I am not needle-adverse. Never have been. Shots, IVs, blood donation, blood drawn for lab testing — don’t phase me in the least. This served me well during the week I spent in a Philadelphia hospital after I woke up blind. Oh, let’s add spinal tap (or lumbar puncture, if you prefer) to the above list.
So this morning when I went to have blood taken for routine lab testing, I nonchalantly got in the chair and pulled the padded arm rest down in front of me. If I were to taunt my more squeamish readers, I would call it a “lockdown bar”.
A second tech came in the room and I quickly ascertained he was in training. Still, I was fine, even thinking that since I don’t mind any of this, I would be a good practice patient. I went on to tell myself that the more seasoned of the two in the room had learned in the same way.
Two attempts by two techs, two needle pricks, one successful and one not, several seconds of moving the inserted needle around, four filled vials, one gauze pad and a piece of tape later, a lesson was learned by the one person in the room NOT wearing rubber gloves:
If you can help someone without fear of passing out, you should. For this very person may be the one assisting you some day should you actually become unconscious.
