So I went to the doctor at 9AM yesterday, and apparently the nice, wonderful lady that did the blood draws no longer works there.
Normally I wouldn't mind so much, though I am a notoriously difficult bleeder and she was pretty good at getting me to.. but oh well right?
Not so much.
When I got there, the new woman was pretty brusque with me. She looked at me and told me "I need a urine sample. The bathroom is (directions), there's sample cups and everything you need in there, leave the cup on the counter outside when you're done"
I was very
, because when she had called me on Friday to remind me of my appt and reminded me to fast for 12 hours and take my medicine like normal, there was no mention of urine sample needed..
Due to the dehydrating nature of my medicine, I drink water/powerade all day, and still pee four times a day, MAX. Of course, when I rolled out of bed, I went to the bathroom like I'm sure most people do.. and there was no WAY I would have to go again until at least lunch time. I started telling the woman this, and I got to "Well I don't really have to GO right now..." and she interrupted like "Oh that's okay let's just do the blood draw for now"
I sat in the chair and she looked at my veins, didn't poke them or move my arm, just looked, and declared she was pulling from the back of my hand.
Okay.. I guess less pokes is better..
Then she has me ball my hand in a fist, which is normal for me.. and then she has me press my second knuckles against the padded table, HARD, and it's quite uncomfortable, both painful for my knuckles and my arm for the awkward way I am holding it.. I try and rest my arm/hand on the table while she digs around in her little kit for the gauze, the sharp, the vials, put her gloves on.. and she snaps "Leave your hand like this!" moving my arm and hand back to its painful pressing position.
I am forced to hold this pose the entire time she preps, sticks, and while she's filling all four vials.
She grabs some gauze and presses it lightly on the spot the needle is and I flinch, because it feels like maybe the gauze caught on the little butterfly wings on the sharp and the needle wiggled or something, and it hurt. She looks at me like
I didn't even DO ANYTHING yet! Gee!"
I said "I know, but it hurt when"
Her (interrupting) "Never in 25 years of practice has ANYONE said the GAUZE HURT!"
I'm beyond irritated now, and I am holding my tongue, wanting to say "Never in my 12 years of regular blood draws while they try and figure out what's wrong with me have I had to hold this stupid painful STUPID pose!"
So now I'm applying pressure to the stick spot with the gauze of pain.
She asks if I want a band-aid, and I lift the gauze a bit and discover I'm not bleeding and say no thanks. She hands me one anyway
so I just leave it on the table when I get up.
She goes "Okay so just go in the waiting room and when you have to urinate, come in and use the sample cup k?" and wanders off with my chart and blood.
I go up to the lovely receptionist lady and...
You see when I'm upset, angry even, I tend to cry. I hate this about myself, but it succeeds in convincing the woman that I am not by any means staying here until I have to pee. The woman that drew my blood comes up in the middle of all of this and goes "WHY is she CRYING?" like she's annoyed. The receptionist sighs a bit, and says "Miss Setsu is going to go home, call us when she's on her way, and come in when she needs to go again to fill a sample." She then makes a gentle shooing motion at me
and I walk out through the waiting room like all of these people aren't staring at the crying woman.
I did fully intend to go back yesterday, but when I finally had to go again, when I called there was a message that they were out to lunch until 2:30.. and it was 1:10.. I was NOT capable of holding it that long.. so forget it. Cause by the time I would have to go again, they'd be closed.
And yes, I really am considering making the switch because of this woman. I have these tests every 2 or 3 months, depending on how the doc feels about my last results, and I am NOT willing to deal with this woman so much.
Normally I wouldn't mind so much, though I am a notoriously difficult bleeder and she was pretty good at getting me to.. but oh well right?
Not so much.
When I got there, the new woman was pretty brusque with me. She looked at me and told me "I need a urine sample. The bathroom is (directions), there's sample cups and everything you need in there, leave the cup on the counter outside when you're done"
I was very
, because when she had called me on Friday to remind me of my appt and reminded me to fast for 12 hours and take my medicine like normal, there was no mention of urine sample needed.. Due to the dehydrating nature of my medicine, I drink water/powerade all day, and still pee four times a day, MAX. Of course, when I rolled out of bed, I went to the bathroom like I'm sure most people do.. and there was no WAY I would have to go again until at least lunch time. I started telling the woman this, and I got to "Well I don't really have to GO right now..." and she interrupted like "Oh that's okay let's just do the blood draw for now"
I sat in the chair and she looked at my veins, didn't poke them or move my arm, just looked, and declared she was pulling from the back of my hand.

Okay.. I guess less pokes is better.. Then she has me ball my hand in a fist, which is normal for me.. and then she has me press my second knuckles against the padded table, HARD, and it's quite uncomfortable, both painful for my knuckles and my arm for the awkward way I am holding it.. I try and rest my arm/hand on the table while she digs around in her little kit for the gauze, the sharp, the vials, put her gloves on.. and she snaps "Leave your hand like this!" moving my arm and hand back to its painful pressing position.
I am forced to hold this pose the entire time she preps, sticks, and while she's filling all four vials. She grabs some gauze and presses it lightly on the spot the needle is and I flinch, because it feels like maybe the gauze caught on the little butterfly wings on the sharp and the needle wiggled or something, and it hurt. She looks at me like
I didn't even DO ANYTHING yet! Gee!" I said "I know, but it hurt when"
Her (interrupting) "Never in 25 years of practice has ANYONE said the GAUZE HURT!"
I'm beyond irritated now, and I am holding my tongue, wanting to say "Never in my 12 years of regular blood draws while they try and figure out what's wrong with me have I had to hold this stupid painful STUPID pose!"
So now I'm applying pressure to the stick spot with the gauze of pain.
She asks if I want a band-aid, and I lift the gauze a bit and discover I'm not bleeding and say no thanks. She hands me one anyway
so I just leave it on the table when I get up. She goes "Okay so just go in the waiting room and when you have to urinate, come in and use the sample cup k?" and wanders off with my chart and blood.
I go up to the lovely receptionist lady and...
You see when I'm upset, angry even, I tend to cry. I hate this about myself, but it succeeds in convincing the woman that I am not by any means staying here until I have to pee. The woman that drew my blood comes up in the middle of all of this and goes "WHY is she CRYING?" like she's annoyed. The receptionist sighs a bit, and says "Miss Setsu is going to go home, call us when she's on her way, and come in when she needs to go again to fill a sample." She then makes a gentle shooing motion at me
and I walk out through the waiting room like all of these people aren't staring at the crying woman.I did fully intend to go back yesterday, but when I finally had to go again, when I called there was a message that they were out to lunch until 2:30.. and it was 1:10.. I was NOT capable of holding it that long.. so forget it. Cause by the time I would have to go again, they'd be closed.
And yes, I really am considering making the switch because of this woman. I have these tests every 2 or 3 months, depending on how the doc feels about my last results, and I am NOT willing to deal with this woman so much.


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