Ugh, how I hate needles! I got a cortisone shot in my bad ankle that had me limping for days and didn’t do anything else (oddly enough, oral prednisone has been really helpful). My doctor suggested a shot for my hip and I almost threw up at the thought. But the pre-surgery blood draw went well, with only a brief dizzy spell when I stood up – fasting and I don’t get along very well. Only a week of panic about the surgery! And then another of terror while I wait for the biopsy results…
KathleenB
10 years ago
Kittehs: I had a draw from my bicep once, which was cool. I’ve also had one (several, actually) pulled from an IV… hells, I don’t know the right word, the thing that stays in the vein, but before the IV itself was hooked up. I adored the nurses who did that, they were awesome. And they gave me morphine and xanax!
marinerachel
10 years ago
Needles are funny (not haha but hmmmm) because they might hurt. They might hurt a lot! They also might not hurt at all though. It’s dependent on where they’re being stuck and who’s sticking you and what they’re pumping into you and how much of it there is.
It took me to twenty to get over my irrational fear of needles. Now I consider my fear rational. They might hurt but they might not and if I’m getting them it’s because I need them so I just have to deal. Lots of anxiety prior to but the vast majority of the time the pain is well within the bounds of tolerable. Prior to twenty though I became hysterical at the mere thought of being poked with a needle. Now I get $20 and free juice and cookies for getting poked with needles in clinical trials!
It’s funny how different one experience of being poked with a needle can differ from another. Cortisone into the plantar fascia: the injection was painless. The needle was worse than giving birth. Novocaine into the calf: the needle was painless. I literally cried out from the injection though. Gardasil into the deltoid: needle painless, injection BURNS enough to cause syncope. Depo Provera into the gluteus medius: don’t feel a goddamn thing from the needle or the injection if it’s done by someone with great hands. If it’s done by someone less skilled you may feel a poke. If the injection presses against a nerve your arms goes numb.
I’ve had blood work done twice in the last two weeks. Neither needle hurt significantly. Both technicians had good hands. The second was very, very good though. The first girl though probably went too far and hit the wall of the vessel so blood came very, very slowly. Didn’t really hurt or anything and she got the samples so good work. It was just tricky. I was left with the most badass bruise evar. It’s just clearing up now. I showed the bruise to the tech who took my blood last week just to say “Sorry, this vein’s not available” which I was sorry about because it’s my good vein. She found a vein on my right arm no problem though and took blood with a butterfly needle (those are what we use on infants) to ensure a lack of bruising. Hardly felt the poke. The blood came easy, fast. There was no bleeding afterward either. She also taught me “apply pressure” doesn’t actually mean “push”. It just means “put the weight of your index finger on it”. Actually pushing at all results in bruising. The More You Know, right?
Kathleen B – yeah, I know the thingy you mean, don’t know the term for it, either.
I’ve never had morphine but I did have, what’s it’s name, powerful painkiller, start with P … damn CRS* syndrome … anyways this was when I was passing very fine kidney stuff (more like sand than stones, it was so fine it hardly showed on x-rays) and was doubled up with pain. Well, after a shot of that stuff I walked home from the doctor’s, and that’s as close as I’ve ever been to being high.
Cortisone into the plantar fascia: the injection was painless. The needle was worse than giving birth.
A NEEDLE IN THE SOLE AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I had papilomas, one on each foot, ball and heel, when I was in my teens. Felt like the doctor was shoving that needle all the way up my leg. Then he burnt the papilomas out and I could see SMOKE coming from my foot.
It’s funny how different one experience of being poked with a needle can differ from another. Cortisone into the plantar fascia: the injection was painless. The needle was worse than giving birth. Novocaine into the calf: the needle was painless. I literally cried out from the injection though. Gardasil into the deltoid: needle painless, injection BURNS enough to cause syncope. Depo Provera into the gluteus medius: don’t feel a goddamn thing from the needle or the injection if it’s done by someone with great hands. If it’s done by someone less skilled you may feel a poke. If the injection presses against a nerve your arms goes numb.
Oh my God, you’re a connoisseur. Also, aaaaugh.
Kathleen: Your cortisone didn’t work? Eesh. I hope they didn’t have to repeat it just to be sure. My rheumatologist told me sometimes they have to do it twice.
Howard Bannister
10 years ago
I’m a Big Tough Dude who handles squeamish stuff on the regular; I have to look away when they take my blood.
Actually, I can look at the blood when it’s leaving my arm in the tube. That part’s okay. It’s that second just before the needle goes in, when it’s hovering over my arm. The anticipation. That’s the very worst part.
fromafar2013
10 years ago
I am bleeding to death but I’m drunk on whiskey and beer and covered in cats, so it’s all good. Lol.
SCOTUS is turning me into an alcoholic. I’ve not been sober since the ruling. Even worked from home today to compensate. I’m still fucking mad, and I’m bleeding to death. Fuck stage 4 endometriosis. Fuck. Thank the gods my employers aren’t über religious assholes.
in other news, I have a new coworker. Cis het white dude in IT. I am disappoint. Couldn’t at least find a black dude? Comeon!? Most of us are women, but the higher ups are All old white dudes. I like them as people, but I am super disappointed that the white guy who quit is being replaced by his fucking clone.
fromafar2013
10 years ago
…aaaaand now I have the hiccups. Like the classic ‘you’ve been drinking too much!’ variety. Yeah… I should probably take an antacid and go to bed.
@fromafar, I’m not even American, and the SCOTUS is wreaking havoc with my equilibrium too. What in the fuck are they thinking? How can they be so wrong and evil?
I just found out that my dad is in the ER. Holy fuck. I don’t know how to process this.
Argenti Aertheri
10 years ago
Oh, not those kind of hiccups! Before I take away your booze, whatcha drinking?
Last blood draw I had done was the IV type thing, and goddamn is it preferable to having the needle move when each vial is switched out. I think the fewest vials I’ve had done that I can remember was 3. That’s the needle in, one move when the first one comes off, another when #2 goes on, and when it comes off, and when 3 goes on…AUUURGGGHHH!
And I have neon obvious veins, there’s no reason to use the big needles, you’ll get plenty of blood just fine with any size (and seeing how my BP is in the “you’re not faint or anything?” range, I somehow doubt a larger gauge helps the flow)
1) keep breathing, and keep taking care of yourself.
2) remember that he has been an abuser for your whole lifetime.
3) keep in mind that his first instinct is likely to be to use the emergency to put you back in your place.
4) keep breathing and keep taking care of yourself.
Argenti Aertheri
10 years ago
Ally — you don’t, not until you know why and the potential outcomes. I clearly remember getting the call from my mother that my father was in the ER and cycling between “good, asshole deserves whatever it is” and “you jerk, he’s your father”. Turns out he’d drunk his pancreas inflamed and would be fine. At which point I went back to not giving a damn since I certainly wasn’t going to feel bad that he was in pain because he’s a drunk.
Point here is just try to stay calm and not go all emotional cycling until you have details.
Argenti Aertheri
10 years ago
Yeah and don’t let him do #3 there, I was in my “HA 500 miles away from you, asshole!” stage at that point.
Okay, it turns out he’s doing better now, although he seems to be undergoing some kind of treatment currently. I’m just really confused and upset right now.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Ally, what everyone said.
My first thought is “It’s a trap” – stay away.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Just stick with remembering he’s an abuser and no medical treatment is going to change that. He’s not going to magically become a decent person who realises what he’s done and is reformed.
He’s also not exactly short of family members to do anything for him, so keep yourself safely isolated.
I feel really unsettled right now. I don’t know what to think. I’m scared of the possibility that I’m causing him these health problems because I stress him out.
We Hunted The Mammoth
Ugh, how I hate needles! I got a cortisone shot in my bad ankle that had me limping for days and didn’t do anything else (oddly enough, oral prednisone has been really helpful). My doctor suggested a shot for my hip and I almost threw up at the thought. But the pre-surgery blood draw went well, with only a brief dizzy spell when I stood up – fasting and I don’t get along very well. Only a week of panic about the surgery! And then another of terror while I wait for the biopsy results…
Kittehs: I had a draw from my bicep once, which was cool. I’ve also had one (several, actually) pulled from an IV… hells, I don’t know the right word, the thing that stays in the vein, but before the IV itself was hooked up. I adored the nurses who did that, they were awesome. And they gave me morphine and xanax!
Needles are funny (not haha but hmmmm) because they might hurt. They might hurt a lot! They also might not hurt at all though. It’s dependent on where they’re being stuck and who’s sticking you and what they’re pumping into you and how much of it there is.
It took me to twenty to get over my irrational fear of needles. Now I consider my fear rational. They might hurt but they might not and if I’m getting them it’s because I need them so I just have to deal. Lots of anxiety prior to but the vast majority of the time the pain is well within the bounds of tolerable. Prior to twenty though I became hysterical at the mere thought of being poked with a needle. Now I get $20 and free juice and cookies for getting poked with needles in clinical trials!
It’s funny how different one experience of being poked with a needle can differ from another. Cortisone into the plantar fascia: the injection was painless. The needle was worse than giving birth. Novocaine into the calf: the needle was painless. I literally cried out from the injection though. Gardasil into the deltoid: needle painless, injection BURNS enough to cause syncope. Depo Provera into the gluteus medius: don’t feel a goddamn thing from the needle or the injection if it’s done by someone with great hands. If it’s done by someone less skilled you may feel a poke. If the injection presses against a nerve your arms goes numb.
I’ve had blood work done twice in the last two weeks. Neither needle hurt significantly. Both technicians had good hands. The second was very, very good though. The first girl though probably went too far and hit the wall of the vessel so blood came very, very slowly. Didn’t really hurt or anything and she got the samples so good work. It was just tricky. I was left with the most badass bruise evar. It’s just clearing up now. I showed the bruise to the tech who took my blood last week just to say “Sorry, this vein’s not available” which I was sorry about because it’s my good vein. She found a vein on my right arm no problem though and took blood with a butterfly needle (those are what we use on infants) to ensure a lack of bruising. Hardly felt the poke. The blood came easy, fast. There was no bleeding afterward either. She also taught me “apply pressure” doesn’t actually mean “push”. It just means “put the weight of your index finger on it”. Actually pushing at all results in bruising. The More You Know, right?
Kathleen B – yeah, I know the thingy you mean, don’t know the term for it, either.
I’ve never had morphine but I did have, what’s it’s name, powerful painkiller, start with P … damn CRS* syndrome … anyways this was when I was passing very fine kidney stuff (more like sand than stones, it was so fine it hardly showed on x-rays) and was doubled up with pain. Well, after a shot of that stuff I walked home from the doctor’s, and that’s as close as I’ve ever been to being high.
*Can’t Remember Shit
A NEEDLE IN THE SOLE AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I had papilomas, one on each foot, ball and heel, when I was in my teens. Felt like the doctor was shoving that needle all the way up my leg. Then he burnt the papilomas out and I could see SMOKE coming from my foot.
And yeah, I had to walk home.
Oh my God, you’re a connoisseur. Also, aaaaugh.
Kathleen: Your cortisone didn’t work? Eesh. I hope they didn’t have to repeat it just to be sure. My rheumatologist told me sometimes they have to do it twice.
I’m a Big Tough Dude who handles squeamish stuff on the regular; I have to look away when they take my blood.
Actually, I can look at the blood when it’s leaving my arm in the tube. That part’s okay. It’s that second just before the needle goes in, when it’s hovering over my arm. The anticipation. That’s the very worst part.
I am bleeding to death but I’m drunk on whiskey and beer and covered in cats, so it’s all good. Lol.
SCOTUS is turning me into an alcoholic. I’ve not been sober since the ruling. Even worked from home today to compensate. I’m still fucking mad, and I’m bleeding to death. Fuck stage 4 endometriosis. Fuck. Thank the gods my employers aren’t über religious assholes.
in other news, I have a new coworker. Cis het white dude in IT. I am disappoint. Couldn’t at least find a black dude? Comeon!? Most of us are women, but the higher ups are All old white dudes. I like them as people, but I am super disappointed that the white guy who quit is being replaced by his fucking clone.
…aaaaand now I have the hiccups. Like the classic ‘you’ve been drinking too much!’ variety. Yeah… I should probably take an antacid and go to bed.
@fromafar, I’m not even American, and the SCOTUS is wreaking havoc with my equilibrium too. What in the fuck are they thinking? How can they be so wrong and evil?
I just found out that my dad is in the ER. Holy fuck. I don’t know how to process this.
Oh, not those kind of hiccups! Before I take away your booze, whatcha drinking?
Last blood draw I had done was the IV type thing, and goddamn is it preferable to having the needle move when each vial is switched out. I think the fewest vials I’ve had done that I can remember was 3. That’s the needle in, one move when the first one comes off, another when #2 goes on, and when it comes off, and when 3 goes on…AUUURGGGHHH!
And I have neon obvious veins, there’s no reason to use the big needles, you’ll get plenty of blood just fine with any size (and seeing how my BP is in the “you’re not faint or anything?” range, I somehow doubt a larger gauge helps the flow)
Ally, my recommendation would be
1) keep breathing, and keep taking care of yourself.
2) remember that he has been an abuser for your whole lifetime.
3) keep in mind that his first instinct is likely to be to use the emergency to put you back in your place.
4) keep breathing and keep taking care of yourself.
Ally — you don’t, not until you know why and the potential outcomes. I clearly remember getting the call from my mother that my father was in the ER and cycling between “good, asshole deserves whatever it is” and “you jerk, he’s your father”. Turns out he’d drunk his pancreas inflamed and would be fine. At which point I went back to not giving a damn since I certainly wasn’t going to feel bad that he was in pain because he’s a drunk.
Point here is just try to stay calm and not go all emotional cycling until you have details.
Yeah and don’t let him do #3 there, I was in my “HA 500 miles away from you, asshole!” stage at that point.
Okay, it turns out he’s doing better now, although he seems to be undergoing some kind of treatment currently. I’m just really confused and upset right now.
Ally, what everyone said.
My first thought is “It’s a trap” – stay away.
Just stick with remembering he’s an abuser and no medical treatment is going to change that. He’s not going to magically become a decent person who realises what he’s done and is reformed.
He’s also not exactly short of family members to do anything for him, so keep yourself safely isolated.
I feel really unsettled right now. I don’t know what to think. I’m scared of the possibility that I’m causing him these health problems because I stress him out.
No, you’re not. His stress is all on him. Whatever is wrong with him, it’s not your fault.
No, Ally, it’s not your fault! You’re just taking care of yourself; you’re not taking care of yourself at him.
But if I stress him out, his blood pressure gets worse, and he just told me that he’s having more blood pressure problems.
I’m really sorry, i’m in a really weird venting mood right now. i’m sorry. i sound totally ridiculous.
i know i’m wrong but i can’t help but feel like i’m always responsible for things like this.
Ally, if you taking care of yourself stresses him out, you’re not the problem.