The needles no longer give me the jitters anymore. It could be that I have become hardened to the pain or the phlebotomists (individuals trained to draw blood samples for medical testing) that I encountered were very good at what they do. I used to turn my face away to avoid seeing the needle going into the skin. Now, I watch the entire blood extraction process.
Renal function test, liver function test and lipid profile results.
I went for a blood test last Friday and then for the scheduled appointment at the UMMC spinal rehab clinic on Wednesday. Serum creatinine has gone up a little to 291 umol/L, nothing to be unduly worried about as it has been hovering around this level for a while now. On the other hand, the low-density lipoprotein level is above normal at 3.09 mmol/L.
The doctor advised me to watch my diet. Admittedly, I have been rather reckless with what I eat lately. I am scheduled for another blood test in November and also a KUB (kidneys-ureters-bladder) ultrasound at the same time. Hopefully, by going on a healthier diet now, the results then will be more favourable.