No Blood Today

They wouldn't take my blood today. They asked me many questions. I filled out the questionaire, much of it relating to my sexual activity. Mine was straight line of ticks down the 'No' column. We were all set to go, I had the prelim juice box was asked to lie down and get fitted up. This was a different lady.

I'd explained to the previous one that I hadn't been to the doctor for routine health check for a few years. She seemed alarmed at this, admonishing me that I should have my blood checked every year for various things. She checked my blood pressure, it was a little high 157 over 87. I told her that when I used to go to the doctor, for cholesterol monitoring, my blood pressure was high when the doctor checked it, but it seemed alright when I checked it at home. I told her that at that time the doctor said my iron levels were high but not high enough for concern. Someone else had told me that if you have high iron levels you can reduce it by donating blood regularly, that was partly why donating blood had been on my list, but I'd never been able to travel to a blood bank. I went on to say that I don't go to the doctor anymore because doctor always wanted me to take medications for blood pressure and high cholesterol, and I didnt want to, as the statins raised my liver function readings to outside normal, and that my blood pressure readings were the result of white coat fever as it is called. I told her that I had chosen to take a quarter of a soluble asprin tablet every day and walk frequently and eat fruit and abstain from alcohol for half the week as a self help health plan rather than go to the doctor and take prescription medications at considerable cost to me. I think she thought I was bit nutty but to this point I still qualified to donate. She explained that people who donate blood to reduce high iron levels do so with written request from doctor so I should go to the doctor and have my iron checked before the next donation so that it would be within the usual procedure.

The next lady went over a few of the same questions after asking me which arm I wanted the blood taken from and asking me to roll up my sleeve. She said "When did you last have a blood test," or, "When did you last go to the doctor," I can't remember which, so I began telling her the saga last year when I went to the doctor, a different doctor not my usual, with strong pain in my ear and the resultant blood tests of that day showing abnormality in blood cell count, causing me to be summoned by phone call to hospital at nearly midnight and be administered cortisone in case I had temporal arteritis. I explained that subsequent biopsy of arteries and visits to specialist revealed I didn't have TA and follow up blood tests showed I was fine. The whole exercise cost me about $1000, one full missed day for biopsy, and maybe half a dozen trips to Dandenong to visit specialists.
"Is it any wonder I avoid going to the doctor?" I asked.

This lady was on the phone in a flash to head office and before long was telling me that they couldn't take my blood today until I had clearance from my doctor that it was OK for me to donate blood. I politely left explaining that I would go the doctor one of these days for a psa or general health check and if my readings were all good I'd try to donate again in future if I felt moved and had time.

It is not likely. I've had enough of the medical profession and feel happy to live my life out in its natural course. Every day I can walk and work is a blessing.

Other news for the day was that the two new cartridges to fix the leaking mixer taps in our new bathrooms which arrived in the post yesterday are the wrong ones, so plumber found when he tried to fit them. I have to try and squeeze in a trip to Dandenong tomorrow to return them and get the right ones.

And Lib left this morning to go to management meeting in Essendon, missed the turn off just out of the Burnley tunnel to the airport and got lost. She gave up trying to get to Essendon and returned to work at Upper Beacy, ringing to explain how three hours of her day were wasted.

Why is it that everything is so complicated?  Oh for a simple life.