I Found an Angel on my Path

I didn't faint! Yippee! Get this... I didn't even CRY! Woo hoo! Can you IMAGINE?! I wasn't reduced to a quivering blob of a heap on the floor! And that, my friends, is a MAJOR accomplishment. I mean MAJOR!!!!! Seriously. You think I jest? Not at all.

Let me set the stage. I took my Lorazepam at 2:30 p.m. (2 mgs) and by 3 p.m. I met my hubby who came to pick me up at my office. We went to Apple.Tree Medical Centre on Bank Street and hubby took my health card and the requisition slip in to the phlebotomist. I sat down and for a few moments I relaxed to the sounds of my favorite "mellow" music on my MP3 player. I wasn't there for five minutes when she called me in.

She had me lay on my back to check my right arm. I obliged, and just breathed deeply, eyes closed, as she palpitated for a vein. No luck. I sat up and she turned me to lie the other way, so she could check my left arm. Again, deep breathing, music, eyes closed, and squeezing that little foam ball. She found a vein. She swabbed. Twice. Deep breath and STICK! She got it first try. Breathing deeply, I relaxed my arm a little more, stopped torturing the little foam ball and voilà. Done. One vial today. (Thank goodness! They're only checking FSH, LH and Estradiol.)

Let me tell you, this woman is a Godsend. I guarantee, she is an angel whom I am very lucky to have found. And I don't want to let her go. She was sweet and kind. When it was done, and I sat up and took off my MP3 player, I said to her, "I know you don't like to see people like me coming into your office, but I am very glad that you are as patient and as kind as you are. You understand what it's like for me, and if it's okay with you, I'll come back here for my CD23 work as well. Now that I've found someone as good as you, I don't want to let you go. Is that okay?" She laughed and smiled, blushing. She gave me her name and the phone number to the lab, as well as her schedule.

We headed home and me, being rather drowsy from the effects of the Lorazepam, I climbed into bed to sleep most of it off. I'm sure I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. I surfaced again around 7 p.m., somewhat more lucid. And very glad to have it all done.

I will go back to her on March 26th for CD23 bloodwork. And I will have confidence in her, even though I'll still be twinged with a little fear. This month we are not doing a dIUI because I just want the base bloodwork without any medication in my system. That will give me a better indication of whether we are working with a possible thyroid problem, high glucose levels, immunity disorders, etc. So no meds, and no dIUI until April. But this blood work is a very, very good place to start.

Anees is an angel. I am convinced. Kudos to her and to all phlebotomists who listen to their patients.