Phlebotomy schlebotomy
Saturday, August 5th, 2006I got poked today. So the doctor could test my blood. I don’t fully understand the reason behind it, but I feel super accomplished. And maybe a little faint.
This was the first step towards getting vaccinated against those tropical diseases that we northerners find so troubling. Well, actually, the 3rd step. First, I called the travel hotline of my insurance carrier, where I was transferred to a chatty fellow who told me about driving down to Mexico in a van and partying on deserted beaches. After reminiscing about some girl and telling me what he’d do if he were my age, he took down my itinerary information. This took my whole lunch hour. About 45 minutes later, in my cubicle, I got a call from Anne the travel nurse, who again took my itinerary information and asked me several personal questions that you really don’t want to answer from a cubicle. It is a testament to my powers of obfuscation that I was able to conduct this entire conversation without alerting the office to my travel plans. (I have not yet given my notice, so this is a concern. Don’t tell.) She directed me to the lab, where I was poked. My blood will be tested for things like Hepatitis and Measles. Don’t ask me why. I just do what I’m told. Hopefully, on the 14th, I will receive my actual vaccinations, some antibiotics, anti-malarial drugs, and maybe a lollipop. There was no lollipop today.
Fun fact: the people who take your blood are called phlebotomists. Yes, phlebotomists. This is the funniest blood-related word I know.
-Megan
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