Wednesday, August 5, 2009

"Hey...wait for me, I'm still here"



I am sorry to have ignored all my friends here for the past couple of weeks. I feel bad that I just put you all on hold and went about my life without you.
When in fact, I don't know what I would do if you all did the same to me.
I have been trying to keep up with your blogs and read as many as I could,
and I fell short on even that.

I am due for my next round of blood work in a couple of weeks for my leukemia. I am always a little apprehensive before these tests, because of my past difficulties in finding someone capable of drawing blood without blowing up my veins and sending me on my way with a pressure bandage on, to return the next day to start this very painful process again.

What has changed in this process is that I am much smarted and stronger. I no longer allow anyone to touch my veins without a thorough question and answer session, which usually results in the lab tech bolting for the door to get their supervisor. After explaining my history to the supervisor, I then and ONLY then allow them one stick...just one. If they're not successful, I'm out of there to begin the process again another day.

I remember early on, after my diagnosis, I wrote a post about my experiences with lab techs, and I received so many positive and empowering comments, that I changed my self into my own best advocate and the rest is just a bad dream.

So I'm back and I'm rested and I thank all of you again for caring enough about me and making a difference in my life!

This quote always makes me chuckle a bit.

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.”

George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) (1819–1880)
English writer

20 comments:

  1. Good for you,Peggy, for speaking up for yourself! John gets blood work 2x a week right now and has managed to convince the lab techs to use his picc line! I hope you hear good news!!

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  2. I have a friend with small veins and she has to go to the hospital to avoid the disaster at the clinic that it always ends up without getting it right and not giving up since it's not their skin being pricked. A tough problem. I hope this all works out well for you.

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  3. Sending you good healing vibes.

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  4. good for you, we have to be our own best advocate or friend. Love your duckling photo-it's kind of the opposite of the ugly duckling story. So cute.

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  5. Welcome back! My husband is a lab tech...I do hope your test goes well and you have good results. Loved the ducks.

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  6. I totally understand your dilemma.
    I need to go for bloodwork every week as well and of course, no veins and it's excruciating work and pain to find them and I dread each Monday I have to go. My veins are shot, they have torn and exploded within my arms and are destroyed and I have limited use of my thumbs and fingers because of the damage over the years of neglected care. Most of the damage are from IV's that are from repeated hospital visits from seizure attacks which I pray will stop one day...

    I hope all goes well, my friend... hugs♥

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  7. Joanie;

    Smart man that man of yours is. Thanks for the tip, I'll remember that!
    Pray that John's health improves rapidly now!

    Rain;

    You're right, they never do give up and that's the problem for me. I went through 2 tech's, two nurses and the head of the blood bank when I was having my bone marrow at the hospital. My GP's nurses can do it in one stick. So that's my limit. Hopefully I can keep it at 1. Thank you so much for telling me about your friend .
    Each new story helps me!

    Laoch;

    Love those vibes, thank you!

    Lin;

    Thank you for cheering me on!
    Feels good!
    I'm glad you like my ducklings....

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  8. Yes! good for you! I got in that mode years ago -- the medical profession does not like to mess with me anymore! I'm holding good thoughts for you and I'm sure things will go well! It is good to see you back! Love the duckies!!

    Enjoy,
    Sylvia

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  9. Cheryl;

    I have found many wonderful lab techs in my many years of medical tests. I never seemed to have a real problem until last year and so I assumed it was me,that my veins were shot. I had so many bad experiences all in a row that I was sure that the Leukemia was the cause.
    Even the nurses in our local hospital were not good.
    All five of them.
    In the past few months I have found great blood techs, one stick and they're golden.
    It was just fear on my part that didn't make me stand up for myself and ask the right questions.
    I'm sorry , I sure didn't mean to clump all blood tech into the same category. My fault for not being more specific!

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  10. Julie;

    Thank you, hope you're having a great summer.

    Michele;

    Awe friend... I feel some of your pain, but not anywhere close to what you have had to go through. I'm so sorry, I pray that an answer for you is just around the corner. Huge Hugs to you!

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  11. Good luck with your blood work. Why is it that we always have something to worry about? Easy for some to not worry, probably, but the older I get, the more things stay on my mind. I was certain I wouldn't turn into my mother. Shows what I know!! :)

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  12. Joyce;

    Wish I knew the answer to that one, I hear myself sometimes and I sound like my Mother!
    Hope you're having a great summer, Fall seems to be around the corner!

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  13. Sylvia K.

    I love duckies, we used to live on a pond and saw many wonderful birds!
    I got over thinking that my Dr's are God's. They are just as human as I am, and that means they make mistakes. Except sometimes their mistakes are deadly!
    Thank you, always love your comments!

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  14. ALWAYS stand up for yourself! Yeah, I know. We were raised to be sweet and ladylike. But back then, no one mentioned poking holes in us and sucking out blood! :0

    My Dad had a port-a-cath for his chemo. During one of his E.R. trips, they went to stick him and I politely requested they use the port-a-cath. The nurse looked down her nose at me and sniffed, "You need an oncology nurse for that. We don't have one."

    I stood up as tall as 5'1" gets and replied coolly, "Then go find one. Because you're not sticking him."

    Dad later said that he had no idea that I, his "quiet" child, could be so forceful.

    Hey, you do what you have to do. Get to feeling better quick!

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  15. Hi Peggy! I didn't want my comment to come across so "severe", what I guess I was trying to say is that you certainly are being proactive about your health and that is good! I just mentioned that I was married to a lab tech, and really should have said that he hates it when he hurts someone (unintentionally of course!). I cannot imagine all that you have to go through with so many tests and pray that the tests are fine! Take care!

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  16. Awe Cheryl;

    How sweet of you to take the time to write me again.
    I so appreciate your comments and so far(fingers crossed) doing fine!

    I got so mad at myself when I was getting my blood taken because i was just sitting there letting all this happen to me. I was so scared about what I was diagnosed with that I was like frozen.
    I feel so much more in control and that's important to me.
    I didn't take any of your comments personally, I just thought that I might have crossed the line and I didn't want anything that I might have said to offend you!
    My last few blood test were done with only one stick and out in 10 minutes. Can't beat it!!!
    Thanks again for writing back!

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  17. Hope;

    I'm a little taller then you 5'2 and am used to fighting for my kids and my Mom when they were in the hospital. I think that I have been in shock for months but I am coming out of that purple haze finally!
    Thanks for all your kind words, I am so glad that you are on my team, I need a fighter like you that has my back!

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  18. Yae, Peggy!!! I am so proud of you! Keep it up! Take care of yourself.

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  19. Love your picture. And happy that your bloodwork has a good plan in action. Hope your results are good, too.

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