Punctured

[kiya]

Had my doctor's appointment today at last; thus prescription renewal is managed, I have evaluated the doctor, been poked and prodded, I have a form requesting an immunization update that could not be managed due to personnel absence, and I have had blood drawn for miscellaneous tests.


So I got myself settled in the chair and all locked in and such, and warned the nurse that I had skittish veins.

I asked her which arm she preferred. I honestly don't recall which one she started with; I think it may have been the right. The following ensued:

Nurse: *cinches arm* *tap tap tap* *pause* *tap tap* *pause* *tap?*
Me: *removes glasses, because paying too much attention to the blood draw has a history of inducing poor physical responses*
Nurse: *tap?* *gives up, uncinches arm*

Nurse: *cinches left arm* *tap tap tap*
Me: That one tends to work better.
Nurse: *tap tap tap*

Eventually this progressed to:

Nurse: *cinches left arm* Squeeze hand.
Me: *obediently makes a fist*
Nurse: *tap?* *tap tap tap* *tap?*
Me: *continues making fist, counting spots on ceiling*
Nurse: *poke*
Me: ...
Nurse: *poke?*
Me: ...
Nurse: *poke poke*
Me: ?
Nurse: *removes needle, coils it up and throws it in the biohazard bin*
Me (after a little bit): I'm getting a little lightheaded.
Nurse: *uncinches arm* Have you ever had blood drawn from the back of your hand?
Me: Once. The time I blacked out, they had me lie down and drew it from there.
Nurse (whimsically): Well, I don't want you to faint, then I can't go home.
Me: I can agree with that.
Nurse: Do you want to go lie down?
Me: That might be a good idea.

We wander off and pick a vacant exam room.

Me: *lies down*
Nurse: *pulls out bit of examining table that I can rest my legs on*
Me: *counting spots on the ceiling*
Nurse: *swabs down arm with grave determination*
Me: *still counting spots*
Nurse: *JAB*
Me: Ow. *counting counting counting* Did that work?
Nurse: She may be being good this time, yes.
Me: *counting, listening to the snap sounds of the vials being added to and removed from the little tube*
My vein: That's enough of that thank you. *spits out needle*
Nurse: *studying the two vials she has and the third that is entirely empty* These ... can share.
Doctor, outside the room: Did you faint?
Me: No, no, my veins are hiding, we're being careful.
Doctor: Okay.
Me: Are we all good? You have everything you need?
Nurse: *shuffles forms* Yes, all done.

I asked for directions to some water, and wandered off.


I think that's the least well-behaved my veins have been, ever.

Comments

[larksdream]

I have had the twenty-minute hide-and-go-seek vein game too. It's what started my needle phobia. :P In college, though, they always got me the nurse who'd worked in a drug rehab clinic, and she was fantastic. Apparently even my veins were better than what happens to the veins of druggies. 8-o