I rang the doctors surgery to chase up those blood results that were taken for my M.O.T a few weeks ago.
The receptionist read all of the test results without knowing that I was an intensive care nurse, a fact I found rather odd to say the least.
"CRP NAD"
"Creatinine NAD"
"Fasting Blood Glucose NAD"
"Urea NAD"
"LFT NAD"
etc.etc etc
She read all down the long line without a pause and I thanked her once she had finished
NAD for all that don't know nursing terms, is the thankful acronym of "No Abnormality Detected"
I was thinking about this all before and after a chance meeting with someone I am friendly with. I bumped into them by chance when I was in the supermarket buying cake stuff for the flower show, and it was the sort of meeting where they needed to share some sad personal health news, (which were found through a simple diagnostic test similar to my own)........ while all I could do was to sympathetically listen.
I have blogged about life's "curved balls" before have I not?
One minute you can be tootling along, quite nicely thank you very much indeed.... and the next moment whammo! life's a f*cking bitch and you are treading water in shit.
One phone call conversation and a mild anxiety caused by my middle aged body..and I am feeling mighty fine.
One different kind of phone call, and my friends now face the challenge of their lives.
Fate?,kismet?destiny? accident?........whatever you call it.....life's a fickle son of a bitch sometimes...
Is it not?
You're right. You can be sailing pretty and then a sudden squall capsizes your little boat.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd have scored a few AD's if they'd examined your blog in detail. After all it is a mirror of your mental state! Not sure what my blog says about me - posting about Princess Anne's birthday! Zzzzzzzz! I must be bonkers!
Life is a grab bag for sure.....just enjoy every minute of good health, even mediocre health, cause you never know when it's going to be your turn.
ReplyDeleteAll NAD is not bad.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your friends, though. Yeah, you're right, unfortunately. One minute all is roses and light and the next it's utter shite.
Indeed !
ReplyDeleteIt is, it is....
ReplyDeleteLive Life as it is Your Last ... does come to mind, does it not, John? I keep trying to remind myself of this after 2 extremely close calls leaving life as I now know it last Year. Thanks for reminding me "don't sweat the small stuff", or maybe the very large muffin top? LOL xx
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are NAD. Here in the US we say WNL meaning within normal limits. And like you say we are all on the edge of finality, SOmetimes I think I would love to know when my time is so I can tell off those I would love to and ask forgiveness of those I must. I think I'll do those two things anyway
ReplyDeleteLife sucks and then you die.
ReplyDelete(heard quite often on Butler Rd.)
One thing though...it can get really really bloody awful...and then..it can get...well ..good again...really good ..so.. ...there's that!
ReplyDeleteHere's to NAD's.... long may we receive them!
ReplyDeleteHow right you are. This is why life is too short to decorate the spare room - get out there and enjoy a good meal, a long walk with the dog, whatever wrinkles your prune.
ReplyDeleteEvery time the doctor suggests a blood test with that special little smile on his or her face, I shudder, just in case.
"Life is a Minestrone,
ReplyDeleteServed up with Parmesan cheese."
Does anything else need to be said? - apart from WTF?!!
Im becoming more and more disappointed with my own body... quite frankly it's gone from lean and smooth to lumpy and kranky and I don't remember when it happened... I've asked mum for a refund but she's NAD
ReplyDeleteLife can indeed turn just turn on a sixpence. When we are young though, that thought never even crosses our minds. It's a sign that we are at, or beyond, a certain age, that we're all sut sat sitting here, in your comments section, sucking on our teeth......all refelective like....sighing and nodding....
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I've never had any tests as detailed as that. Heaven knows whether my body is healthy or not, apart from external observation.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, one's life can be turned upside down in a few seconds. So far I've been lucky enough not to have any such nasty shocks.
The GP surgery staff will know that you are a nurse - I'm sure that you mentioned that you told them/the GP that you were. You know that it would then have been "discussed" informally by the staff.
ReplyDeletePlus, as GP surgeries are not replete with younger male patients (yes, that means you), you will be remembered, not only for being a nurse, but also being younger and male.
I never, ever tell anyone what I do, my qualifications, experiences, etc. unless it's absolutely necessary (or professionally appropriate) to do so - I prefer to see what the "everyday life" experience is without "pulling rank" or making claims of "status".
That said, I DID do this when my Mom was in hospital, simply because the staff were ignoring my Dad - male relatives/husbands/fathers are often ignored or overlooked. I felt uncomfortable doing so, and it shouldn't make a difference but, of course, it does.
Indeed, if required to perform as a 'patient' or 'customer', I'll sometimes impishly tell a 'professional' something entirely different about myself (or, at least, change a few key facts), just to monitor their reactions, compare experiences etc.
Perhaps I've never been (physically) sick enough to make this a pointless exercise!
Naughty flame-haired ginger Nx
That looks like a diagnostics sheet for my Volvo. I suppose it almost is. I like hospital consultant's short hand on record sheets for secretive communication about patients, my favourite being 'NFN' - Normal For Norfolk.
ReplyDeleteYou are right indeed John and all adds to my philosophy to make hay while the sun shines. Good luck with you village show day.
ReplyDeletenige
ReplyDeleteactually they dont!
Oh yes. It is amazing how fast life can turn pear shaped some days.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy for your NADs. The best possible outcome.
I was out for a run last night, thinking about how my Dad had suffered a heart attack, had bypass surgery and been diagnosed with diabetes when he was the age I am now. I seem to be doing fine but you never know what will happen. I'm hoping not to drop dead on a run.... ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's true, though. You never know what will hit you in life. It's good to try to live in the moment but that's not always easy.
Hope you have many NADS in your future, although every time I read that I thought "gonad"... shows where my mind is.
yes it is, very fickle! but when I think of the millions of functions my body has to perform I'm amazed it doesn't break down more often! prayers of healing for your friend and prayers of thanksgiving for your good health!
ReplyDeleteFickle indeed!
ReplyDeleteHope you dont mind me stopping by - I came across your brilliant blog via Annie at Knitsofacto and have just spent a wonderful half hour reading back over your posts. They really tickled me - I'm sorry to hear about your dog (and hope he is feeling better) but boy, that tickled me!
Well thought I would call in and say hi! I'm Sophie by the way, animal lover extraodinaire and rather partial to tea and cake (yey to the Great British Bake-Off being back!!) and will be following your great blog from now on!
Sx
...and here we are...
ReplyDeleteIt's good to be NAD.
ReplyDeletethat's my plan, to be NAD/WNL and just tootle along, tra-la-la.
It's time for me to have another CBC (complete blood count) as it's been long enough to make one wonder if i'm still NAD/WNL. I'm sure some of my colleagues would claim that i'm NOT normal, but that's just mental stuff. LOL
welcome to despot city sophie
ReplyDelete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're absolutely right. Mrs P's cousin spent the last few years building a 48 foot yacht. He and his wife sold everything they had and the plan was to set sail in their retirement and go wherever the wind took them.
ReplyDeleteHe received similarly bad news in January and today we went to his funeral. Life can be a bitch, but death is a complete and utter bastard.
I read a nice quote on a plaque in a gift shop recently, Life is about learning to dance in the rain and not hide from the storm... I hope your friend has had some good dances and many more to come.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed fickle...but I hope your friend can meet and beat their challenges...
ReplyDeleteScary times if you dwell on what could happen or not happen...best to just try and live each day the best way you can.
ReplyDeletePleased to hear you are all NAD.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the fickleness of fate.
Glad to hear it's all fine, John. Congratulations. ♥
ReplyDeleteI used to feel a little guilty whenever I'd leave the home of a hospice patient. It seemed unfair somehow that I got to leave it all and go home again to my healthy, carefree life whereas they had to stay there in that difficult, difficult place.
ReplyDeleteThen one day it occurred to me that I wasn't getting away with anything. Some day it would be my turn to be the one to stay and, when that day came I, too, would go through everything they were going through. It just wasn't my job yet, to do that part. I was working on a different task.
It restored my sense of fairness in life and I didn't feel guilty anymore. But I did feel an increased sense of urgency to do my living part better; to enjoy it and use it wisely and be truly grateful for it, for however long it lasts. For their sakes, y'know?
Dxxx
ps Good luck at the flower show!!!