Guinea Pig
January 24th 2007 01:28
One of the advantages of not working in the daytime is that you can do some things you'd never have time to do normally. I offered to be a volunteer 'guinea pig' in a study the local hospital is doing on genes relating to heart attacks and such. I only go in for studies that don't require a lot of extra work on my part, I'm afraid, not the kind that require to change your diet for six weeks or somesuch.
This one required only two blood pressure tests, one at the usual place on the arm, and the other on the ankle. They should have been similar, but the ankle one was a bit higher.
It also required some ultra-sound work, on both sides of my neck and on my stomach. Quite intriguing to hear your heart pumping away, and to see the huge gulps of blood leaping up through the artery. Last year I had the chance to see my heart at work in an ultra sound scan. It was much bigger than I expected, and boy, does it work! At least I know it is working.
I also had to have a blood test yesterday and this was a slight issue, as I also had to have one for my doctor, a regular one that looks at cholesterol and the state of the prostate. Since I had to fast for both these blood tests I thought I might as well get them both over in one go, and fast only once. (I've really gone off fasting as I've got older. Must be leading a much less disciplined life; or eating too much.)
At the blood test place the girl rejected my right arm saying she couldn't find a vein there. I thought, that's great, they'll have to take both blood tests in one arm (!). The other side was okay, so I got my first sticking plaster of the day.
After I'd done the scan and blood pressure things and so forth at the hospital, and answered the questionaire, I was sent downstairs to the hospital's blood people (they're called phlebologists, by the way). I told the woman about the other phlebologist having trouble finding a vein. She gave me one look and said, 'I won't have any trouble.' And didn't.
Seemingly in the States phlebologists are doctors. Here, they seem to be nurses.
This one required only two blood pressure tests, one at the usual place on the arm, and the other on the ankle. They should have been similar, but the ankle one was a bit higher.
It also required some ultra-sound work, on both sides of my neck and on my stomach. Quite intriguing to hear your heart pumping away, and to see the huge gulps of blood leaping up through the artery. Last year I had the chance to see my heart at work in an ultra sound scan. It was much bigger than I expected, and boy, does it work! At least I know it is working.
I also had to have a blood test yesterday and this was a slight issue, as I also had to have one for my doctor, a regular one that looks at cholesterol and the state of the prostate. Since I had to fast for both these blood tests I thought I might as well get them both over in one go, and fast only once. (I've really gone off fasting as I've got older. Must be leading a much less disciplined life; or eating too much.)
At the blood test place the girl rejected my right arm saying she couldn't find a vein there. I thought, that's great, they'll have to take both blood tests in one arm (!). The other side was okay, so I got my first sticking plaster of the day.
After I'd done the scan and blood pressure things and so forth at the hospital, and answered the questionaire, I was sent downstairs to the hospital's blood people (they're called phlebologists, by the way). I told the woman about the other phlebologist having trouble finding a vein. She gave me one look and said, 'I won't have any trouble.' And didn't.
Seemingly in the States phlebologists are doctors. Here, they seem to be nurses.
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