The Phlebotomist's Revenge

Finally, I'm getting around to this.  I've been, um... inconvenienced.  Still am, really.  Using a series of borrowed computers to get this post up.  I won't be as prolific here this week, for sure. 

Some of you are relieved, I know.  

 

I came back Saturday night from my trip to the doctor, and was getting set to upload pictures to have a little show and tell with you... when my Mac's hard drive crashes.  Aaaah!  

Yuk.  I don't want to think about it.  Let's go to a movie or something.  Emma Thompson & Dustin Hoffman?  Not bad.

 

But join me, will you, kids, in a salute to backup?  All is safe.  :)  And I was still within warranty - by one whole day.  Really, one day left.  

Whew!  So all it is, really, is just a pain in the posterior to have the computer in the shop at the Apple store until Saturday.  

 

A real pain.  Not unlike the pain in my hands and arms from falling prey to the night shift at the lab!  I think the technicians on duty after 9PM are a bit lower on the food chain in the bloodletting biz. ("Phlebotomy apprentice, junior grade, reporting for duty, sir!") 

 

I also think they see the rare patient unwarily entering their lair as a perfect subject for practicing their dark arts, all in alignment with their motto: "Try it!  If you guess wrong, you can always apologize later!"  You know, I always try to tell them what works and what doesn't on me, but they never listen.  "Mind if I just try it here?"  Well, go ahead.  It won't be the last mistake you'll make, either, I'm sure.

 

Let's see, here's the final tally:  6 vials (one tossed, five filled), three punctures, two blown veins, one nicked nerve, three needles, one syringe (finally figured out it would help to suction the blood before another collapse ensued), three sets of bandages, two technicians, multiple apologies and untold alcohol swabs. 

It's a good thing that I wasn't taking my usual baby aspirin (laid off for knee surgery and post-op recovery), or I'd have black and blue arms and hands, too.  Jeepers!  On the way out, I grabbed some unsuspecting janitors to snap this pic for my potential malpractice suit.  ;)  (Just kidding, of course.)  They thought it was kinda funny, though.   Hahahahaha.  Yeah.

 

I'm telling you - tattoo needles are less torture than this is.  But I suppose in the end, I had the revenge, as it was worth all this confrontation of my needlephobia to get the results that I got.

Woohoo!  After 7 months of being off the cholesterol meds, the diabetes meds and the blood pressure meds, all readings are well within normal ranges.  

Yay!  Down from 5 prescriptions to 2, hopefully for good.  :)

 

So a little celebrating was in order.  Wish it could've been with someone... but so it goes.  I just pretended it was. 

 

Headed first to the working-class south side, where you can get great ethnic food at low prices. 

Had a late lunch at this funky little place on KK in Bay View - Cafe' Centraal (a Dutch theme). 

I had recently "stumbled upon" their website, and ... yummy.  Quiche Lorraine and split pea soup.  mmm.  And a cool neighborhood.  Sort of what Brady Street used to be before it got über-hip.

 

Before I left the area, though, I stuck my head in a comic book store nearby the cafe, on the off chance I could see a copy of the new Spiderman comic with Obama in it.  "All sold out within the first hour", the guy said. 

 

Yeah, I figured as much.  So I head to my car, and as I'm getting in the clerk comes running out yelling "Sir!, Sir!  Wait!"  What?  "I found a copy the owner read and brought back in."  Oh yeah?  Cool.  Perfect shape, too.  Thanks, buddy.  I'll credit you on my blog. Nice souvenir of the pre-inaugural weekend.  Dumb story, but.. cool illustrations.

Then north to the East Side for a movie: "Slumdog Millionaire" at the Downer.  Nice.  And definitely Oscar material, like they're saying.

And coincidentally a sister restaurant to Cafe Centraal, Cafe Hollander, is kitty-corner from the theatre.  The same people own both, apparently, along with the Trocadero (parisian).  Very Euro.

All this from the manager at Cafe Centraal who elaborated for this "tourist" from Minnesota on the key differences between the East Side neighborhoods, River West & Brady Street, the Third Ward, and the resurgent Bay View ("the new east side", he says.)  I played along.

 

Of all the old neighborhoods, I think I still like 'Tosa best, though, thanks.  I'm partial to the area between State St. and Lisbon, west of Hawley Rd to about, oh.. Menomonee River Parkway or so.  Such beauty in there.  Certain parts are just breathtaking.  :)

 

Then off to Cousins' subs for the best philly cheesesteak this side of the Allegheny (a double, of course.)  A little less cosmopolitan, but no less great.

 

Then back to the room to read a little church history for HS501.  That, plus the Spidey comic, a little Dr. McGillicudy's and a TV movie helped keep me from staring at the cell phone all night, wondering if it would ring. 

 

Finally by morning I was ready to go home, only to find that the atmosphere had definitely warmed up a bit!  Aww... a nice little sendoff as I headed out.  No chill in the air anymore.  :)

So, bye for now...

 

Snowed most of the way home, but not enough to bother the drive.  And I had some CDs along to pass the time.  Review of a few of them (incl. Weezer & Adele) to follow soon...

 

So, in sum, the trip wasn't everything I had hoped it might be, no, but... I'm all right, I guess.  :)  Good, in fact. 

 

Yeah.  I'm good.