Oh, it's today. - Blood withdraw
I got 3 pages done so far for my 4 page geology essay. I got that done before I went to have my blood drawn for the IU Medical Research Center. I made sure I ate a decent lunch before I went. I stopped at Walgreens to buy myself some cookies and a soda just in case anything were to happen. Good thing I did.
I got to IU Hospital at around 1:40 and was escorted to an examination room. The woman came in and asked me questions and began finding a vein to tap into. Well, unbeknownst to me, my veins are hard to find. I never had a problem with the multiple blood tests I'd had in the past in regards to Osgood Slaughter and stomach ulcers. The nurse tries to take the blood from my ever so veiny hands, and all we got were slow drops. She said she would return, and then another nurse came in. She wrapped my arm with the rubber hose and was unable to find veins in my left arm. She did the same to my right arm, and she finally got a vein to pop a little in that arm. There we go. My blood was running like a small stream into the tube. One tube was filled, and I had 3 left to go. This is the first time I had actually watched this happen. I'll regret this later.
Once we got about a third through the third tube, I started to feel like my lunch was going to come up on two very nice nurses. I told them my hand hurt, and my stomach was upset. While I was telling them this, I started seeing spots everywhere. All of a sudden, I broke out in the worst sweat I could ever imagine. I'm a sweaty person, but this was like I had worked out full force for an hour. My head started wobbling, and my already pastey Irish face was getting whiter. The nurse yoinked my glasses off my face and helped me put my head down on the table. Had that table not been there, I'd have been eating some nice hospital floor.
They finished taking my blood, and I could hear another nurse talking saying she had heard the small commotion and brought me 2 OJ cups and a Pepsi. I was still pretty disoriented at this time, and I felt one of the nurses wiping my head and neck off while the other scooted the OJ cup under my arm. I had a momentary thought of being Madison lapping up my OJ out of a bowl. Yes, I actually thought for a second that I was a dog. Then the nurses made sure I drank the entire OJ cup, and I started feeling better. It was the longest 10 minutes I'd felt in a while.
I had to finish filling out some forms to claim my whopping $25. The older nurse was trying to get me to laugh saying how I told her that my veins were easy to find. I looked at her and said, "I definitely earned my money today." And that I did. I sat there for a few minutes, and both nurses were talking to me. Asking what my major was in school, etc. just to make sure I wasn't going to pass out in the middle of the hospital. I then chugged the second OJ cup, and I asked if I could walk around. My feet felt like they weren't there, but I had no problems walking. I needed to get the sugar distributed to the rest of my body, and I figured at least standing or walking was how it was going to happen. So, there I was, $25 in my pocket, and a nice story to tell.
As I left the hospital, I decided I should probably call my mother just in case something happened on my way back to my car. I could just imagine passing out in the middle of Michigan St. only to either be taunted by other students or run over by the many ambulances or dump trucks that are on campus.
I made it to my car with my Mom on the phone. I then opened the box of Soft Batch cookies I had bought myself. I began eating a few of those, and I decided I should probably drink this Pepsi. I sat in my car for about 15 minutes to make sure I was able to drive. I promised my Mom that I would call her when I reached the Holy Cross Community (about halfway from our apartment and school). I called her to tell her I was fine and where I was. When I got about 6 blocks from home, I see Adam driving home from work. We reached a red light, and I told him to make sure I got home okay. So, I followed him home, and here I am. I have 1 page left of my essay, and now I'm in dire need of a nap. I'm sure Jaeger will give me some snugglin's. :)
I got to IU Hospital at around 1:40 and was escorted to an examination room. The woman came in and asked me questions and began finding a vein to tap into. Well, unbeknownst to me, my veins are hard to find. I never had a problem with the multiple blood tests I'd had in the past in regards to Osgood Slaughter and stomach ulcers. The nurse tries to take the blood from my ever so veiny hands, and all we got were slow drops. She said she would return, and then another nurse came in. She wrapped my arm with the rubber hose and was unable to find veins in my left arm. She did the same to my right arm, and she finally got a vein to pop a little in that arm. There we go. My blood was running like a small stream into the tube. One tube was filled, and I had 3 left to go. This is the first time I had actually watched this happen. I'll regret this later.
Once we got about a third through the third tube, I started to feel like my lunch was going to come up on two very nice nurses. I told them my hand hurt, and my stomach was upset. While I was telling them this, I started seeing spots everywhere. All of a sudden, I broke out in the worst sweat I could ever imagine. I'm a sweaty person, but this was like I had worked out full force for an hour. My head started wobbling, and my already pastey Irish face was getting whiter. The nurse yoinked my glasses off my face and helped me put my head down on the table. Had that table not been there, I'd have been eating some nice hospital floor.
They finished taking my blood, and I could hear another nurse talking saying she had heard the small commotion and brought me 2 OJ cups and a Pepsi. I was still pretty disoriented at this time, and I felt one of the nurses wiping my head and neck off while the other scooted the OJ cup under my arm. I had a momentary thought of being Madison lapping up my OJ out of a bowl. Yes, I actually thought for a second that I was a dog. Then the nurses made sure I drank the entire OJ cup, and I started feeling better. It was the longest 10 minutes I'd felt in a while.
I had to finish filling out some forms to claim my whopping $25. The older nurse was trying to get me to laugh saying how I told her that my veins were easy to find. I looked at her and said, "I definitely earned my money today." And that I did. I sat there for a few minutes, and both nurses were talking to me. Asking what my major was in school, etc. just to make sure I wasn't going to pass out in the middle of the hospital. I then chugged the second OJ cup, and I asked if I could walk around. My feet felt like they weren't there, but I had no problems walking. I needed to get the sugar distributed to the rest of my body, and I figured at least standing or walking was how it was going to happen. So, there I was, $25 in my pocket, and a nice story to tell.
As I left the hospital, I decided I should probably call my mother just in case something happened on my way back to my car. I could just imagine passing out in the middle of Michigan St. only to either be taunted by other students or run over by the many ambulances or dump trucks that are on campus.
I made it to my car with my Mom on the phone. I then opened the box of Soft Batch cookies I had bought myself. I began eating a few of those, and I decided I should probably drink this Pepsi. I sat in my car for about 15 minutes to make sure I was able to drive. I promised my Mom that I would call her when I reached the Holy Cross Community (about halfway from our apartment and school). I called her to tell her I was fine and where I was. When I got about 6 blocks from home, I see Adam driving home from work. We reached a red light, and I told him to make sure I got home okay. So, I followed him home, and here I am. I have 1 page left of my essay, and now I'm in dire need of a nap. I'm sure Jaeger will give me some snugglin's. :)
posted by Coatcheck Girl @ 11/09/2005 03:07:00 PM
1 Comments:
At 09 November, 2005 17:45,
Coatcheck Girl said…
I have to admit, I was pretty embarassed. I've only blacked out once from having my blood drawn, and it definitely wasn't during the procedure.
I have tendencies to over-prepare for little things. Big things, I'm usually unprepared. :/
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