My nurse at the surgery is supposed to be an R.A. specialist nurse (although she’s nurse level rather than ‘nurse practitioner’ level, which means she can’t prescribe or anything – all these new grades are very confusing.) Anyway, she should be fairly familiar with blood tests and actually she’s not usually THAT bad. Better than the one I had when she was sick, who commented afterwards, ‘Oh dear. Looks like the Texas Chainsaw massacre in here now!’)

It can be awkward with family – hope your uncle didn’t mind you defecting to the lab! My entire family seems to be doctors – didn’t half give me a grilling about the R.A. diagnosis – was I sure the consultant was qualified, sane, etc. (They didn’t quite say that but it felt like that.) Then what tests had he done, why, what symptoms did I have … blah blah blah. Thank gawd for the positive R.F. test – that shut ‘em up! ;o)

I used to have my GP (who is also my uncle, which is a bit odd) do all my bloodwork, and it was always a trial involving several pokes and lots of fishing around for a vein that apparently “rolled”. One day I had to have blood drawn in a hospital lab, and discovered that the technicians there can always get a vein – it’s what they do all day! Now I always go to a lab instead of the doctor’s office. Much better!

I’m glad you had a good RA day even though the rest of the day was not so pleasant.