Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Stressing it

Both Ray (Cindy's Dad) and I had an appointment with the Cardiologist at the same time Monday morning, and while waiting in the packed waiting room a nurse that I had never seen before stepped out and called a patient back.
Nurse wearing blue scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck and holding a clipboard
Nurse calling patients Photo Source
"That must be a new nurse, I don't recall ever seeing her before." I mentioned, and Cindy replied "She is the one who will take you back for your stress test."

Jimmy: Stress test! I didn't know that I was having a stress test today!

Cindy: You're not having a stress test today.

Jimmy: You said that I was.

Cindy: I was talking about mine.

Jimmy: I didn't know that you had an appointment today too!

Cindy: Appointment? I don't have an appointment, What are you talking about?

Jimmy: You said that you had an appointment for a stress test!

Cindy: Nooo I said that was the nurse who took me back for my stress test last year!

Jimmy: No Darling, that is not what you said, you said one of us was getting a stress test.

Cindy: Your a doofus Jimmy!

Ray: What! Who's having a stress test?

About that time our favorite nurse, nurse M called Ray back, I first told you all about nurse M back in my post See you in six. We seriously like her a lot now. She lead us to a room with Cindy and I following along, I was pushing Ray in his wheelchair and making small talk with nurse M at the same time.

A Nurses hand holding a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff onto an arm while checking blood pressure.
Checking blood pressure
She said that they were so busy that she hadn't even had time for her coffee yet, and when I tried to send her out for coffee she just laughed and started taking Ray's vital signs for his chart.

I said to nurse M, "When you go back out to the waiting room to call me in, just remember that I am already back here." She just looked at me for a minute and said, "You have an appointment today too?" I told her that I did and she said, "You get out that door and step on that scale so I can weigh you!"

I scrambled out into the hallway and asked nurse M while she was taking my weight if she was going to put me into another room. "No, I am going to go and get your chart and make it easy on myself, it's easier on me if I keep all of you together in the same room!" I'm still not sure if that was a compliment or not.

All of Ray's numbers were good and his part of the visit went really well, nurse M brought in the machine that they use to check my defibrillator with, she looked at me and said "You know the drill, why isn't your shirt unbuttoned yet?", as I unbuttoned my shirt I said "Well nurse M, I didn't want to start before you were ready. What would you have thought if you came in before it was my turn and found me doing this?" At this time I opened my shirt widely and flashed my bare chest at her.

She laughed and began sticking the electrodes into place "You sure have a hairy chest," she said "Your wife is going to enjoy yanking these off of you!" Nurse M and Cindy got a bigger laugh out of this than I did. Because I have sat and watched hairy electrodes being thrown into the trash one at a time while I gained new bald spots on my chest.

All of my numbers looked good the only drawback was some minor symptoms that I have been having. "I'm tempted to take you over to the cath lab, but I don't want to jump the gun yet." My Cardiologist said.

A nurse in blue scrubs and white medical jacket removing stethoscope from neck.
Will see another nurse tomorrow.
Guess what I was immediately scheduled for the next morning...Yes you got it right, a stress test. I guess I'll get to meet that new nurse after all.

33 comments:

  1. Well, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. It's been a while since I've had a stress test. Not all that fun either.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. It had been a long time for me also, and you are right it wasn't all that fun.

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  2. Maybe it would be easier to shave parts of your chest than have that hairy tape ripped off. Ouch! Glad your numbers were good, now go study for your stress test. LOL

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    1. Jean, The nurse for the stress test did do a bit of shaving before she attached the electrodes, although she did have to break out the band aids after slightly cutting my wrist when she shaved there, I think I'd rather had the hair pull Lol...

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  3. I survived a 12 year stress test.

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    1. Some stress tests are longer than others Joe, I am glad that you survived Buddy!

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  4. I hope you didn't spend too much time stressing over that stress test!

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    1. I stressed a little but not enough to make it stressful.

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  5. Fingers crossed you pass your stress test with flying colours.

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  6. I see you have already been to the stress test and found it not all that much fun . . . I hope it at least helps the doctor to fix the blips in your bionic man mechanical equipment!

    The conversation between you and Cindy was too funny - we get into those muddles here, too. "Why can't you just KNOW what I meant??" ha ha

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    1. Jenny, I trust this Cardiologist 100% and will follow his instructions to the T.

      About the time I believe that I know what Cindy meant during one of these conversations, I quickly find that I have no idea. ha ha

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  7. Good to hear Ray's numbers are all okay. I'm hoping for good news at my next visit which isn't until May and I really DON'T want another stress test. That was painful.
    I'm trying to picture a hairy chest with circular bald spots, that has to look funny when you see yourself in the mirror.

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    1. Yes River it does look pretty funny, the funniest was after my defibrillator was installed and I looked into the mirror to see my chest completely shaved only on the left side...

      Here's hoping that your new meds start getting all of your numbers back into line, I know they are coming down slowly and that's a good sign.

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  8. You should have told her, "Robin Williams had nothing on this chest"

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  9. A stress test sounds very stressful. I hate anything medical. Good luck!

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    1. Thank you Joey, but it seems the older we get the more important these tests become, can't say that I really like them either though.

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  10. Aren't nurses GREAT. By now you might have had the test in which case I hope it went well, and if you haven't had it then all the best for a successful test.

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    1. Hello Valerie, Nurses have a hard job indeed, it takes a special person to do this job in my opinion.

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  11. Ah, the joys of hospital appointments. As for me, I'm a typical British bloke who actively avoids visiting doctors/hospital if I can possibly help it.

    I hope your own test give you the all clear.

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    1. Thank you Bryan, I avoid what I can but with my health my wife gives me no choice, otherwise I'd be right there with you.

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    2. Personally, I'm glad Cindy gives you no choice. Without her, where would you be now?

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    3. I have to agree with you River, you are completely right.

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  12. My goodness, what another adventure Jimmy!(lol) But I'm sure glad all was well with Ray, and looking forward to the results of your stress test. However you got there so you could get checked,and meet the new nurse. Hugs...RO

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    1. RO, we have an adventure no matter what we do it seems ha ha, I'm writing another one up now to fill you all in on the results.

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  13. Sounds like you had a stress test just by Cindy mentioning "stress test"! Hope all goes well with your real one - hairy electrodes and all!

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    1. Abby, you are not going to believe the hairy electrode preventative measures I went through on this one ha ha.

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  14. Ok....Lets go back.....I think Cindy knew this all along. I think she knows you better than you know yourself. Or she had already made a bet with the nurse.
    Keep us updated. I hope the stress test goes well.
    Lisa

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    1. Lisa, I think you are right she appears to have an inside scoop on all of this...

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  15. while reading about your test and all the process you go through i start feeling flutter in my stomach Jimmy .
    you write so well and humour displayed in your post always sound so appealing
    hope you feel comfortable your new nurse(though it can take some time,personal experience)

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    1. Thank you so much Baili, The new nurse turned out perfect, she is a great addition to my cardiologist staff.

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