Monday, March 12, 2012
My lungs are small?
So I went in to the hospital today (adventure one). First on the list of fun things, I had to find out what bus to take. Dr. Shu had an email from a lady at the hospital describing what bus(es) to take to get to Victoria Infirmary, and to proceed to floor two from a specific entrance. For my expanded 22 step process of leaving the lab for my lung work and returning to the lab afterwards, proceed to the following instruction set.
1) Go to the bus station and find bus schedules.
2) Ask information desk where I pick up each of the buses that were options.
3) Go back to the schedule board to find the bus that is apparently more convenient.
4) Return to the lab where Dr. Shu told me to take one of the other buses initially suggested, but then get confused where to find the bus.
5) Receive helpful advice from other graduate students in the lab that, indeed, the info desk lady was right and to pick up the other bus right outside of the cinema by the KFC.
6) Find no KFC near the cinema.
7) Walk down the street marked by the info desk lady to find the stop I needed (4 blocks).
8) Buy a round trip ticket on the bus (£1.8).
9) Explain that I needed a round trip ticket.
10) Buy a new round trip ticket that is ACTUALLY a round trip ticket (+£1.2).
11) Wait anxiously because I needed to wait for 12 stops instead of the two marked in the schedule.
12) Get lost in the hospital because someone thought I said Occupational Therapy, not Occupational Health (which are surprising far apart).
13) Check in and fill in outpatient paperwork.
14) Take breath tests to check for lung function.
15) Be complimented on my ability to produce slow regular air on command (trumpet).
16) Be confused on why I have so little lung function when exhaling sharply.
17) Be seen by a different staff member who uses a different testing tool to find that I am actually producing 650 L/min (normal 27 y/o man at 6' tall: 520-620 L/min).
18) Be more confused when electronic instrument says 371 L/min, but they believe that one instead and suggest a full physical in 6 weeks.
19) Be relieved when they say that 3 weeks is unnecessary and that they don't have any reason to believe something is wrong (?!?!?).
20) Wait anxiously at the bus stop hoping I'm standing on the correct side of the road (lol).
21) Hand return ticket to grumpy driver, get a return punch (in the ticket, not the face).
22) Get off four stops too early and walk 0.6 mi, not so bad.
Fun stuff. :) My pictures and videos are AGAIN on the iPod and I am having a hard time being able to send emails and Apple won't let me sync photos.
P.S. They sent me a do-it-yourself tester and I just registered 700L/min three times (??!).
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What a day! If you don't actually have incredible lung function, I would be astonished.
ReplyDeleteBy the time this experience has ended, you will most likely be pretty familiar with the local scene and comfortable getting around.
Have you picked up any of the "brogue?" Dad
No brogue yet :(
DeleteYes, amongst the population of those with abnormally monstrous lung capacity, I would say you rank on the small side... whatever the f*** that means! Sounds like your memoire is writing itself!
ReplyDeleteHahaha. I think it's because my lungs empty before it starts registering.. that I can empty my lungs that fast is pretty good. The lady was like, "do this, like that cartoon character" and made a wheezing sound. Pretty sure that means you've restricted something and are not getting a true measurement... My favorite comment was "Usually instrument players do very well with this because they're used to breathing deeply".
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