My doctor wrote out the form for standard blood tests and also ordered a quick EKG last week. The LifeLabs appointment system is supposed to make things easier, so I picked nearly the first time slot available. That was today. Either they are chronically understaffed or the system does not provide adequate time for the procedures. I don't think I've ever been seen at my scheduled time.
I finally sat in an inside chair at 1:45 pm although my appointment had been for 1:25. Unfortunately, the technicians had trouble collecting my blood today. This has always been a bit of a challenge as I have deep and rolling veins. However, they seem to have initiated a three-strike policy now. So when the first girl was unsuccessful, I had to wait for another to be free. It was even a longer wait for the third! The third time is a charm, as they say, for during the final attempt to take from my hand, she gathered enough to fill both collection tubes. Prior, I'd run my hands under hot water at the sink and held a heating pad on my hand for a few minutes.
My EKG was really quick but I wasn't out of the lab until an hour after my appointment time. Jay had been waiting in the Royal City Mall and wondered if he'd missed me when I returned.