I got to sleep till 1am!