My Morning

I spent my morning turning this Prometheus test to check my Imuran levels (different from the regular Imuran/azathioprine related blood work that just checks to see if it is killing all your white cells or liver):

Into this:

This required a trip to the hospital lab (the regular lab won't do a Prometheus draw-so it had to get special insurance approval and a special trip to the hospital lab), which required registering in the Emergency Room registration desk, because that is where you go if you don't go between 9 and 12 or 1 and 4). The ER registration girl was grouchy because the NP signed the form not the doc. She also was insanely spacey and kept apologizing for it. Good thing I knew where to sign and what the deal was as far as the paperwork. (HIPPA, Advance Directive (always nice when going for a blood draw) insurance, no I don't have this list of things-well, I do but they aren't why I am here...I didn't confuse her with that.) Then off to find the lab. Hallways-that I swear they move when I am not there. Found the lonely little lab. (tucked in a corner and not where I go for pre-op/pre-procedure lab work) Finally get a lab tech.

Which arm? Well, either but your best bet will be the hand. Hmmm. Let me take a look. I am good at this. Yeah? I let her look. (Why do they ask if they always look all over?)

No left arm. (which would have been a miracle-I am not sure anyone has found a good vein there since 2003) No right arm...except the very bruised looking, still swollen antecubital (a very small but hearty little one that hangs out on the far right side of my inner elbow) that the other lab drew from last week. Huh.

Let's look at those hands. Hmm...let me go get a butterfly. Goes and gets a cart. Prods my vein again. Pokes it. Digs it around. Grimaces. (her not me) Almost gives up. Finally! Blood!

Syringe draws the blood. Drip. Drip. Drip. Thick. Red. But done. Tapes me up. Bye! I will ship this right off to California! Darn, aren't Prometheus tests fun? An extra lab trip. An hour in the early morning at the hospital. Best way to start the day.