Cross-posted to my blogspot :O
So I tested positive for tuberculosis. I didn't think I would. It was more of an inconvenience than anything else. (I need Northwestern health forms postmarked by tomorrow, which isn't going to happen now.)
I was hoping the nurse would let me go ("are you sure? I don't think so."), but she just looked at my arm with a perplexed expression before deciding she needed a second opinion. After more perplexed expressions, they decided to get the doctor. Bah! Foiled again! Oi, doc, don't you have other patients to attend to? I swear I'm okay.
Next thing I know, I'm driving to the hospital for a chest X-ray. Gah! Those are expensive. I hope I have health insurance.
How effective is the test? What are the probabilities of false positives and false negatives? What proportion of the population has TB? Then what's the probability that I tested positive when I don't have the disease?
Okay, so it's probably not a false positive. But I really doubt it's active. Still, a latent infection would probably have me on meds for a few months. At least it's not contagious.
I have no idea when I was exposed, seeing as I didn't see a doctor for an 11-year period (1997-2008). Oops. I'm going to assume it was one of those darn summers I spent in the East. I knew I should've worn face masks!
Well, I'm hoping the radiologist will magically be un-busy (there's probably a better word for that) tomorrow and get to my x-ray quicker. Then I might be able to postmark those health forms on time.
(X-posted to blogger. I probably shouldn't keep two blogs.)
I was hoping the nurse would let me go ("are you sure? I don't think so."), but she just looked at my arm with a perplexed expression before deciding she needed a second opinion. After more perplexed expressions, they decided to get the doctor. Bah! Foiled again! Oi, doc, don't you have other patients to attend to? I swear I'm okay.
Next thing I know, I'm driving to the hospital for a chest X-ray. Gah! Those are expensive. I hope I have health insurance.
How effective is the test? What are the probabilities of false positives and false negatives? What proportion of the population has TB? Then what's the probability that I tested positive when I don't have the disease?
Okay, so it's probably not a false positive. But I really doubt it's active. Still, a latent infection would probably have me on meds for a few months. At least it's not contagious.
I have no idea when I was exposed, seeing as I didn't see a doctor for an 11-year period (1997-2008). Oops. I'm going to assume it was one of those darn summers I spent in the East. I knew I should've worn face masks!
Well, I'm hoping the radiologist will magically be un-busy (there's probably a better word for that) tomorrow and get to my x-ray quicker. Then I might be able to postmark those health forms on time.
(X-posted to blogger. I probably shouldn't keep two blogs.)