poll: doctors

Remember those mutant bananas I talked about last week, that I bought from Grocery Gateway at the beginning of September? Some of them STILL AREN'T RIPE. From time to time, Jeff and I will try peeling one (like this morning), but inevitably it's still hard and tastes green. Of the bunch of six or so, only two have ripened enough to eat.

I sent e-mails to Customer Service at Grocery Gateway, but still haven't received a response. Don't think I'll be ordering bananas from them again. Thing is, the remaining bananas are starting to get black specks on them, which nixes my idea of keeping them forever as an interesting conversation piece; my current suspicion is that the outside peel is going to start rotting while the inside stays green and inedible. Augh.

The next part is not for the squeamish.

Speaking of augh, I hate blood tests. I had one yesterday. It's not so much the needles that I hate, those I'm not crazy about those either. It's the fact that doctors and nurses can never find my veins, so I end up being jabbed multiple times. Same thing happened yesterday, when I was sent to the bloodwork lab in my doctor's building. The conversation went something like this:

ME (when it was my turn): "Just to let you know, everyone always has trouble getting blood from me. The last couple times I was here, they had to use a 'butterfly needle'."

NURSE: "Okay, sure. What's that from?" (points to the wad of gauze taped onto the inside of my elbow)

ME: "My doctor was trying to give me a blood test but was having trouble finding my veins, so she sent me here."

NURSE: "Ah ok." (prepares a needle)

ME: "Is that butterfly needle?"

NURSE: "No, I don't think you need a butterfly needle. Let me try this one first." (jabs me, makes concerned and annoyed noises, shifts the needle) "Hm...your veins are being difficult..."

ME (gritting my teeth; it feels like she's doing a little excavation in my arm with the needle): "They had to use a butterfly needle last time."

NURSE: "I didn't think a butterfly needle was necessary. I'm using a very small needle. Hrm. Too difficult." (pulls out needle, tosses it, finally prepares another needle, jabs me in the same place as last time)

ME (gritting my teeth more since it hurts more this time): "Is that a butterfly needle?"

NURSE: "Yes. Good, it's working. There we go."

Next time I come in for a blood test, I'm going to print up a t-shirt with the words "USE A BUTTERFLY NEEDLE" in big letters on the front and back. Maybe tattooed across my forehead, too.

And no, I don't have any idea how a butterfly needle differs from a regular needle; I've never been able to bring myself to look while she's doing it.

Ha, to think that at one time I was considering going into medicine.

Poll: Doctors

Do you mind getting needles? Do you get regular check-ups? Do doctors make you nervous? When's the last time you were at the hospital as a patient? Do you give blood?

Answer in Blatherchat

News/Updates

One year ago, I was looking for work.

Three years ago, I showed my friend ScottM the new Inkspot office space at The Toronto Carpet factory.

Four years ago, I shared my chili recipe.

Five years ago, I saw "In and Out" with Jeff.

The CIA is consulting sf writers. Source: Wired

Deep-fried Twinkies? Source: Globe & Mail (and BoingBoing!)

SF writer and physicist Robert Forward has died. Source: Locus. You can see the author's obituary, which he wrote himself, here.