This past weekend, I went to the hospital for a follow up MRI. The procedure itself was uneventful, though going to the hospital on a Saturday afternoon is eerie. No one’s in the elevators or the waiting rooms, and it’s incredibly, even strangely, calm and quiet. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed it, but for some reason I was struck by it this time, more than usual.

This morning, I got a call from a nurse. She apologized for bothering me and assured me her call wasn’t about my health or recent test. I thought at first that it might be a fundraising call.

She told me that there was an “exposure issue” during my MRI. Apparently, when my IV was removed, there was some blood spatter that had gone into someone’s eye. No one reacted at the time, so I’m not sure if it was during the removal or afterwards as things were being moved around and disposed of. However, I was being called to find out if I’d be willing to come into the hospital and have some blood drawn so they could test me for HIV and Hepatitis. While I know that I don’t have these, they obviously can’t just take my word for it.

I immediately said yes. I can’t imagine the stress that that sort of incident causes a health care worker, and while it’s a minor inconvenience for me, if it helps settle another person’s fears (and means that they don’t have to take a bunch of meds for several weeks), then I’m happy to do it.

The nurse was really enthusiastic with her thanks, and it sounded like she sometimes has to make these calls and hears people say no. Which made me think, do people really say no when this question comes up? Besides people who might not be able to go back to the hospital and miss more work, find more childcare, etc., do people really refuse this request?

I’m off to the hospital in the morning. I figure I’ve had enough needles stuck in my arms and enough blood drawn… what’s one more time?