I have an owie, but for a good reason

[EricKei]

My other issue is that, being on the more Reubenesque side -- my veins can be hard to find, and what's more, the bastards *dance* (several vampires have told me this). Almost as if they know what's coming. I do have rather prominent veins on the tops of my hands, but that's a last resort -- it HURTS to use those as a drawing point; I've only had to have them do that once, and hopefully, never again.

[KuariKaydrith]

My veins look like they're easy to get at, but they really aren't. Very few phlebotomists can stick me in the arm on the first try. My last time getting blood drawn both arms were tried and failed, and they had to use my hand...it was the weirdest feeling, and it hurt for ages. I'm due for my next round of bloodwork next week and I've got a feeling that my hand will be getting stabbed yet again.

As for IV needles, I am absolutely phobic of them. I once threatened to walk out of the hospital once if there wasn't a way to put me under without the use of an IV needle - the doctor thought I was kidding but he at least had the decency to send the anesthesiologist out to speak to me about it. The anesthesiologist had no issues with using a mask on me to put me out because he could tell I was terrified of the IV. Once it's in, I don't care, but being awake while it was being put in was enough to freak me the hell out. It still is...yet I have multiple piercings and a couple of tattoos.

[AccountingDrone]

I have a port for chemo implanted in my chest, threaded into a vein in the vicinity of my collar bone. Adore it, am planning on keeping it the full 5 years my insurance company will pay for - Rob will be getting trained to do the flush and heparin thing every 4 to 6 weeks once chemo is finished. Marriage to an EMS is handy =)

I don't really mind having the 12 ga 25 mm needle shoved in, I have a lido/prilocaine gloop that pretty much totally numbs the area all the way in to the port. Beats the freaking hell out of an IV all hands down, they can shoot stuff in or draw blood out =)

[Blue Ginger]

I now have a weird shaped bruise from the needle and it's still a little sore. Spoke to the nurse today because it shouldn't still be sore 5 days later. I had to take a photo of the bruise and send it to her. She said it looks ok but if it's still sore on Wednesday (a full week) I need to go back and see her.

She apologised again for it not going smoothly. I've just never had a bruise come up like this. She definitely hit a veiny thing though because the bruise looks like it has a worm wriggling through it. It has gone green-yellow now, so hopefully it will be gone soon.