The Lab...

    I had to stop by the lab this morning to drop off some bodily fluids for a physical I'm taking. It's a fasting deal so I usually go first thing in the morning (water only, you have to pee in a bottle). The lab opens at 7:00AM so I try to arrive there early as there's almost always a line-up--this morning there was only three people there, I was the forth.

    Nobody really says good morning, just sort of brief eye contact and then stare straight ahead waiting for the door to open. The guy at the front of the line was an older gent, I guessed he was in his late seventies and he struck up a conversation with a young lady in the line that was wearing scrubs. He asked her where she worked to which she replied, "Floor seven, Lions Gate Hospital, neurology department-- strokes and head injuries. The older guy then said, "I'm eighty four years old and I've never been in the hospital except an overnight stay when I was eight to have my tonsils removed." She replied, "That's great, you want to stay out of there."

    I was rather impressed myself by this bit of information as well but then I thought, "I wonder what he's doing here this morning, routine check-up or something a little more serious?" That's sort of the funny thing about being at the lab, everybody looking at each other and wondering what they've got, what tests they might be having done or what malady they may suffer from already. Some faces you see as people enter the waiting room look fear-filled, others hard to read. 

   Then I started thinking (as usual) about the people staffing the lab-- working with blood, pee, poo and God only knows what manner of bodily secretions all day long, and people. I entered the little room where you give your blood sample and took a seat. The lab tech pulled out the wooden tray that you rest you arm on, tied off my upper arm and stuck the needle in. I've had this procedure done a few times with varying degrees of pain but this lady nailed it, I didn't feel a thing and I told her. She smiled bandaged my arm and sent me on my way. They always tell you to keep pressure on your arm so it won't bruise but it always does...not this time, however, hardly even a mark. 

    Oh yeah, one last thing and this happens every time. The lab opens at seven and even though they are already in the office they never open the door until at least five after... create a little more suspense.