Because my yearly routine blood work requires me to fast beforehand, this morning I was at the Urgent Care right when it opened. I was the first
patient, but the receptionist asked me to have a seat in the waiting room
while she logged into her computer.
The waiting area is a small rectangular room with chairs arranged along
two of the walls and a television hanging in the corner. The other
times I've been to the clinic the TV was broadcasting a non-offensive
channel like HGTV. Today, while I was waiting there was a
mixture of health-related public service announcements, healthy living
tips...and something I had never seen before, a guided breathing
meditation.
Five minutes later I was called over to be checked in. While the receptionist was pulling my orders
up I heard another meditation from the corner of the room. This one invited people to tap on
different parts of their body to relieve stress and tension. Even if I had been
seated in the waiting room I doubt if I would have followed along 😏.
Five years ago today: I Live In A World Of Wonder
When I was doing tai chi and qi gong regularly, one of the routines was to tap ourselves all over with tai chi sticks for just that purpose! Up and down our legs, arms, and back. I always wondered what we must look like to an observer who didn't know about tai chi -- probably looked crazy, I'm thinking!
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm visiting California (where there is a substantial Asian population) I've seen groups in the park doing that.
DeleteGood you got your test done. We can make appointments for our blood tests here.-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI could make an appointment at a third-party facility, but the early morning ones always fill up quickly. It's easier for me to go to this urgent care that's run by the hospital network my doctor is associated with.
DeleteIt's great that you are taking care of your health.
ReplyDeleteI am determined to everything within my power to 'age well'
DeleteInteresting that your walk-in facility had a live person to check you in. That is becoming a rarity here. It's all check-in kiosks, except at my GP. I get to talk to real people checking in and out. Also, that office has its own lab where we can get our blood tests. However, they don't share well with others so Terry, who has to share with the Stanford team, has his blood work done at the hospital where he also has his scans and goes for cardiac rehab. It's a one-stop place that shares all information with all medical practitioners.
ReplyDeleteMost of my doctors are in the same hospital network, which means they can upload information to be shared by all. However, one is an outlier, which means extra steps to get that information to my primary care.
DeleteI'm like you. If I have to fast before a blood draw I try to be first in line! The guided breathing meditation is good to help people relax and lower their blood pressure as they are waiting to be seen.
ReplyDeleteThe meditation process makes sense, but I have never seen it in a waiting room before.
DeleteI suppose it’s an interesting way to help people to chill out before their tests.
ReplyDeleteMy chiropractor has similar type things playing on the screens in his office.
Your comment made me think about how I've never even had to wait at the chiropractor office!
DeleteTapping exercises in an urgent care waiting room is definitely taking "wellness culture" to a whole new level! I would have stared straight ahead and pretended the TV didn't exist, too. Glad you got in and out quickly before they had the whole room chanting affirmations!
ReplyDelete