The TB Test Saga

I have been trying to get a TB test since last Thursday. It really shouldn't be this hard. I called several weeks ago to schedule it and was given an appointment on Thursday evening. After having my blood pressure, weight, height and temperature taken (not to mention waiting in the waiting room for 20 minutes) I was told that I could not get the test since no one would be there to check it on Saturday. Ok, receptionist error I suppose. So the nurse told me to come back Friday morning and someone could read it on Monday. It was only later that night that I realized Monday was Memorial day so clearly no one would be there to read it then, either. So I went in on Friday morning and told them about this, and asked if I could come in on Tuesday instead. They were way more confused than the situation warranted and after much calling of the nurses and looking at the computer they realized yes, the nurse had indeed made a mistake.

So they scheduled me for today at 11.

After explaining to the once again very confused receptionist that they told me I only needed to see a nurse to administer the test, we waited. And waited some more. 11:30 rolled around and I decided it would be wise to check in at the front desk on the status of my nurse, in which I was told that they were all running 30 minutes behind schedule.

Finally I was called back after several more minutes and sat in triage while my nurse prepared the needle. She explained to me that there would be a "bubble" in my skin where all the fluid was. She couldn't get the needle in at first, and she asked me if I was alright. She got it in eventually and said "Ok, are you ready?" and I nodded and promptly felt a shower of cold liquid on my inner arm and an "Oops" from the nurse's mouth. She said the bubble had popped, and the liquid shot out the other side. Yum. So I held a cotton ball on my inner arm while she looked for another TB test, consulting another nurse on what gauge needle she should be using. All of this inspired much confidence in me, let me tell ya. So she preps my arm again and puts the needle in, and says in a sing-song voice, "Here comes the BUB-ble!" and I felt my skin expand. I looked over to see a giant fluid-filled pustule on my inner arm. "Huh", I managed to mutter. She assured me the bubble would go away in a matter of hours, so I made sure to take a picture as soon as I was done.

Behold, the bubble, the smaller, failed bubble and my strangely sparkly skin:



Fun stuff.