Saturday, February 28, 2009

To Catch Up

I know, it's been a while since I posted anything. I've been exhausted. I've had a sore throat now for two weeks. Technically, two weeks and 3 days, but who's counting? I have had no other symptoms other than being ridiculously tired and weak. I figured I just wasn't getting enough sleep. But after two weeks, I decided I needed to see a doctor.

Before that, though, I had to get through Dylan's first official Kindermusik class (yes, I signed him up). It was adorable. He walked right in and got to the very important business of dancing/hopping/rolling on the floor, etc. Wow! Definitely the right decision to sign him up. They gave us a CD with the music and he has been recreating class ever since, usually several times a day.

On Friday was my doctor appointment. Basically, the official diagnosis is, "I'm not sure what is wrong with you". See why they get paid the big bucks? So, they took a test for strep throat, gave me an antibiotic and reflux medication (in case I have reflux, in spite of having NO symptoms), and then she uttered the two dreaded words... blood test. Maybe I have mono - for the THIRD time. Yes, I have already been through that twice. As soon as she said the words "blood test", I went into super annoyed mode. It never goes well. As soon as I hear the words, I know what is coming. I am at the point of throwing politeness and tact right the heck out the window, so I exclaimed, "Do you have someone really good, because it is really hard to get my blood. I have teeny, tiny veins, and they roll. I NEED someone good!"

In spite of my comment, she sent in the young male medical assistant, who I could just tell was clueless. After explaining things to him, he started "searching for a good vein". After a while I asked, "So, are you pretty good at this?" His, "Uhh..." answer was all I needed to hear. "Okay, listen, you have to get someone else in here who is really, really good at this". He went for back up and she started poking and prodding and slapping my right arm. This went on for a ridiculous amount of time, with clueless guy and her having an entire conversation about my tiny veins. "There was one right here, but where did it go?" There are only so many times a person can slap your arm before you start to think about slapping them back, so I begged, "Could you please try somewhere else?"

She finally found a "good one" in my hand. I absolutely cannot look anywhere in the vicinity of the needle, so I looked at the wall and envisioned myself on an island with the cabana boy massaging my shoulders. That's when I heard her tell clueless guy, "Wow, look how slow this is! It is just dripping out. How much do we need?" Then, she asked me, "Does your blood usually come out really slow?" "Yep, that's just the joy of being me", I explained. After what seemed like an eternity, she stated that she thought that was all we were gonna get.

After all that, the doctor gave me a number for an ear/nose/throat specialist, and told me to make an appointment. You know life isn't going well when you actually hope you have strep throat.

Believe it or not, after all that torture, later that day, a friend came over with her 3 boys for a play date. Four boys under the age of 3 in your home = chaos and a great deal of NOISE, NOISE, NOISE. It was fun, though, and my friend's ability to focus on our conversation in spite of one kid getting in the refrigerator, while another stood on the windowsill, while another screamed the alphabet (did you guess that was mine?), while another screamed bloody murder, was nothing short of extraordinary. Moms truly are amazing, and I am one, so I figure I can handle a sore throat and a little exhaustion.

9 comments:

JCK said...

Oh, Jen...I'm so sorry you've been feeling so yucky. You are a star mom for that cacophony. I'm plugging my ears from here.

I feel for you on the vein thing. My sister faints almost every time.

I hope you don't have mono. I'm going to keep the good thoughts coming your way on that!

There are some strong viruses going around. I've been back and forth with something for over 2 weeks, too. I've been battling it with the homeopathic Zicam nose things, and it fights it off. But, it never entirely goes away... Perhaps we have a cyber virus!:0

Big hugs!

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

I don't do so great on the vein thing either, but my mom is the worse. she has rolling veins and they usually have to go through her hand. I also hate when the technicians sit there and talk about me like I'm a dummy they are testing on instead of a real, live, breathing person -- WHO CAN HEAR EVERYTHING THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ME. Argh!

Quarantine Hobby said...

Oh ugh! Mono again maybe? I hope not. I had it once and that was enough!

Why wouldn't they listen about you having hard veins? Silly to send in someone who isn't very experienced.

The Girls' Mommy said...

I hope you feel better soon!!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I hope you're feeling better soon.

I've never had any problems giving blood, but I once got a nightmare of a phlebotomist in a bloodmobile. Umpteen sticks, a huge bruise and I ended up leaving without donating. I always ask for the most experienced person now.

Burgh Baby said...

Good for you for insisting they get someone who had a clue to draw blood. No point in suffering if there's no reason to suffer.

Hope you're feeling better by now, and that it was just a cold or something simple!

Jennifer S said...

Oh sweets, hope you feel better soon.

I have small veins, too, and they don't show themselves easily. That "uhh" would have prompted a slightly longer (by one letter) word of my own. ;-)

Janet said...

I have the same veins. The OB always made sure my appointments were on the same day as the ONE decent phlebotomist in the place was working.
Hope you're better by now, or at least you have a diagnosis!
We went to a birthday party a couple of weeks ago - six 6-year-old boys, plus my 2 kids. Thank God it wasn't my house.

Sparx said...

Oh hon, what a nightmare. I do sympathise, it's nearly impossible to get blood out of my right arm for some reason but SO many phlebologists insist on ignoring me and having a poke around... I normally look like a drug addict by the time I leave a clinic.

And... four boys under 4 in your flat! I've been there - you get the award!