You’re so Vein

We arrived in plenty of time for our appointments, which was just as well as we couldn’t find the surgery! The Sat Nav told us we had reached our destination but we couldn’t see it, so continued up the road and asked a lady walking her two dogs.
‘It’s opposite the village hall’ she told us so we did a 180 and drove back, stopping opposite the hall as there was a free parking space.
No surgery. Some big houses, but no medical practice, so we asked again and it was set back from the road, but not signposted, plus the car park was blocked off.
There was a lady in a hut reading her book, and when she looked up we said we had appointments at 11.30 and midday but were early.
‘Go into reception and check in’ she said, so there as none of this rubbish about hanging around outside until 5 minutes to your appointment time like the last lot.

The receptionist was very pleasant, ticked us off and invited us to take a seat in the waiting room. There was another patient waiting who was quite chatty. All of us were wearing masks. I was called in a couple of minutes later and the nurse was lovely.
As usual, my veins ran for cover, so she had a problem finding one.
I clenched my fist, did some air press ups, but no vein was forthcoming. She had a go and me not looking asked if it was a good vintage. She said she didn’t know as nothing was coming out. She was so apologetic, bless her. Anyway, she had another go and struck blood, which was a good colour, saying she’d make a note where to aim next time!
We had a chat about my general health, and she showed me the numbers for my diabetes.
They do annual checks, so might give me one so that they have their own figures.
My sugar is good at 4.1 and they like that to be below 5.
My BP parameters are set at 140 over 90, so as my last was 138 over 80 I am well within those.  I didn’t realise that those parameters are the top end as this chart shows.

I told her about my weight and that I’d maintained my target with SW for two years. Hopefully that will not become an issue later as this is a comfortable weight for me and I can maintain it, give or take a pound or two.

The only issue is my cholesterol which at 6 is higher than I thought it was, so I might end up taking meds for it as they would prefer it to be under 5, but if so it will be a non statin like Hubby is on. I don’t know what my breakdown is though.
The test results should be in tomorrow, though she said to ring on Monday, then said she would actually ring me to discuss them and arrange a prescription if necessary.
I came out feeling very positive.

Hubby’s turn next and he had quite a wait, but there was no problem. They only have one nurse doing the INR (not the same one I had) so he is guaranteed continuance of care. He is well out of range but the other way, and as they have not been forwarded his INR notes, have decided to start from scratch. She actually listened to what he was saying, how long he had been on warfarin and why,  and that the alternative meds made him ill so he was on it for life, but could handle that. He has another test next week.
He also came out feeling positive.

On the way home we dropped into the pharmacy on the off chance our meds might be ready, and they were. We only need to allow 2 days since ordering them compared to 7 with the other lot, even though they were sent electronically and just happen to be in the same building as the pharmacy!

On the health issue front, it has been a good day, and so far it looks like we’ve made the right decision.

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