DON'T TRUST YOUR LAB, DON'T TRUST YOUR DOCTOR!

If you're not sick or not caring for someone who is, you may want to skip this.

Get your lab test results and understand the significance. Before you get your lab work done, understand what test is being done and how it is to be done.

Here's my most recent frustration with the medical field.

I had to have a particular lab run because of an abnormal blood test. My doctor ordered it. I researched the protocol. After reading the protocol, I went to the lab and let the tech know that the protocol for this test was not the standard draw. It was run differently than most. Here's what happened:

1) She read the protocol and ran it wrong (7/17/07) despite reading the protocol. She called me and I came back and had it redone.
2) The courier froze the sample when it was not supposed to be frozen (7/25/07). No results because the blood was not right.
3) I was getting yet another blood draw for something unrelated and they recommended the initial test be rerun since the first two times it was invalid (9/4/07).
4) I was reviewing my test results and found out they still ran the wrong combination of $300 tests!!!!! The result I received was completely invalid because the wrong combination was run (10/3/07). 3 different doctors looked at these results and did not notice that the combination was not right.
5) I called the lab, angry, and they kindly offered to rerun the test at no cost to me because they knew they screwed up. I'm getting it rerun tomorrow and expect to receive results at the end of the week or beginning of NEXT week.

I will not blame this on small town labs because I know it happens everywhere. Get your results and understand them so that you don't fall into this trap. What if I am very sick (I'm not)? My follow up care has been delayed by nearly 2 months due to lab error, courier error and not one of 3 doctors who looked at my results realizing that the test was run with the wrong combination of tests!!!!

be proactive in your care so that you can maintain your health or keep your care from being delayed by months or years!

I'm not particularly smart, you can catch lab errors too. look deeply enough into your labs and you will find them!!!

Incommunicado

Sorry to all who have emailed me and I haven't emailed back.

My migraines have come on with a vengeance this month. They've added unwanted doctor visits, discomfort and a lot of downtime to my schedule. They are very annoying. They are also putting a kink into my running training. The NYC Marathon is fast approaching and I'm not quite ready. At the very least, I can walk the course and enjoy the scenery!

Here are some pictures from Idaho...

Great spelling at the Spud Drive In. "Lience" = license

It's spud harvest and this is a common sight and common cause of slowdown on the roads. If you look at the horizon on the left side of the picture, you can see the Tetons. You might have to click on the picture to see them.

More spud harvest. Those are potatoes on the conveyor belt.



Friday Teton Middle School (maroon and orange jersey) had their championship meet. Both the boys and girls did great! My son is on the TMS Cross Country team. For more pics of the boys, see my son's blog.



Ok, I'm twisted and I thought this was funny enough to take a picture of it.


Our first snow. My excuse for not running on Saturday.