Thursday, February 19, 2009

Beware of Vampires!

I have my Doctor appointment in Chicago next Tuesday, and I have to have blood drawn before I see the Doctor. The last three times have been horrible Each of those times, I felt like a vampire had attacked me and left me swollen and bruised.

After the last time I had blood taken, I was really mad...I think that I was more mad at myself for sitting in the chair and letting these untrained technicians blow up my veins like they did. So I learned a valuable lesson from these amateur's...
I leaned that I am the boss....I say when, I say where, I say how, and I say stop!
I will never assume again that all techs and nurses are trained professional, in the art of taking blood. Never again will I be that naive!

So this time, I decided to call my specialist in Chicago and request that I have my blood drawn at my internist office here, a few days before my appointment in Chicago. She asked me why, and I explained my experiences of late and she said fine.

I have always told anyone taking my blood that my veins are small...small veins run in my family, so please use the smallest needle that they have. Never a big problem at all....!
So I go to my internists office this morning with my new resolve not to be a pin cushion for anybody again. This very kind tech takes me into her office and takes my general information! She checks my blood order and was just about to start when I asked her if she was experienced with people with small veins, what size butterfly needle will she use, does she know what to do with veins that roll and so on....?. She quietly said that she would be right back. A few minutes later a different tech came in the room with the original one. The new tech, swabbed my arm, stuck a butterfly needle in my arm, one time..one time !
She filled three tubes of blood in no time and I was out the door .
I couldn't believe it!
It wasn't me or my blood or my veins, like they told me...it was them,
,...the untrained techs ,...that I now call Vampires.

Now this is what I'm talking about, I silently tell myself...this is what I'm used to. I was so relieved....!! The original technician said that after listening to what my experiences had been recently, she decided to call in the Marines, so to speak! Sweet Success !

Thank you to all ...I call you my posse...my back supporters. You stood up for me so that I would stick up for myself!

15 comments:

  1. Wow, what a difference someone can make when they just listen! I'm so glad that the tech you had was kind and wise enough to go get someone more experienced, and even happier that you were brave enough to speak up for yourself--that can be so hard to do.

    Congratulations, and I hope your doctor visits only get better and fewer. Good luck when the results come back too; I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday!

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  2. Susan;

    Thank you so much...I will report back!
    I think that all the support that i have gotten here has been so empowering !

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  3. Yae, Peggy! I'm so glad that you stuck up for yourself so that you didn't get stuck with getting stuck by another vampire! Now then... just keep sticking up for youself and we'll all stick by you! :-)

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  4. Good for you! Some of those people are just horrible and don't care when they hurt you. You deserve the best and you got it!!

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  5. That is such good news! I have so many horror stories about doctors and technicians both me and my kids have run into over the years, so I know exactly what you're talking about! I'm so glad for you!

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  6. Oh I can sympathise as I am the same. They make a mess of me. Once I was having a procedure and the anesthetist couldnt even stick the needle in to knock me out. The doctor finally grabbed it and found a vein in my feet. It was traumatic. And I felt as though it was all my fault. Like most things there is a skill to it. Glad it was painless Peggy. And it has taught me to be more demanding up front too. Thanks!!

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  7. I almost passed out reading this. I am such a chicken when it comes to needles. My worst experiance with this came during a three week hospital stay. The nurse came in to move the needle to the back of my hand. She was 8 months pregnant. She stuck me and the vein rolled. She did it again and again with the same results. She kept appologizing and she started turning green. I had to have her stop for her sake. She almost passed out. The next nurse got it the first try. I can feel your pain.

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  8. Kay;
    I'm so used to sticking up for my mom and my kids. It was crazy that I wouldn't stick up for myself. Not knowing much about this chronic disease that have...I was like a deer in headlights the whole time..and when the tech's said they had never encountered these problems...I thought that it was me with this cancer thing....well that's over...I'm a wiser and smarter women these days thanks to my posse! Thanks Kay, you have always been one of my biggest supporters!

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  9. Julie;

    Thanks for Julie...I think medicine has become an assembly line..in alot of areas. Cancer Centers certainly are making big bucks!
    The more people that they service the more money they get. Most of the Dr's, I'm sure are good. I just happened to get a cold and shady Dr and tech's that were not trained well!

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  10. Sylvia;

    I know many of us have medical horror stories..doctors are not Gods , just human beings like the rest of us.. A little sensitivity traing goes a long way, I think! Thanks Sylvia...you are so good to me!

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  11. Lilly; Awe thanks...nice to hear that I helped in any way!
    I had a intern once after making a mess of my arms go for my foot. When he stuck the needle in my foot...it jerked..like duh! He said your foot jerked and I replied well you stuck it with a needle...he grabbed his stuff and ran out of the room! A nurse came in right after and one time, she was in!

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  12. Greg;

    I hear you about turning green, my husband was with me when the techs were trying to get blood. He looked a felt green too! I have felt bad for the different tech's that have tried their best to take my blood...but I felt worse for me!

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  13. What a great post about empowering yourself! I love that you decided not to take it again and handled the hurdle with compassion. Good for you. You know that tech was good too, she admitted to herself that there was something she could benefit from along with helping you. You taught her that listening can make another person very grateful!

    It's Monday, I think your doctor's appointment is tomorrow. You are in my prayers Peggy. May the angels of good health sprinkle all they have over you.

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  14. Sandy;

    Thank you for sending the angels of good health my way. I think they're doing their job! My white count went down ...so this is good! Thank you!

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