The painful blood test

Was taking blood from a vein in the soft part of the elbow so difficult?

Apparently so.

We went dutifully to look for clinics in Penang on CNY eve to do her blood test. Although a no of clinics were opened most of them could not promise the results on the same day as the labs were closed. We did find one clinic though. However they wanted to charge us RM100. We agreed as we were desperate.

However Amanda and I was shocked when the senior doctor could not find her vein. She poked with the needle the first time and no blood came out!

Nervously she asked my daughter "Where does the doctor usually poke you?"

Ai yo....how can a doctor ask her patient that? Mydaughter was thinking how could you not see the tiny holes where the other doctor had taken my blood earlier?

Panicking my daughter told her never mind. It was obvious from the pain in her face that she did not want this doctor to draw her blood.

In fact the clinic assistant asked the doctor to poke the veins in her hand which really alarmed my daughter and confirmed that she was rather inexperienced for a doctor.

Finally we looked for a lab and thankfully found one. The lab only charged us RM15 for the platelet test and the results were also ready in 20 minutes. Well...well...just goes to show how doctors make their money.

Thank God that the results were good & the platelet count had improved from 133 to 199!