Today I had the blood test I have waited 3 months for. My white blood cell count was extremely low in July, and I was told to be retested today. I had to be there at 9 am. As is my wont lately, I was up until at least 2 am, and Molly got me up at 6:30 so she could do something disgusting outside that involved eating grass and took forever. I went back to sleep and woke up at 8:40. Oops. The doctor's office is almost half an hour away. Luckily I have had to do this enough times that I know they block off time on some mornings for bloodsucking. Luckily? Anyway, I was there by 9:20, and waited until 10 to be seen.
While sucking out my blood the tech told me that she never went to school to learn the technique. She was formerly a veterinary tech, and when she applied at a hospital they decided that if she could do animals she could do humans. Works for me. She did a great job. She told me that one reason my blood is difficult to draw is that my vein branches. OK, so now I have to remember to tell techs that not only do my veins roll, but they branch unexpectedly, too. That seems to explain why sometimes they stick that needle in with great confidence and then have to dig around. It was a good story, and she stuck to it.
She also gave me a hot tip on a flu shot. Normally I can just go to the health department and pay $3 or to my doctor's office and pay $10 for a flu shot. Not this year. Now the sources of flu shots are few and far between. She sent me to a medical clinic that was not screening out people for any factors other than having $25 on them. I paid. I paid because I don't know if my immune system is compromised or not, or how badly, if it is. Had she been able to give me the results of my blood tests today, I could have maybe skipped the shot if I am not in a high risk category. But since I don't know, I went, paid, got stuck again.
The tech/nurse/whatever went to stick me with the flu shot and commented that I already had a bruise there, so would I like the shot in the other arm? I still have a large bruise from the pain shot from the surgery almost 2 weeks ago. I sighed, bared the other arm, got stuck, and went in search of a donut. I always have a donut after a fasting blood test.
If I don't "pass" the blood tests, I wonder what reward I can give myself for enduring bone marrow tests?
10 comments:
geez, and I don't like the letter s either, apparently.
Psshat!
Oh girl, I do not like needle...ugh.
You better pass those damn blood tests!
I hope you do.....
XOXOX
E
owie...needles, i don't like 'em, but it seems that if i watch the needle go in, it doesn't hurt as bad!
i hope that everything turns out good and you don't have to have any bone marrow stuff done...prayers your way!!
hugs,
kathi
Just drink bourbon, it cleanses the blood!
Be good Sugar Pie!
Ohhhhhh, I am weak after reading this. I need sugar and a puppy. I guess I will have to settle for toothpaste and a older dog who is passing gas right now. I "takes" what I can "gets" Anne
This worries me. The first indication the doc had that I have lupus was the leukopenia - an abnormally low white cell count. Did you know if they checked your blood for heavy metals?
Take care of yourself, gal - you're one of my heroines!-Davida
Spinal taps always call for an all-nighter at your favorite pub to replace that valuable Jose Cuervo you lose in the tapping. Can't feel the bruises later either. I'll show you how to pee in the alley.
Suzy, I was hoping your count would come back up to normal. I hope it did! You are in my thoughts!
Best wishes,
Debi
sending hugs your way, sweetie...lots of them...
glad this person was able to draw blood on you easily - most veins roll and all veins branch - what happens to a lot of people who are "hard sticks" is that the veins are supersensitive and spasm easily and so clamp down on the needle
lots of things can cause leukopenia - medications, radiation exposure, underlying diseases, blood dyscreasias, even viral infections -
i had sever leukopenia too years ago for some unknown reason (<1000/uL) - in the end, my counts came up on their own and the hematologist throught it might have been from a viral infection -
i hope your results are back in the normal range now, and you can avoid the bone marrow tests suzy -
you're not gluten intolerant are you? (celiac dx)
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