Woa! What an adrenaline-filled morning it was today, to be more realistic, it all happened in the space of 30 minutes, which felt like 30 days. Talk about sweaty palms, but at the same time, total incredulity at my own totally unexpected reaction to a situation I am well informed of!
So… context… As you know, I have rheumatoid arthritis, and recently I’ve been having some challenges with my left eye so my doctor advised that some thyroid antibody bloodwork is required… (another clue… sweating like a stuffed pig whilst exercising… not quite that fashionista look doll). My GP is aware I am shielding and confirmed the phlebotomist could draw the bloods outside the practice in the car park! Bingo – no need to enter the building (big sigh of relief – I mean, sick people go to the practice, and who knows how many corona critters may be lurking in the shadows).
Here’s the thing – due to shielding (from the entire world, it seems), I have not been allowed out of the house for over two months, and this is set to continue until the end of July. So, the fear of leaving the safety of the house and going out into the “big wide world” and potentially catching the virus was really palpable. Irrational perhaps?
So… preparation for the big trip (which takes less than 5 minutes by car actually) was key to ensure I was physically and mentally prepared for the 08h00 appointment in the car park! After speaking to my doctor and absorbing words of encouragement like a sponge, I felt a lot better and started implementing these from 06h30! Visualization… go through the entire process in your mind – the drive to the practice, parking away from other vehicles, stretching your arm out onto the car bonnet (avoiding being confined in the car should a sneaky cough erupt from either party), driving home, leaving the clothing in an unused area for 72 hours and so on… A hot early bath and a few warm drinks (coffee or tea!) to ensure the vein is nicely dilated followed. Time to leave. And boom, the first error – I almost FORGOT to take gloves and a mask! Sure enough, I had remembered to wear my shwe shwe slippers as they covered the ankles (paranoia?). No, people, in my anxiety I decided to wear TWO pairs of gloves… (seriously)?
And I set off.
Well, the comedy of errors continues in full swing. The phlebotomist comes to the car and she’s not excited about me stretching my arm out across the car bonnet for her to draw the bloods and prefers to fetch a “chair” so I can sit. She gazes down at her tray of vials and needles – where to put them? Not missing a beat, I grab the tray from her and announce, “I’ll help you,”… she looks on in astonishment (it seems to me her mask is flagging somewhat, stressing me so that I didn’t notice whether she was wearing gloves). By now I’ve forgotten to request whether she would add a cholesterol test as well. Then I realise I am not supposed to touch the tray – despite wearing TWO PAIRS OF GLOVES and a tightly fitted mask… She returns with a wheelchair, and says “O, I’ve forgotten the tourniquet” to which I proudly announce, “O, I’ve taken a hot bath so my vein should be pronounced!” In a heartbeat she is done drawing the bloods, and as she’s covering the needle point of entry says, “We need to be aware of cross contamination,” I mean – did she really have to say that? If she knew the mechanics of my OCD brain! Good golly Miss Molly I’m thinking, as I turn my spinning head away from the seemingly-gaping mask and she says “OK, let me walk a wide distance” – what a kind and caring lady – when I realise in horror that I have COMPLETELY forgotten about social distancing. O my hat! Now I’m really freaking out as I’m imagining I’m covered in viruses! I drive home in a flat spin and think… Isn’t this interesting – I know the rules, I know the theory, but here I fail on every level and break all the protocols in the face of anxiety. Being so isolated from the world can make one behave quite irrationally!
A few tips, especially useful if you’ve been staying at home and feeling afraid of venturing out: play the “event” out in your mind in advance (visualization), so that when in the process, you simply run through the motions. Allow enough time so if something silly happens, you have ample time to correct yourself. And please, do some breathing exercises as well – they are very calming and relaxing.
Charlene
Charlene Lamb is a strategic communications professional and has enjoyed an illustrious career in the corporate world before steering her public relations consultancy in South Africa and the United Kingdom. She also enjoyed an exciting time as a journalist in the United States, interviewing many famous personalities. She is married and has three energetic fur babies: her Jack Russells, Chilli, Vlekkie and Sammy and is passionate about primates and the welfare of animals.
