I wasn't sure whether to beam with pride or recoil awkwardly at the doctor's comment. He must have picked up my conflicting vibes 'cos he followed up quickly with, "It's nothing to worry about. Doesn't look like strep or anything. They just look...'generous'!" What an odd use of that adjective. He laughed heartily to himself, then proceeded to intently tomahawk my knee with a reflex hammer.
Just one of the several "interesting" characters I encountered during my work-related medical monitoring exam today.
Then there was my assigned Newbie Nurse, who felt compelled to leave me for 15 minutes before each test to confer with a more experienced counterpart, returning each time with the well-rehearsed line, "So sorry for the long wait." (The first time he said it, I smiled and shrugged. After the fifth time,...sorry, dude; you get a blank stare.)
And I can't forget Vein-Hunting Nurses #1, #2, and #3, who each took turns rubbing, slapping, tourniqueting, and stabbing various parts of my arm and hand, while I continually clenched and relaxed my fist. I've always known my veins are hard to find, but this was by far the most enduring expedition. Then just moments before I let a tear sneak out -- EUREKA! -- Nurse #3 hit gold and was able to collect enough sample to fill the vials. (It's a tough job being a pin cushion.)
Good inspiration for a blog entry, but...those occupational health folks wore me out.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
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2 comments:
Yay, you're writing again. :)
I once had the pleasure of writing about a blood donation that involved a lot of rooting for my vein. (Not in the RAH RAH sense of the word, either.) Good times!
i must say, i have very little faith in the medical profession reading this ;) damn them for torturing you... it's over and now you are one pint lighter - maybe that will offset your generous tonsils :) -a
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