Today I had a follow up visit with Science.
This visit went much better than last week’s, because I was able to be seen right away, plus Robert-the-blood-guy knew exactly where to stick me in order to insure the least possible blood-taking drama.
I also met the doctor who is supervising Science.
Good News: He completely believed me when I told him that I’m experiencing reactive arthritis as a result of this illness. (Which was good for him as well, because I had loudly declared to the Universe at large that if one more person said to me, “Hm, I’ve never heard of arthritis happening as a result of C DIF”, I was going to punch them in the face.)
Bad News: When I asked him how long I could expect the arthritis to last he said, “I don’t really know. You’re the first person I’ve ever seen who had it.” (Important Cross-Referencing Note: See also, Being A Trailblazer, And Why Sometimes It Totally Sucks Ass)
Before I could leave I had to let Science take my vitals, a process which really didn’t go very well last time (as you may recall). So we made it through the temperature taking, and the weighing, and then all we had left was the blood pressure reading.
So Science, who is alleged to be a registered nurse, put the cuff on my arm, pumped it so tight I could no longer feel my fingers, and then put the stethoscope…directly over my heart. And stayed there for like, an Entire. Minute. I have no idea what she was listening to-perhaps the dying moans of my poor, deprived cells as they cried out for oxygen.
Finally she realized that something wasn’t quite right.
“Oh, what am I doing?” she asked, laughing giddily.
“I have no idea,” I replied, counting down the seconds until I would be free from the clutches of Science.
And frankly, I think that’s a question you should have asked yourself a long time ago, like perhaps back during the moment in which you were choosing your future career path.
I am glad that the blood letting went smoothly this time. Sorry about the nurse who didn’t know what she was doing. That is REALLY freaky!!!!!
I once had a nurse put the cuff on me and not pump it up. She couldn’t figure out why things weren’t working. So I kindly said “I think that you are supposed to pump the cuff up!”
Get this….she said “No, thats not it!”
I said that I had to go and vowed never to go to THAT
doc- in- the- box again!!!!
Glad that you made it out alive! 🙂
Verrrry interesting technique taking BP reading. *heh*
1. Induce heart attack/stroke
2. Record Blood Pressure (“0/0, hmmm, is that good?”)
OTOH, it has to beat being stabbed five times in one arm and then four more in the other before the blood sucker strikes a vein…
Let’s see: incompetent blood pressure reading vs. incompetent blood sucker. I’ll take the competent blood sucker and the incompetent BP reader, if I have any choice. I can always take my oen BP, but I’m not real good at clean, easily-healed self blood samplings. (OTOH, self-inflicted free-flowing wounds I can do quite well.)
As to the arthritis: no healing suggestions, but I have found green tea to help alleviate my a-pain w/o nasty side effects. YMMV, of course, and I’d check with a competent physician for interactions with meds, but drinking a few loads of green tea daily is easier on me than pain meds.
“Being A Trailblazer, And Why Sometimes It Totally Sucks Ass)”
:D! You crack me up… I love it that you say sucks ass on your blog, and it has made my heart explode with fondness for ya 😉
Nurse Ratchet/ Science needs a refresher course on how sometimes multi tasking can be harmful LOL!