vampires

OK, so if you know me, you know I have the family disease: hemochromatosis. (If you don't know what that is - read this) So, I am currently on a treatment of once monthly phlebotomies and a doctor's visit every 3 months. My doctor is pretty aggressive and my ferritin is below 50 now like he wants it, but he uses the hemoglobin count for my red light-green light number for phlebotomy. Anything over 12, I do it. Yesterday I was 12.9. I think maybe... just maybe... next month I might get a "get out of vampires free" pass and be below 12! And if my severe exhaustion today is any sign, I am dancing with anemia already. Ugh. Last time this happened, years ago, it was like I hit a brick wall. One day fine, the next day I literally couldn't walk up a flight of stairs.

Anyway, I go to the cancer center for phlebotomies and I like the nurses there. It's a hard place to explain if you haven't been in one before. There is a sign hanging in the nurses station that reads "with hope, all things are possible". You see a mix of ages, but most of the patients are elderly. And they look tired. They lack color in their skin if that is how to explain it. But, most have a sparkle in their eyes that overshadows the greyness of their complexion. Once you make eye contact, they smile big, broad, tired smiles. Most are alone in the chairs, sometimes a spouse is with them. One time I was there at 7:30am and I watched one lady (maybe 50 years old, if that) tell the man I assume was her husband, "I'll be here about 8 hours today. See you this afternoon." Guess that is why all the chairs are recliners. They keep the room temperature at about 42*, I think! 99% of the patients are covered with blankets and the nurses even have a warmer and will bring you a heated blanket if you need it.

Usually, the nurse will approach me and say, "You're here for a phlebotomy?" and I try to answer as loudly and clearly as I can, "Yes, I'm an easy one for you." so the other patients know I am healthy. Before the true eye contact and smiling (and occasional chit chat between me and the patients) I often see people looking at me with pity. I know they are trying to figure out my age. I don't belong there. I'm not saying I am the youngest one I see there, though. If you are there at the very end of the day, you sometimes hear the nurses talking together and reading over obituaries. In talking with them myself, I have learned several of these nurses have been in oncology for 25-30 years.

But, this post is not supposed to be about the atmosphere of an oncology department. It was intended to be a vent about the lab nurse! For a phlebotomy, my doctor makes them check my "H&H" (hemoglobin and hematacrit) through a blood vial draw. The needles they use for this are tiny ones. (The phlebotomy needles look like a straw!) But, this one nurse can't get blood out of me to save her life. Last month, I ended up with 3 holes in my arms before she went and got another nurse. This time, she tried once - left a bruise under the skin - and went for another nurse. I have not had any trouble with any of the phlebotomy nurses. I have actually come to dread the foolish blood test much more than the whole bag full. And, yes, I have asked why they can't do a finger stick only - and they think I am nuts for asking. I asked this Bloodless Nurse yesterday - even saying to her, "At Red Cross they only do a finger stick." and she claimed Red Cross is only checking for blood type and they don't check iron levels. I know that is not true. They wouldn't take blood from an anemic person. A friend of Lew's gets rejected at the work blood drives because she "fails" this finger stick test. But, the nurse wasn't listening to me. Another strike against her... she's out of it. At least she is only in the lab area and not out on the floor!

Next month, I scheduled my treatment for the week she told me she is on vacation!