Radiotherapy: a life saving circle of hell

In the waiting room for radiotherapy there is a hand bell.  It sits on a table between the groups of bolted down chairs, one end of the alcove that is designated as the waiting room off to the side at the end of the long corridor.  At the other end, high on the wall there is a television, muted, showing news in subtitles.  Depending on how much you want to divert yourself from the room you find yourself in, you can read the subtitles.  On a good day you can just sit and chat amiably to the couple sitting nearby.  It is not always obvious which member of the couple is about to go and change.  When the name is called, sometimes you are surprised by who gets up.