365 Things to Smile About Day 95. Orientation!

Today I went to the V.A. where I will be volunteering to get more observation hours in for my Low Vision certification.  I had orientation and got the required TB test and scary ID photo taken.  It's understandable that you can't smile in ID pictures anymore for facial recognition software but man alive every ID picture now makes you look like a convict!  It use to be they just made you look ridiculous but now they make you think you are as mean as you look in the picture!!!  Anyway, I will be happily picking up my ID Thursday when I go back so they can look at my arm and confirm that I do not in fact have TB.

I had a moment after the TB test as the nurse kept wiping blood from the poke off of my arm.  I mentioned I am a bleeder and she got very concerned and asked me if I was on any blood thinners.  My initial answer was no.  And for that split second...I actually forgot I had cancer and have a port and all of that.  It was only for a second though.  Then I remembered they use heparin when they flush my port and there was my blood thinner.  I told the nurse and she noticeably relaxed.  I will happily say this about the people I met at the V.A. today; they were all extremely nice and calm and didn't even blink when I told them I had had chemo and have a port.  No sad looks.  No murmured, uncomfortable platitudes.  It was just business as usual.  That felt good.