Sample Communication

As I mentioned in a previous blog the GP recalled Ferretfingers after his annual medical because his blood test showed he was slightly anaemic.  This is worrying in a young man as it could be indicative of coeliac disease (Fester’s mother was coeliac) or other nasties we do not wish to think about.

As well as another blood test the doctor asked for urine and stool samples.

Ferretfingers allowed her to take blood.  He was far braver than I am when it comes to bloodletting. 

I was brave too as I held his hand and tried very hard not to look at the syringe filling with my son’s life fluid.

Dr GP gave us white capped and blue capped (with an integral spoon) for the urine and stool samples.

How do you get a stool sample from someone with a communication disorder?

Especially one it took until the age of 12 to completely toilet train.

Explaining it verbally resulted in nothing but strange looks, upset and refusal.

So yesterday I decided the only way was to write him a note.

This evening Mrs Leftfoot dropped in on her way home from work for a quick catch up.

No sooner had she entered the living room than Ferretfingers announced “I’m doing a poo” and shot off into the downstairs loo.  He put the bowl in the bowl and followed my instruction not to flush.

I congratulated Mrs Leftfoot on her laxative effect, but left off putting the sample in the tube until she’d gone home:  there’s only so much a guest can expect to be witness.

That done I handed him the white tube and asked him to fill it with wee. 

Which he did. 

Without spilling a drop or dribbling any down the side.

Fortunately our GP’s surgery is a five minute walk away so I trotted up and handed the tubes into the receptionist whilst they were still warm.