Needles and Tubes and Popes, Oh My!
Yesterday I spent a good portion of my day at the Mountain View Campus of my health provider. Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Since I am a monument to medical confusion, I've acquired the usual legion of doctors. Yesterday was my usual Coumadin level check and a consult with the Allergy/Immunology Department.
( For new friend;, everyone else can skip this )
My Coumadin level was a bit low, and the NP green-lighted my plan to get a bike and start riding. She also told me that if I got more active I should avoid greens like spinach or broccoli, and drink consistent levels of beer.
Finally! Medical advice I can take!
After that I had a considerable break between appointments. To kill time, I went to a nearby Round Table Pizza for lunch. They do a lunch buffet that is both good and affordable, even if I don't do salads. Sat down with my food to watch the events at the Vatican. I was far from the only one who gravitated to this particular TV to watch events unfold.. until one of the workers tried to change the channel to a pointless basketball game. Seriously, 3/4s of the people in the restaurant were watching papal coverage while eating. After a general outcry, we got to watch Pope Francis emerge.
Having had my fill of pizza and popes, I went back for my second appointment. The problem with referrals from other physicians is that I rarely remember the details of the referral, and depend on the first doctor to tell the second doctor why I'm there. In this case, that didn't really happen. After a lot of questions and file searching, the doctor decided to go ahead and have me do a broad-spectrum allergy test.
Ever have this done? It involves have about 32 needles jabbed into your back to see if you have a reaction to anything. It wasn't so much that the needles hurt, no the problem is I'm incredibly ticklish. I survived, and the test came up a big fat goose egg. I'm not actually allergic to anything. I'm going back for a more detailed test in a few weeks.
But Dr. Mulligan wanted to cover all the bases, so he sent me over for a detailed blood work-up. How detailed? Nine freaking tubes of my blood. I don't think I have that much blood. And to top everything off, despite being well hydrated. the vampire had to go in through the back of my hand.
Results in a week or two.
On the plus side, I got a wave and a smile from a very cute baby.
( For new friend;, everyone else can skip this )
My Coumadin level was a bit low, and the NP green-lighted my plan to get a bike and start riding. She also told me that if I got more active I should avoid greens like spinach or broccoli, and drink consistent levels of beer.
Finally! Medical advice I can take!
After that I had a considerable break between appointments. To kill time, I went to a nearby Round Table Pizza for lunch. They do a lunch buffet that is both good and affordable, even if I don't do salads. Sat down with my food to watch the events at the Vatican. I was far from the only one who gravitated to this particular TV to watch events unfold.. until one of the workers tried to change the channel to a pointless basketball game. Seriously, 3/4s of the people in the restaurant were watching papal coverage while eating. After a general outcry, we got to watch Pope Francis emerge.
Having had my fill of pizza and popes, I went back for my second appointment. The problem with referrals from other physicians is that I rarely remember the details of the referral, and depend on the first doctor to tell the second doctor why I'm there. In this case, that didn't really happen. After a lot of questions and file searching, the doctor decided to go ahead and have me do a broad-spectrum allergy test.
Ever have this done? It involves have about 32 needles jabbed into your back to see if you have a reaction to anything. It wasn't so much that the needles hurt, no the problem is I'm incredibly ticklish. I survived, and the test came up a big fat goose egg. I'm not actually allergic to anything. I'm going back for a more detailed test in a few weeks.
But Dr. Mulligan wanted to cover all the bases, so he sent me over for a detailed blood work-up. How detailed? Nine freaking tubes of my blood. I don't think I have that much blood. And to top everything off, despite being well hydrated. the vampire had to go in through the back of my hand.
Results in a week or two.
On the plus side, I got a wave and a smile from a very cute baby.