Blood tests
by Jennifer Kenny
Gene's grandfather had not been feeling very well. He went to the doctor with some vague symptoms. After looking him over, the doctor decided to send him for some basic blood tests.
"Let's just check some things out to make sure your levels are all in balance. We'll run a few other tests while we're at it, Mr. Hutton," Dr. Craig said. "Here's the name of the lab you can use."
Since Gene's grandfather promised to pick up Gene at his bus stop, he did that first. Grandpa turned to Gene and said, "Will you come with me to the lab? The doctor wants me to have some blood work done."
"Sure," Gene said. "What's wrong?"
"I haven't been feeling quite myself lately," Grandpa said. "The doctor just wants to check some things out."
"OK, let's go," Gene said.
When Grandpa and Gene arrived at the lab, the receptionist had Grandpa fill out some forms. She took a look at the doctor's prescriptions for the tests. "OK, some blood tests for you, Mr. Hutton. Follow me, please."
So Grandpa and Gene went into a small room. A doctor came in to take the test. "Hello, Mr. Hutton. I'm Terry. I see we'll be checking out the level of your electrolytes today and a few other substances."
"What are electrolytes?" Gene asked.
"They are minerals that keep the levels of your body's fluids in balance. When they are balanced, they help your muscles and organs work properly. These tests usually check the levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. They each have a special role to play. For example, sodium helps regulate the amount of water in your body. It also is needed for transmitting electrical signals. We check to see if it's all in balance. Sometimes, for example, if someone has been sick to his stomach or dehydrated, sodium levels go too high or too low. Then someone can be confused, weak, tired, or even experience seizures."
"Let's just check some things out to make sure your levels are all in balance. We'll run a few other tests while we're at it, Mr. Hutton," Dr. Craig said. "Here's the name of the lab you can use."
Since Gene's grandfather promised to pick up Gene at his bus stop, he did that first. Grandpa turned to Gene and said, "Will you come with me to the lab? The doctor wants me to have some blood work done."
"Sure," Gene said. "What's wrong?"
"I haven't been feeling quite myself lately," Grandpa said. "The doctor just wants to check some things out."
"OK, let's go," Gene said.
When Grandpa and Gene arrived at the lab, the receptionist had Grandpa fill out some forms. She took a look at the doctor's prescriptions for the tests. "OK, some blood tests for you, Mr. Hutton. Follow me, please."
So Grandpa and Gene went into a small room. A doctor came in to take the test. "Hello, Mr. Hutton. I'm Terry. I see we'll be checking out the level of your electrolytes today and a few other substances."
"What are electrolytes?" Gene asked.
"They are minerals that keep the levels of your body's fluids in balance. When they are balanced, they help your muscles and organs work properly. These tests usually check the levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. They each have a special role to play. For example, sodium helps regulate the amount of water in your body. It also is needed for transmitting electrical signals. We check to see if it's all in balance. Sometimes, for example, if someone has been sick to his stomach or dehydrated, sodium levels go too high or too low. Then someone can be confused, weak, tired, or even experience seizures."