Friday the 13th

I took a personal day to go to the doctor and dentist and to get the oil changed in my car. The visit to the doctor's office was a bit traumatic. I was there a little early for my 9:45 appointment and ended up waiting for nearly an hour. Thank goodness I had brought my latest library book. Finally I was called back, had my exam, and was told they needed two vials of blood. A simple request, right? Not so much.

I warned the doctor and nurse that I am a fainter and that it would be best for all involved if I laid down. The nurse put the tournequet on my left arm, and tapped-tapped-tapped, frowned, and moved on to my right arm. This one seemed a bit more to her liking, and she inserted the needle and waited for the vial to fill. And waited. And waited. Minutes later, I had barely filled one vial and was feeling a bit woozy. The nurse seemed frustrated and got a colleague to see if she had better luck.

The second nurse was young, outgoing, and six months pregnant with her first child. She took a look at the inside of both arms then decided the back of my hand would be a better bet. By then, I was feeling like a pincushion, and becoming a bit tearful. But she was patient in waiting for that second vial of blood, and she sat with me while I ate a granola bar (those emergency snacks come in handy), sipped at a bottle of water, and got some color back in my face.

By then--thankfully!--I had missed my dentist appointment.

On the way out of the building, I started dialing. Matt didn't answer his phone, my mother was at lunch, and I was on the verge of real tears. I went to the library, then home to have some lunch, then to get my oil changed. Back home, I poked in the garden, finished the book I had started this morning, and have been bored for the past several hours.

One good thing is that Matt arranged for an earlier flight: tonight instead of tomorrow morning. I'm in need of that first hug!