Yesterday I broke up with my walk in lab place. I had been there 2 weeks ago, with multiple orders for multiple doctors, and the tech was overwhelmed and rude about it.
I did try to give them one more go, since the location* is one I pass more than once a day, but as luck would have it, I got the same tech and he got my name wrong**, so I walked.
This morning I had errands in another direction, so I decided to try the lab at a local hospital. I arrived to find no wait and a tech who, once figuring out that my insurance was good, told me:
"Go on back, choose any chair, but the green one is the most comfortable."
So I sat in the green chair and she said:
"I'll be back in a minute, I need to find the tin foil."
Now, I have had enough blood pulled from my veins in the past 9 years to fill an Olympic sized pool, and never has there been tin foil in the equation.
She went on to explain that the sample needed to be shielded from light and then she handed me the tin foil to sort of tent over the crook of my arm. Really, normally I just look away and try not to think about it all.
When she/we were done, the little tubes looked like little baked potatoes***.
It was odd and when I shared this tale with our Cookie, she laughed and laughed and invoked vampires, opium dens and tin foil hats.
I thought I was the champion of medically interesting, but I guess it can always get weirder.
At home, my internet query showed that some blood samples need the baked potato treatment and I guess I'm just glad that I ended up switching labs before it came to this.
If you are wondering, the blood work is needed to check my calcium levels. I've been high-normal for awhile, but have started testing high-high. The situation has my PCP and my beloved Endocrinologist talking about me behind my back, so I'd like to see it worked out soon.
The past week was busy, busy, busy. We managed to get away on Sunday to see Connor in his college production of Noises Off. He was so good! Very funny and charming and silly. He is back for a few days next month, then off to Europe, then home for two weeks and then back to school for an eight week Summer Internship that has something to do with statistics.
Griffin is also busy, busy getting ready for the Spring Rowing season and planning his first college visits for the April break.
We also had some sad news, my late FIL's older sister died on Sunday, just about a year after her husband died. Our St Pats weekend will include another very Irish funeral.
And getting back to the wacky, over last weekend, these things were found stuffed in our mailbox with no explanation:
Size 18 month baby clothes? And the one on the right has a gray rosette on it? I have no idea and no one has come looking for them, so I guess they will be donated.
And in not weird news, I have new socks:
They are version 2 of the GooseGirl Socks, knit by Cookie from (I think) a skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn. They are perfect, just the length of cuff I like, she is so clever with the cables!
*Grand Island does not have a lab within it's shores.
** Joan is not JoAnn, they are two different names and I am not a JoAnn, I am a Joan and in some parts of the family, I am Joany, but that is it.
***I haven't had a baked potato in ages and now I think I might need to eat one.
Sounds like you've found a good lab and lab tech too.
Cute baby clothes but what the heck why?
Very nice cabley socks. Cookie has done it again!
xoxo
Posted by: Marilyn | March 13, 2013 at 05:29 PM
Noises Off! is hilarious! A number of years ago Younger Son was a stagehand at local professional theater; the village library happened to be in the lower level of the historic building. I was doing some free-lance catalog cleanup for the library consortium and arranged to use the connection in that library. I would drive YS to the theater and do my work during the play and we would drive home together. At one point every night there would be a deafening stampede above my head -- that ONE scene in the play where everyone is running around like made. When I finally saw Noises Off!, I understood what I had been hearing for weeks.
Great socks! (Of course; Our Cookie is good like that.)
Posted by: kmkat | March 13, 2013 at 06:07 PM
Seeing the similar tags visible on some items, my theory about the baby clothes is that they were shoplifted and the thief made a sudden decision to dump them, possibly due to fear of detection or remorse.
Lovely socks!
Posted by: Karen | March 13, 2013 at 06:39 PM
Ugh. I hate that. People can't figure out why I get worked up about Ann vs. Anne. *Because Ann is. not. my. NAME!*
Nice cables!
Posted by: Anne | March 13, 2013 at 10:15 PM
I DARE you to eat a baked potato! With butter lamb and everything!
Posted by: Cookie | March 13, 2013 at 11:40 PM
Karen's explanation makes sense, but I was thinking more about a parting gift from the Chumbuckets. Oh no wait, the clothes aren't ugly...
Posted by: (Not that) Joan | March 14, 2013 at 04:00 AM
I'm guessing someone found the clothes for a friend, dropped them off in the wrong mailbox, and is now wondering why they haven't heard a thank you. Some people are so rude! (The rosette on the shirt is in this year for the baby/toddler/preschooler set. I am not fond of the look, myself, but it's EVERYWHERE.)
Mmmmmm, baked potatoes.
Posted by: Ruth | March 14, 2013 at 07:12 AM
It's a good thing to feel comfortable with the folks who are sticking you with a needle and taking your blood.
Cookie makes such beautiful socks! You have lucky feet.
Posted by: donna lee | March 14, 2013 at 08:43 AM
I'm glad you found a good lab. It's *very* important to have someone who knows what they are doing, but also important that you feel comfortable with them--like that they know your name and how to handle the samples. The rude tech could just be having a bad day, but why chance it? This one seems so much better.
Posted by: Orli | March 14, 2013 at 11:07 AM
You just get all kinds of weirdness, don't you? Maybe you need to wear the tin foil on your head. LOL.
I love "Noises Off". Very cute play.
Wonderful socks!
Posted by: Cheryl S. | March 14, 2013 at 12:30 PM
Sounds like the lab change was good on most counts. Baby clothes? Bet it was a kid that did it on a dare and then lost their nerve, or not. Love your new socks. And, exactly how do you keep track of those boys of yours?
Posted by: CindyCindy | March 14, 2013 at 02:00 PM
Oooh, secret baby! Or secret toddler.
Weird about the tinfoil. I learn something new every day.
Pretty cabled socks!
Posted by: Carrie#K | March 14, 2013 at 03:02 PM
Well blood protected from light does envoke some interesting story lines! I get you on the Joanne is not Joan. I use the Joan/Joanne comparison when trying to have people NOT call me SUSAN. It is not Susanne and my name is Susanne! Enjoy that baked potato, you deserve it with lots of butter and some green onions for garnish.
Posted by: Susanne | March 15, 2013 at 10:23 AM
Oh Joan!!! I am soooo with you about the name thing! I DETEST being called Joanne - as you said.. that is not my name!! I have discovered (being in Canada) that it is sometimes a French thing with the "oa" sounding as a long "o". (to further complicate things - my middle name is Ann!!) Anyway - good luck with the new lab - you may have found a good one!
Posted by: Joan | March 18, 2013 at 02:23 PM