Not exactly a rant, but . . .

[aztecan]

Well, a little one.

I had blood drawn today to check out my lipids and CPKs. I did the 12-hour fast prior to the draw, drank copious amounts of water to make sure they could get the blood without problem, etc.

OK, rather than go to the hospital, I went to a satellite clinic. It was only for lipids, after all and the clinic should be faster.

Wrongaroonie!

I think every senior citizen in the area was there drinking barium and waiting their turn to get done whatever it is one does when one has been drinking barium.

Anyway, when the woman went to draw blood, she decided to stick me not in the usual places, but on the top of my arm near my elbow.  

It stung and the blood flow was miniscule. I could have read "War and Peace" waiting for one tube to fill.

I had planned to get a bite before trudging off to jail - to see a client.

Well, it took so long to get in and get the blood drawn I didn't get to eat. In fact, no food till lunch. You know you really should have eaten when you are walking by the jail kitchen and the odors emerging from it smells good.

To top it off, I got home this evening only to find a message from the clinic saying there was a problem. The blood sample they took had hemolyzed and they needed me to come in "at my earliest convenience" to have it drawn again.

"At my earliest convenience means I have to do another 12-hour fast and then go in and have the blood drawn again.

It also means it has to be tomorrow, because I already have things scheduled early Sunday morning and Monday morning.

So much for leisure time.

This is the same clinic where they screwed up my viral load one time and showed me having a blip, which I didn't.

I thought just a lipid profile would be safe. I guess I was wrong.

Off to the hospital I go tomorrow.

HUGS,

Mark

[weasel]

   Hi mark ,   maybe next time you will get better treatment .

   I know sometimes at the V.A.   it takes forever and those are the days mistakes

 are made . 

     Last week I had my blood done and the nice girl looked at my hands 

    Then  poked  the  needle thinger in to my vein 

  Most often they HUNT for a place in my arm , I got big bulging veins in my hands   

    wish nurses would just use em 

 Good luck with your tests !    December I have to fast , Triglycerides are sky high ?

                                               Be well ,   
                                                                Carl

[J.R.E.]

It stung and the blood flow was miniscule. I could have read "War and Peace" waiting for one tube to fill.


Mark

Well, That sucks !!  I'm like a garden hose every time they draw blood.  They can't change the vials fast enough !  Better luck today, and good luck with the results.

So far ( knock on wood)  I've had pretty good luck either at the VA hospital , or the VA clinic, each time I go.  Only had one viral load I had to have redone.

Ray

[Jeffreyj]

Top of the elbow? Was she Irish? Top of the morn to you both on the re-jab.

LoL.

I'm laughing with you, not at you.

good luck!

[BT65]

Drawing blood at the top of the elbow doesn't make any sense.  Maybe this time, when the tech is going to stick the needle in, you should snatch it from her and do it yourself.  Sorry you have to go through this, Mark.  Better luck!

[denb45]

I got big bulging veins all over my arms & legs, and blood flows like a garden hose when they stick me, they always tell me " You have nice veins"   Mark  I guess the 2nd time is the charm, at least going to the Hospital might be a lot better for you, (less mistakes ya know) I hate fasting, and if i don't eat for more than 12 hours, I get real dizzy & sick 

[sharkdiver]

Fasting twice in a row?  no way, I become a grumpy bear and not much fun to be around.  What I hate just as much as when the doctor says to fast and when you go for the draw he put in the wrong order and you actually didn't have to.   GRRRRRRR!  (that just happened to me)

[Miss Philicia]

I have to take food with my HIV meds every 12 hours.  Can't fast.

[aztecan]

Well, this time it went much more smoothly.

I fasted again, but this time 14 hours. I think I am getting used to it.

The young woman at the hospital was very careful to find a good vein - in the usual location - once I explained why I was having labs drawn on a Saturday morning.

Actually, she did too well. The stick was painless, the tube filled in nothing flat, but then we couldn't get it to stop.

She finally had to apply a pressure bandage, then wrap it with that blue clingy stuff that sticks to itself but not the hair of your arm (we like it, our arms are somewhat furry and tape is unpleasant for us.)

But, its done for now.

I did have to laugh though. Both of the phlebotomists shied away from my left arm, preferring to stick the right one. I had three spots frozen by the dermatologist this week and that arm looks rather unpleasant at the moment.

But the looks on their faces when they saw it was priceless.

HUGS,

Mark

[Jeff G]

I'm glad you got through it again , it kind of reminded me of the time before I was on statins when I had to fast and go to the lab thing multiple times because there was to much fat in my blood to spin it down . They finally gave up and just went straight to treatment for my lipids .   

[BT65]

I love the blue clingy stuff.  I have an allergy to paper tape, and also think the blue stuff looks sooo fasionable.

[bear60]

Kurt is a bleeder too, Mark.  Its the blood thinners he takes etc etc.
Good that you are determined and didnt let it slip by.