Today I had an EKG and gave a vial of blood away for testing. My heart beat is slower than average, but that’s not cause for worry…instead I’m obsessing over what’s in my blood and what could be causing this tension. I hear I should maybe try stretching my heart chakra. My insurance is crap and I had to pay for everything. No wonder so many people avoid doctor visits. The holding rooms were full of people complaining about the wait. A man proclaimed that he could draw our blood for free, to speed things up. I planned my defense and avoided eye contact. A silver-haired woman walked in with a bloody rag pressed against her temple. Very calm. The nurses spoke of chicken and waffle chips. Two women in the second, smaller waiting room laughed over news of their friend “falling off da poach wit her legs up in da air lika chicken” and wondered how long until they could leave for lunch at Ihop. I sanitized my hands and worried about why none of the lab techs wore gloves. On the way home NPR was sharing a story about the red socks’ pitcher’s bloody sock and I nearly fainted.
I remain,
Patiently waiting patient