So, went to the hospital today for my chest x-ray and it was… a chest x-ray. Lots of sitting around and then a frantic bit of movement. and then more sitting around.
Today I discovered that blue really isn’t my colour. The nurse showed me into a small changing cubicle complete with a mirror (why would you have a mirror? Must make my hair look good for the x-ray?). The gown they had me put on was a baby blue, split up the back, affair; which I wanted to have dyed a better colour. It was kind of funny though, all of us sitting in a row waiting to be x-rayed. One of the other women made a joke about it being embarrassing that we were all wearing the same thing. She was the only other person there who didn’t look like they were about to drop off their log, and I’d guess her age at about 70. I was the youngest person there by easily 40 years. And everyone else except us two was male. There were tubes hanging from places that tubes shouldn’t go and wheezing like you’ve never heard. I wanted to run screaming from the place - ‘I am not this sick! I am in the wrong department!’ but then realised I’d probably get to the end of the corridor before passing out.
They called my name and I went into the x-ray room, where a nurse told me to stand with my back to the room, hands on my hips… and then she told me to press my boobs into the back board. A little more, really press in, I was leaning forwards so far I thought I was going to topple over… had the back board moved I would have been on my face.
I was not enjoying myself… and my boobs felt weird.
‘If you can just breathe in for me now’.
Breasts flat against a board, sore throat, snot blocking my nose and now she wants me to fill my lungs?! Crazy much?! I did my best and I got a ‘tut’ and then a ‘Hold your breath now’. How long for? was all I could think - I hadn’t got a lot of air in there and the last thing I’d want to do is have to come back for another go!
A moment later, the weird buzzing noise that always comes with sci-fi lasers warming up filled the room and I waited to be vaporised. Instead, I got the voice coming back at me, ‘That’s fine, wait outside’.
Back to more chairs and a few moments later a nurse come out telling me to contact my GP in 7-10 days. Appointment already made for 26th March - the earliest one I can get. Medical crap to be adjourned until then.
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March 5th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Gah, that sucks! I like the Heathcare Plan I have now with a company called Kaiser Permanente (www.kp.org). When I go to the doctor, I can see my GP, go down to Xray, have a diagnosis, back up to my doctor, to the pharm then back home all in about two hours.
Come live here :).
Hilly’s last blog post..Snackie Mafia: The Jig Is Up!
March 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Why don’t doctors have a tool like Dr. McCoy from Star Trek? That would be much easier.
Avitable’s last blog post..Orlando survived . . . barely.
March 5th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
You gotta love the NHS - it may be free but 10 days to read an x-ray?!
Hang in there!!
Penelope’s last blog post..In lieu of something else.
March 5th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Hilly - Had I the qualifications and the money I’d be on the next plane!
Avitable - That would be so cool. A beepity-beep to diagnose everything! It’d probably still take a week to get the results back though!
Penelope - Hanging in by a baby blue thread!
Bec’s last blog post..Boob Pressing
March 5th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
You have to wait three weeks for the fucking results?!?!?!?!
Miss Britt’s last blog post..They’ll be lining up for my hospitality
March 5th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Awwww hun that does not sound like you had fun awwww poor you i hope to see you 2morrow take care xxxxx
Hayley’s last blog post..Happy
March 5th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Miss Britt - Yep. This is the ‘world famous’ and ‘great’ NHS! Three whole weeks of Googling potential horrors and winding myself up - basket case I shall be!
Hayley - Fun was not had. Would very much like to avoid hospitals from now on in!
Bec’s last blog post..Boob Pressing
March 6th, 2008 at 1:01 am
It’s not right you have to wait so long. Sometimes the tests and the waiting are worse than the actual illness. Hang in there.
Selma’s last blog post..Must Be Funny In A Rich Man’s World
March 6th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Selma - It’s not right but at least I hope they will call me if something big is up… Maybe no news really will be good new
Bec’s last blog post..Which Dice Again?
March 7th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I had a big comment prepared defending the NHS when compared to the american health care system, but then i lost the link i was going to use and I would have probably just antagonized people anyway.
But the NHS may have many faults, but i know which system I’d rather rely on. Especially if I had a chronic illness or lived near the poverty line.
Dan’s last blog post..Don’t want to hurt no Kangaroo
March 7th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Dan - I think it’s a whole no system’s perfect affair, and I’m English - I’m allowed to complain!
It has done me poor in the past but I am liking it now… well, liking it better now. And while there are people like you working for it, the NHS has hope.
Bec’s last blog post..Querypalooza!