As many of you probably know, the last time I went to get my blood drawn (two months ago), I fainted in the doctor's office. I was probably out for about a minute, woke up, was very queasy, and nearly passed out again. So, naturally, I was pretty worried when I went in to get another test done today.
**For those of you who don't know, I've just recently started taking Accutane for my acne. Since Accutane is a very powerful drug, and especially harmful to unborn babies within the first 1-3 weeks of conception, and since I'm capable of getting pregnant, I have to get a pregnancy test done once a month, to make sure I'm still not pregnant. The reason why it has to be done through blood tests is because they're also testing my liver and my lipid levels, to make sure it's still safe for me to be taking Accutane.**
I woke up this morning around 9:45. That is quite early for me to wake up on a day that I am not working in the morning, but I knew that the sooner I got it over with the better. I was required to be fasting too, and know that if my blood sugar levels get too low, I pass out. So that along with my fear of needles is not a very nice combination.
I finally left the house with my dad around 10:45, with a shout from Kate to "Buck up!". My dad had agreed to come with me a few nights earlier just in case I did faint again, and to drive me home. I was really glad he was coming along.
In the car I looked at my lab sheet, and asked him about the various tests that were on there. I'm a very curious person, and wanted to know what all of them meant. Only two tests had check marks by it, the liver and lipid test, but I wanted to know about all the other tests. I was amazed at how much my dad knew! He majored in Anatomy and Physiology at BYU about 20 years ago, and was still so sharp! Really impressive. Anyways...
We arrived at the lab and seeing the familiar waiting room, and even being able to look into the room I passed out in last time, made me start to feel queasy. But I just took a deep breath and handed my lab sheet and insurance card to the receptionist. After she typed all my information into the computer, I told her about my experience last time, and she nodded that they would have me lie down before they drew the blood.
I went into the waiting room and sat next to my dad. There was a very loud clock in the waiting room that ticked each and every second that went by with a loud "Tick-tock-tick-tock." Ugh! It was aggravating!! It was like it was counting down the seconds of my life before I had to go into that room and let them stick that needle into my arm and pass out again! I tried to calm myself down and tune it out. I stared at magazines, and watched my dad work on a powerpoint presentation. About five minutes later the receptionist, who turned out to also be the phlebotomist, called my name.
She led me into a back room and had me lay down on the bed there. It was a bed you see in any typical doctor room. I smiled, trying to hide the fear, and laid down. She put the blood drawing stuff on a small counter next to the bed and began prepping everything. She looked over at me and said: "Breathe deep. It'll be okay," and I realized that I was taking breaths pretty rapidly. I slowed down my breathing and took deeper breaths, and immediately felt calmer.
"So is it getting warm outside?" she asked me, tying a tourniquet on my right arm.
"Yeah, it's getting warmer," I replied, still taking deep breaths.
"That's good. Any big plans today?"
"Just going to work."
"What do you do for work?" she asked, doing more prep work with the tiny instruments.
" I'm a lifeguard at the Kroc Center."
"Oh okay! That's fun!" and she proceeded to ask me questions about the Kroc Center.
She kept talking to me and I felt the needle poke through my skin. But it really didn't hurt that much. Just a little poke, and I already knew what it would feel like so it wasn't quite as traumatic. About five seconds later she withdrew the needle and vile and had me hold a gauze over the small puncture wound, and then grabbed some tape to stick over the gauze. I felt the queasiness start to come over me but just kept on breathing deeply.
Then, it was so funny, the receptionist from last time, the one who had caught me before I fell out of my seat and to the floor, came and stood in the doorway. She's actually a lab technician there. She looked at me, laughter in her eyes, and gave me a big smile.
"Hello!" I laughed when I saw her. "Remember me?"
She gave a big nod and a small chuckle escaped from her lips. "Oh yes," she replied.
I laughed again. "Anyone fainted since me?"
"Probably."
The phlebotomist then reminded her of a man who had passed out just the week before, and they both laughed a little. They're so used to blood, that I guess it is pretty funny to them that anyone would get queasy over it at all anymore.
I laid on the bed for a couple minutes more while they both watched me, and then the phlebotomist told me that if I was feeling okay, I could get up slowly. I did so and then walked out of the room, to the waiting room, and then out to the car with my dad, no problems at all.
So yay!! I didn't pass out!! That fact doesn't make me look anymore forward to next month when I'll have to get my blood drawn AGAIN, but at least it gives me hope that my fainting days are over. I don't think I'll be donating blood anytime soon, but hey, at least I can handle giving a small vile of it now!
Well, thanks for reading. I'd like to say sorry that it wasn't so exciting this time around, but then again I'm not really sorry about that. The less exciting the better, don't you think?
**For those of you who don't know, I've just recently started taking Accutane for my acne. Since Accutane is a very powerful drug, and especially harmful to unborn babies within the first 1-3 weeks of conception, and since I'm capable of getting pregnant, I have to get a pregnancy test done once a month, to make sure I'm still not pregnant. The reason why it has to be done through blood tests is because they're also testing my liver and my lipid levels, to make sure it's still safe for me to be taking Accutane.**
I woke up this morning around 9:45. That is quite early for me to wake up on a day that I am not working in the morning, but I knew that the sooner I got it over with the better. I was required to be fasting too, and know that if my blood sugar levels get too low, I pass out. So that along with my fear of needles is not a very nice combination.
I finally left the house with my dad around 10:45, with a shout from Kate to "Buck up!". My dad had agreed to come with me a few nights earlier just in case I did faint again, and to drive me home. I was really glad he was coming along.
In the car I looked at my lab sheet, and asked him about the various tests that were on there. I'm a very curious person, and wanted to know what all of them meant. Only two tests had check marks by it, the liver and lipid test, but I wanted to know about all the other tests. I was amazed at how much my dad knew! He majored in Anatomy and Physiology at BYU about 20 years ago, and was still so sharp! Really impressive. Anyways...
We arrived at the lab and seeing the familiar waiting room, and even being able to look into the room I passed out in last time, made me start to feel queasy. But I just took a deep breath and handed my lab sheet and insurance card to the receptionist. After she typed all my information into the computer, I told her about my experience last time, and she nodded that they would have me lie down before they drew the blood.
I went into the waiting room and sat next to my dad. There was a very loud clock in the waiting room that ticked each and every second that went by with a loud "Tick-tock-tick-tock." Ugh! It was aggravating!! It was like it was counting down the seconds of my life before I had to go into that room and let them stick that needle into my arm and pass out again! I tried to calm myself down and tune it out. I stared at magazines, and watched my dad work on a powerpoint presentation. About five minutes later the receptionist, who turned out to also be the phlebotomist, called my name.
She led me into a back room and had me lay down on the bed there. It was a bed you see in any typical doctor room. I smiled, trying to hide the fear, and laid down. She put the blood drawing stuff on a small counter next to the bed and began prepping everything. She looked over at me and said: "Breathe deep. It'll be okay," and I realized that I was taking breaths pretty rapidly. I slowed down my breathing and took deeper breaths, and immediately felt calmer.
"So is it getting warm outside?" she asked me, tying a tourniquet on my right arm.
"Yeah, it's getting warmer," I replied, still taking deep breaths.
"That's good. Any big plans today?"
"Just going to work."
"What do you do for work?" she asked, doing more prep work with the tiny instruments.
" I'm a lifeguard at the Kroc Center."
"Oh okay! That's fun!" and she proceeded to ask me questions about the Kroc Center.
She kept talking to me and I felt the needle poke through my skin. But it really didn't hurt that much. Just a little poke, and I already knew what it would feel like so it wasn't quite as traumatic. About five seconds later she withdrew the needle and vile and had me hold a gauze over the small puncture wound, and then grabbed some tape to stick over the gauze. I felt the queasiness start to come over me but just kept on breathing deeply.
Then, it was so funny, the receptionist from last time, the one who had caught me before I fell out of my seat and to the floor, came and stood in the doorway. She's actually a lab technician there. She looked at me, laughter in her eyes, and gave me a big smile.
"Hello!" I laughed when I saw her. "Remember me?"
She gave a big nod and a small chuckle escaped from her lips. "Oh yes," she replied.
I laughed again. "Anyone fainted since me?"
"Probably."
The phlebotomist then reminded her of a man who had passed out just the week before, and they both laughed a little. They're so used to blood, that I guess it is pretty funny to them that anyone would get queasy over it at all anymore.
I laid on the bed for a couple minutes more while they both watched me, and then the phlebotomist told me that if I was feeling okay, I could get up slowly. I did so and then walked out of the room, to the waiting room, and then out to the car with my dad, no problems at all.
So yay!! I didn't pass out!! That fact doesn't make me look anymore forward to next month when I'll have to get my blood drawn AGAIN, but at least it gives me hope that my fainting days are over. I don't think I'll be donating blood anytime soon, but hey, at least I can handle giving a small vile of it now!
Well, thanks for reading. I'd like to say sorry that it wasn't so exciting this time around, but then again I'm not really sorry about that. The less exciting the better, don't you think?
