Blood work

So, I had to get more blood work done this morning. I went yesterday to get the results from last week (all normal) and the doctor ordered a gluten anti-bodies test. When I tried to get an appointment for this morning, I was told I would have to wait until Monday, but could show up on Friday and beg. Blood work is only done between eight and nine in the morning, so I fasted and woke up at 7:30 to walk to the Health Center in the DARK.

When I got there a few minutes before 8am, there were approximately 20 people clustered outside the door. It was pretty chilly and most of the people were in their 70s or older. At 8:05, when the bozos behind the counter finally came and opened the door for us, everyone rushed in and immediately started grabbing deli-numbers to make appointments to see doctors. Another sector of the crowd rushed the nurses station (I was in this group). Every got as close as possible to the door. Inside a woman handed out pre-marked cups with tube in them, which people then took to the blood room where four stations were set up. Most people had appointments, which I found out are given by the minute. The Spanish like to think they're organized, so people were trying to line up by time. For a while all I heard was, "I have 8:08." "Well I have 8:09, so I'll go behind you." "I'm going to stand here because I have 8:31." "Who has 8:16 because I have 8:17." "I have 8:03," (looks at watch, it's already 8:11). "They passed my time," (shoves people out of the way), "I'm first."

I, of course, was told I would have to wait until all the people with assigned times had gotten their cups. At about 8:40 I was able to get to the door and explain to the woman why I was there and that the people at the deli-counter appointment desk told me to come. She was NOT happy. She told me that they were only supposed to do 60 blood tests per day and I was an additional person....blah blah blah. I explained that for my test, I had to be eating gluten and if I had to go the entire weekend eating gluten, I was going to be miserable. As a Spanish state employee, she didn't give a shit. She gave me a cup with a tube and a set of barcodes identifying the blood as mine and told me to go get in the other line for the blood to be drawn. Another man didn't have an appointment and he got the same speech.

I was out of there by 8:52 and at school on time. Lourdes, whom I love and who worries about everything, told me to go home and rest. Having blood drawn is taxing on your body and rest is necessary. I just laughed and told her I would eat instead. I'm a blood-work pro: I went prepared with rice cakes, a banana and orange juice, which I don't usually drink, but I find that getting sugar into my body after blood work keeps me from getting dizzy.