Room For All

[Northwind]

I've actually come to prefer getting blood drawn from my hands. That is perplexing to some. This woman was the only one who didn't listen to me and wanted to do it her way. It wasn't until I probably had some exasperation or even annoyance in my voice that she heard me. She said she was concerned ability of filling every tube. She didn't belive me (apparently) when I told her I get blood drawn every month and had never had a problem.

I get a CT tomorrow. Anxiety about it kept me awake half the night. I hope the doctor at the local clinic calls with the results before my oncologist appointment next week. Otherwise it will be a long week.

 

[paradox3]

A regular needle for a blood draw from the hand is not pleasant. The butterfly makes all the difference.

Last time I was at the lab, an extra test had been ordered. I asked the tech if she would be able to get enough blood from my hand. Heavens yes, was the answer. She explained that with advancing technology, many of the tests take far less blood than they once did.

There are two Life Labs close to my house. I have had kinder treatment at one of them than the other. But the second one is still pretty good. I would hate their job.

I hope all goes well this week @Northwind

 

[Nancy]

I have a 'not listening' story: My now-retired doctor had a last name that I had heard pronounced several ways. When I pronounced it the way I thought it should be -- on the phone, or at the reception desk, I was always corrected. Finally, I asked him. Turns out that I HAD been pronouncing it correctly. Then he told me that he came in to the main desk at the clinic one day and asked for his messages, then gave his name (pronounced correctly of course). The receptionist 'corrected' him to the other pronunciation! He and I had a good chuckle over that.

 

[paradox3]

Oh ho. I have a similar story. The shortened version of my name is very common in my generation. There are two different long forms, one more common than the other. Mine is the lesser used.

True story coming up.

Colleague addresses me using the incorrect long version

Me: My name is not "incorrect version"

Colleague: Yes it is.

I swear I am not making this up.

 

[chansen]

I swear I am not making this up.

That's about as condescending as condescending gets.

 

[paradox3]

That's about as condescending as condescending gets.

I found it very dismissive.

 

[Northwind]

A regular needle for a blood draw from the hand is not pleasant. The butterfly makes all the difference.

They usually use a butterfly needle for me. Last month they apparently didn't have any. The tech used a regular needle and did really well. It didn't hurt at all. That was the same tech I had on Friday who didn't listen to me.

I usually have to spell both my names more than once. It usually helps if I tell people my first name is only two syllables, not three. A woman called from the hospital yesterday to give me my next infusion appointment. She asked for Kaitlyn. I told her there was no Kaitlyn here. She didn't seem to believe it. She asked my name. I asked her who she was and the reason for her call. She finally said my last name. It was me she wanted to talk to. I have no idea how she got Kaitlyn from my name......

 

[paradox3]

My boss did the incorrect long version thing once in a meeting and I pointed it out to him afterwards. He apologized and seemed quite embarrassed. Good guy that boss.

 

[Northwind]

I found it very dismissive.

I don't know why people feel the need to change our names and tell us we're wrong. I grew up in Stephen St and married Stephen. I (and I'm sure he) get told it's pronounced Stefan. Nope.

 

[paradox3]

Ann's and Anne's have their problems too.

 

[Northwind]

Ann's and Anne's have their problems too.

That's my middle name. I say something like with an e like Anne Shirley. There's about a million ways to spell my first name....

 

[Waterfall]

Today it's -15 C, BUT we have glorious blue skies. Funny how the sun shining makes the cold easier to deal with and even lifts your spirits!

 

[paradox3]

My middle name can be spelled with or without an H at the end. This one gives me very little trouble. I have the no H version.

My surname begins with Mc so we get the Mac thing sometimes. Telemarketers used to ask for Mr Mac or Mac quite often. It's less trouble than my maiden name which is Irish.

 

[Northwind]

I would have kept my two syllable birth name had I known I would end up in BC. They know how to spell it here. Add one syllable to a name and some people can't deal.

 

[paradox3]

I was glad to lose my birth/ maiden name. I don't like the Anglicized version but the proper pronunciation is challenging. Even for me.

 

[chansen]

My wife left "Smith" behind. She was not sad.

 

[paradox3]

Even Smith has an alternate spelling. But I bet its frequency is the real problem, no?

 

[chansen]

It was the anonymity of a very common last name (perhaps the most common English surname) with a very common first name in the 70s. She came across so many namesakes, even in her own university residence.

 

[paradox3]

When I was still working, there were two cases of 2 0Ts with identical first and last names. It's not a huge profession so most of us were aware of this.

 

[Northwind]

I went to a church in the 80's where the pastor was John E Smith. He said the E was Ernest and that you had to be earnest with a name like John Smith.