Labwork Hell

It's bad enough that Health Line laboratories mislabeled & lost my Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma and other miscellaneous cultures from back in October, but just last week, their phelbotomist failed draw enough blood to do all of my tests (what, 7 vials wasn't enough?). The lab person said that one of the vials was halfway full. Hmm...I know she was having a busy day, but the needle was hanging out of MY arm...I wasn't going anywere til she was done. So my MTHFR (methyl tetra-hydrofolate reductase) test slipped by. Methyl tetra hydrofolate reductase. What a mouthful.

Yesterday I called Dr. G to see which results had came in. They said, "They're all here." Well skeptical me wasn't too sure about that. Me and the PA compared lists....and lo and behold, the MTHFR was missing. Also missing were the APA (Antiphospholipid Antibody) test and NK (Natural Killer) Assay that Dr. Z requested. So I went back to Health Line laboratory today and they redid the MTHFR test and offered to do it gratis. Okay, I'm happy. After hearing that it's normally a test that costs close to $700, I won't bitch too much more.

So I called the lab that did the APA test. The results were faxed to Dr. G on 12/8? But again, I'm feeling like a Doubting Thomas: I just called Dr. G just yesterday and they weren't there.

I next phoned the lab that did the NK panel. Luckily these folks have their act together. They said that the test was about to be mailed off but that they'd be glad to fax it today, yes today (!).

Long story short: Health Line has seen better days, but I guess they redeemed themselves a bit by comping the way too expensive MTHFR test. So I should have all of my labwork in by Monday or Tuesday and I'm sure by then I'll be knee deep into negotiations with the anaesthesiologist over my October surgery bill. Another week, another mindless crisis.