Went for my annual checkup and got a font of blog posts out of it... But since a series of posts that make me look silly ain't a good idea I'm going to just write two here instead ;)
So the day started with the fasting blood test and a beating. What's this you say - since when is a beating part of a blood test. Well, since you're me. My veins are notoriously hard to find so my dad warned the senior lab tech that he should do my test since the junior ones always keep pricking me with nothing to show for it.
The senior guy took up the challenge enthusiastically, strapped the rubber tube round my upper left arm and started probing for veins. A couple of minutes of being unsuccessful and he started hitting my inner elbow region. Apparently this is the proven technique for making the veins pop out. But my veins being intelligent, resolutely refused to be enticed by this display of brutality. I'm sure they just burrowed in deeper.
After five minutes of this beating, this was repeated on my right arm. At this point I did tell the tech that he could draw it out of the veins at the back of my hand. (cos that's how they did it last time) He said they're too fine and continued with the beating on my right arm.
The entire cycle - left then right - was repeated before he got tired of the process and moved lower to my right forearm. Here again he tied the rubber n started the beating. Anyone who knows me knows to what lengths I'll go to avoid pain so they'll understand me best when I say that by this time, after almost fifteen minutes of the tight rubber tube constricting different limbs and the continuous beating I was terrified of the day ahead.
And after all this, he took the blood from the fine vein at the back of my hand!
Painful, cos it takes a long time n you can feel the pull on the vein, but at least better than a beating!
Next came x-ray time. The nurse led me to the x-ray room, gave me a hospital robe type thing n told me on change with a vague gesture towards a curtain. Apparently that was the changing area... Lol.... but me being me, I assumed the x-ray machine was behind the curtain. So once the nurse walked out I stood near the table at the middle of the room n changed wondering whether others would also feel as uncomfortable as me changing in the middle of a vast room. Thankfully no one walked in! When the nurse came back and I realised the x-ray machine was right there in the room with me, I did feel like a fool... :-D
The rest of the day followed on the same lines... Who knew annual check ups could be so entertaining?!
So the day started with the fasting blood test and a beating. What's this you say - since when is a beating part of a blood test. Well, since you're me. My veins are notoriously hard to find so my dad warned the senior lab tech that he should do my test since the junior ones always keep pricking me with nothing to show for it.
The senior guy took up the challenge enthusiastically, strapped the rubber tube round my upper left arm and started probing for veins. A couple of minutes of being unsuccessful and he started hitting my inner elbow region. Apparently this is the proven technique for making the veins pop out. But my veins being intelligent, resolutely refused to be enticed by this display of brutality. I'm sure they just burrowed in deeper.
After five minutes of this beating, this was repeated on my right arm. At this point I did tell the tech that he could draw it out of the veins at the back of my hand. (cos that's how they did it last time) He said they're too fine and continued with the beating on my right arm.
The entire cycle - left then right - was repeated before he got tired of the process and moved lower to my right forearm. Here again he tied the rubber n started the beating. Anyone who knows me knows to what lengths I'll go to avoid pain so they'll understand me best when I say that by this time, after almost fifteen minutes of the tight rubber tube constricting different limbs and the continuous beating I was terrified of the day ahead.
And after all this, he took the blood from the fine vein at the back of my hand!
Painful, cos it takes a long time n you can feel the pull on the vein, but at least better than a beating!
Next came x-ray time. The nurse led me to the x-ray room, gave me a hospital robe type thing n told me on change with a vague gesture towards a curtain. Apparently that was the changing area... Lol.... but me being me, I assumed the x-ray machine was behind the curtain. So once the nurse walked out I stood near the table at the middle of the room n changed wondering whether others would also feel as uncomfortable as me changing in the middle of a vast room. Thankfully no one walked in! When the nurse came back and I realised the x-ray machine was right there in the room with me, I did feel like a fool... :-D
The rest of the day followed on the same lines... Who knew annual check ups could be so entertaining?!
1 comments:
LOL!!! ~ where was this???
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