NieNie's not so charming husband

[mockingbird]

The last time I had a blood draw, I insisted that they take it from veins in my wrists. Have tons of them and they don't disappear as opposed to the ones on my arm. The only thing is that they have to use a different needle that has a butterfly flap (not sure the official name) and tubing instead of a syringe. They don't like to do it but tough. I have had far to many bad draws from my arms and actually will get sick to my stomach when they keep on sticking me to no avail.

Lucky for me butterfly needles are standard at my hospital's outpatient blood draw clinic and at least one other in the area. I actually didn't even know people used anything else for blood draws until a few years ago, haha. It works a lot better for me too, even though the best site is in my elbow, because you have more precise control with a smaller needle.

I would totally get a port if I had any reason to need one, because I don't enjoy the process of getting an IV. But I have nothing that would even suggest I needed one so that's why I thought that question was weird/slightly reeking of laziness. haha I totally understand that getting an IV probably will be problematic for me, I only have issues with people who are not listening or being respectful on top of that (or if they were flat out not doing their job). If they are trying their best, I usually end up telling the nurse not to feel bad because it's not their fault! haha

[ADoyle90815]

Another difficult draw as well, and have had difficulty donating blood on occasion, but the worst time for nurses to find a vein is when I'm getting that fasting blood test done as part of my physical. Even then, I would never even think of threatening violence, as I'm not that type of person. Besides, the person struggling is often apologetic for causing me pain, and I've had large bruises as a result. At my doctor's office, the nurses in the lab know from experience that I'm a difficult draw so they often get out the blood pressure cuff, or at the very least, they'll use my forearm, and they've always used the butterfly needles on everyone.

[AuntCloud]

I think I've hit the bottom of the barrel after having Cloudlet #2 via CS because of HELLP syndrome. Picture this: fluids in one arm, mag sulfate in the other, back of both hands completely shot after several days of testing whether my kidneys and liver are still with us. And then they needed another sample. After some back-and-forth, they managed to get some - from the femoral vein. Good times.

I told Hubby-of-the-Textbook-Veins he gets the honours of carrying the next baby.

[dawbs]

I had a quick flashback to the last time I had surgery...

I am a bad stick on a good day. On this day, I was cold (couldn't get warm), grumpy, tired, suffering form a migraine, and about to have abdominal surgery (although I didn't know that yet--we were planning on laproscopic surgery that became abdominal). A young lady wearing a name badge (she looked vaguely familiar) from where I work explained she was a student nurse, this was her mentor, would I mind letting her try to help start my IVs.

I got a wild-eyed look, I'm sure. I took a deep breath, said that I know everybody has to learn...but I'm a hard stick. She could have 3 stabs if she wanted though.

Her mentor jumped in at that point and asked to see my arm. She looked at her protoge and said "you aren't going to try to put an IV in this woman. *I* am not going to try to put an IV in this woman. In fact, no one on the floor is going to try, could you please have the nurse a the desk page *Anna* (no idea what her name was) on the 3rd floor"

Anna got about 6 tries and there was literally blood all. over. the. place. They eventually sent someone down to another lab who got about 3 tries

It wasn't Anna's fault (or anyone else's), it just sucks.

Good times.

I didn't threaten anyone w/ violence--and I did send Mr. Dawbs away because I did NOT need an audience. I wanted him to hold my had AFTER there was a needle in my arm, but not before--he was just making me more nervous.