Today I gained sympathy for pincushions. I went to the doctor for a blood test. Reason being, I'm trying to get all of my immunizations for my mission, and my old shot records went missing from my old doctor's office. What you can do apparently is have a blood test where they see if you are immune to the different viruses and what-have-you and that's proof enough for them. Well I get to the office, wait an hour just to be seen by anyone, and finally I get in for my "little poke". Well I've been told I have deeper veins than your average Joe, and am well seasoned in blood tests from having taken Accutane. As a result, I make sure and drink Double my normal water intake before I go to make it easier on the lady drawing the blood to find my vein, and on myself who has to endure the searching process. So she starts off feeling my arm trying to find a vein, has an "ah-hah!" moment (almost too quickly I thought to myself knowing my 'hidden' veins) and she pokes me while chatting on about the new Indiana Jones movie. I already know that she didn't hit a vein, you can just tell. Well she begins what's unpleasantly referred to as "digging" in my arm, and I'm smiling through it trying to be as chipper as possible. Nothing. She takes it out, gets my other arm prepped and settles in for round two with my arm. Thanks goodness she's a little more awake this time, taking a bit longer to locate a vein. Pricks me once more, and 30 seconds later has failed yet again to hit a vein. She's very flustered at the point, mostly at herself, and says, "Alright, we're going to try one more time, and this time it's gonna work!" (while muttering to herself how me walking out there with all these bandaids on is going to scare the patients-in-waiting). She jabs me in the right arm (that's already tender from the first half-A attempt) and starts going to town like a prospector on speed, digging away at my arm. I'm about ready to say something when she says, "Oh this is just no use!".
Next, she begins eying my forearm and feeling around on the top of my hand. That's I started to get on edge (and I think actually show it on my face --- up until this point I've been the perfect picture of peachy). Thank goodness she changed her mind and offered to have me come back, first thing tomorrow morning, and do it then. Man, she felt really bad, and told me I am supposed to now Triple my water intake (being 100 degrees and probably losing water throughout the day that I am not aware of) and hope for the best @ 8:00 AM tomorrow. I don't know how people who are in the hospitol put up with nurses who can't take blood very well. I dread the day I have to stay there and get stuck every few hours by people who, unlike this lady at the doctor's office, aren't even blood sample specialists.
Wish me luck tomorrow on the next attempt, and that I don't have to run to the bathroom every 5 seconds (literally!).
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