I always get a laugh when I go to get my blood drawn. Here is how it typically goes.
I walk up to the counter and let them see my lab order and insurance card. Then they bring me back. While the Nurse is getting the supplies, I try to break the awkward silence by asking the nurse a simple question.
Me: "So, how are you doing? Has your day been busy so far?"
Nurse: "I am doing well, and the day has not been very busy. Thank you for asking!"
After this I don't want to distract her as she tries to find a good place to draw blood, plus just saying that much is enough for me any time, and so I am quite unless she asks me a question.
As the nurse examines my left arm for the best vein and finds none that are suitable she asks - "Did you drink a lot of water yesterday?"
Me: "Yes, I think that I drank plenty of water."
Nurse: "How much did you drink? Did you drink about 8 glasses?"
Me: "I really don't know how much I drank, but I am pretty sure I drank plenty of water. However, I have Diabetes Insipidus and take DDAVP and have to be careful how much water I drink."
Nurse: " Well I guess blood pressure medicine would change the volume of your blood, but that is the only medicine that does. Your doctor is wanting to check your electrolytes."
I knew that my doctor was checking my electrolytes, but I have no clue how that fit in with the blood pressure medicine. I told her, after that comment, that I did not take blood pressure medicine and that DDAVP was the only "medication" - if you can call it that- that I take. She then went on to tell me to drink more water next time. At this point I gave up on explaining and just nodded my head nicely and smiled. :)
I am very thankful that the nurses are always very nice and patient. :)
Today, the nurse had a particularly hard time drawing my blood and ended up having to get it from my hands. She tried my left hand first and found out in the process that the vein was too small for even the butterfly. Then she tried my right hand and managed to get some out.
I get the same "drink more water" discussion just about every time, and it just makes me chuckle inside and think "if she only knew." I told my mom that the next time I go to get blood work done I'm going to bring an article about DI and let them read it and put it with my lab order. Hopefully, if they have that information they will understand that it's not because I don't drink enough water, or that I take some kind of medicine that lowers my blood volume, but it is because of my DI that my blood volume is low.
Perhaps someday they will understand, but until then I get a good laugh every time I go. :)
