If you know me well enough, you'll know that I'm petrified of needles and injections.
It all started in standard 8 Biology class. I thought I would be the brave one and volunteer for the finger prick. You know, the one where you get to look at your blood under a microscope.
Needless to say, I never got to see my own blood, because I fainted straight away and woke up in the corridor. This was the first time I had ever fainted and it was such a terrible feeling that I think my fear of needles actually started with a fear of fainting. Later that year, I had to go for my German Measles injection. I worked myself up loads for this, went for the injection, went back to maths class and about 10 minutes later had a complete panic attack. I had to go back to where they were giving the injections, and they gave me this weird bitter stuff to calm me down.
So that just set in stone this blooming new fear of mine.
Since then I've never actually fainted, and I've actually gotten a lot better. But the not-so-fond memory is still there. When I was in labour giving birth to my first baby, I'm not sure if I was screaming more for the pain of the labour, or for the thought of the huge epidural needle.
Today I had to go for my 16 week blood tests. These vampires love a pregnant woman's blood. It must taste sweeter or something!
Anyway, so I'm sitting in the little room at the Pathcare, resting my arm on the elbow pedestal and I'm trying my utmost to concentrate on something other than the obvious.
The nurse ties the tourniquet and I feel the needle prick.
"It's OK, " I tell myself, "the worst is over."
She sticks the plaster tape over the hole and tells me to press.
She turns to her paperwork and immediately says, "Oh! There are tests on the other side too!"
I look at her in disbelief. Is she joking?
I swallow hard and ask bravely, "so we use the other arm this time, I suppose?"
She says, "Are you sure you don't want me to just use the same spot? I had such a good vein in that arm, I could have taken it all!"
OH MY WORD!Is she crazy?
So I left there a bit hot and sweaty, looking like a patched up pin cushion with both arms plastered. But I didn't faint!
I'm very proud of myself!
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4 comments:
Well done for not fainting!
And what happened to Hangman? - I spent any hours lynching that poor little guy!
Hope you have a super weekend!
Haha - that's funny... my cousin's husband doesn't have a strong stomach and he passed out while she was having a C-section done with their first baby... Glad it all went OK for you though! xxx
oooh I hate needles too :(
Definatly not looking forward to epidural needles eeek!
I have memorized that my left arm just has bad viens, ya know how many times they try from that arm then expect me to just hand over the other arm???
congrats on week 16 :)
You did so well. I am proud and impressed. :)
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