In the on-going adventures of being engaged to Nurse Sue, I was confronted with an epic inner conflict. That's all fancy words for saying I did something I didn't want to do because I still want her to marry me - I let her poke me with needles.
I love needles. I was not a big sissy as a kid. When we had blood tests as kids, it was never a problem, never a traumatic experience for me or my poor momma. It's not like she had to physically hold me down in the chair while I was screaming and yelling and probably making the phlebotomist's job very hard. (when I spell checked phlebotomist, it came up with lobotomist..... sweet) Okay, so everything I just said was a lie. Ask my mom. But hey, she always got me a slurpee afterwords, bless her heart.
Back to current day, Sue is in RN school, second to last semester! This week was IV check offs. Well as you can imagine, nurses have to learn skills through practice somehow... and you can only get so much experience from poking a Cabage Patch doll. (no the doll WASN'T mine... like I would let her touch Felipe!) So Sue's brother in law Darryl and I "volunteered". Darryl should get full recognition for his bravery, cause he isn't marrying her, he did it because he's a supportive brother in law. I wonder if I would do something that nice for Darbie..... hahahahah okay sorry, back to reality.
Darryl even went first. One poke to the elbow didnt work, so the second was to the wrist. The wrist one not only didn't work, but cause quite a bit of pain..... must have hit something in there, who knows what. Patient #1, done! Now it's my turn. The last patient's experience may have been less than confidence inspiring, but I had visions of slurpees (forget sugar plums, whatever those are... they dont even sound that good) dancing in my head.
Poke 1- In the elbow, no blood return, but for a second I thought the needle might come out the back side of my elbow!
Poke 2- In the wrist, no blood return, but if you ever get struck by lightning in your arm, we need to compare notes, because I think that we might have something in common.
Poke 3, 4, &5- Back of the hand, and suprisingly the least painful, but still no blood return.
Poke 6 - In the thumb side of the wrist, blood return the first time!!!! sucess!!
Nurse Sue had her test the very next day, and got blood return on the very first stick, knew every step to the setup and verification, passed with flying colors!!! Mission accomplished!
She still owes me a slurpee, but it was worth it. Phobia conquered, for now.
As the Beatles accurately wrote "All you need is love".... and one really good vein.
1 comment:
You write this like you've never been poked before. ;)
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