Valis: scrambled

[valis2]

I went to Husband's place of employment this morning because of our annual health thing for the insurance company. They take some measurements and a blood sample. We have to fast for at least 12 hours before.

So yeah, no cereal & chai this morning. Woe.

The nurse was a bit weird. She asked me who was in charge of the appointments, and I told her who I thought might be in charge, but I added that I didn't work there. Then she couldn't get her stethoscope to work. Then she asked me if I'd had a mastectomy, only she pronounced it "massectomy" and I got really confused but figured it out.

Last year I did fine with the blood-drawing. This time, though, I felt weird before I even got there. A little dizzy when I got out of the tub. Well, the nurse only needed half the amount needed last time, but she had barely gotten it when suddenly I got the overwhelming feeling that I was going to pass out. The nurse last year talked during the draw about putting miles on her car, which was a nice distracting conversation. This nurse, however, talked about how she should have been a vampire and kept talking about how good she was at it. I mean, she was, but she kept referring to it so I guess it made me a little woozy. Then after I got faint she asked if I had been watching it--and I hadn't, actually, because I had already been feeling strange.

Then she asked me how long I had worked there, and hello, I already said I didn't work there. grah. Anyway, she took the measurements and was just a little bizarre and boy was I glad to get out of there.

However, just like last year, I'm feeling really out of it. Just...off. I feel kind of stupid and light-headed and just a wee bit out of breath. I'm such a wimp about stuff like this, lol.

I also realized that this morning I accidentally posted the Riptide fic to my journal instead of the Riptide comm. *headdesk*

So I ended up just leaving work early because I felt weird and out of it and I was afraid I'd do something else stupid. lol.

Comments

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

:(

I get like that from bloodwork. Except I usually end up yelping, even with warning. It's incredibly embarrassing and I always warn the nurse that I'll prolly do that.

Are you anaemic? I'm borderline, and I've had that happen before at times due to fasting and getting blood drawn.

*hugs*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

You know, as long as the nurse is quick and relatively steady, I have no probs. I have nice veins for it and everything.

But I have a very finite length of time for this stuff. Blood pressure, tourniquet, drawing--it has to go quickly or I start to get faint. And this nurse liked to blather. She also was totally contemptuous of the tourniquet. WTF? She was rolling her eyes because "they make me use a tourniquet."

I don't know. I think she was a little crazy. ;)

And I have no idea if I'm anaemic! That would be something to ask at my physical. Good call!!

*hugs*

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

I am just baaad with needles. Shots, blood drawing, whatever... I get woozy. I am sorry this happened to you!

I always tell the phlebotomist or nurse that I need to lie down on a table before I get my shot. First thing. They are always willing to get me to a place where I can lie down and sometimes they have gotten me an apple juice after if I look pale.

I would have felt faint with this nurse too... some people just aren't good with it. So ask about anemia too, but also tell people in the future before you have your blood drawn that you need to lie down. It has really helped me during those times and gets it over faster. Or it seems to, because I'm not sitting in a chair counting the seconds.

Re: *hugs*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

She was actually fantastic with the procedure, I barely felt it. However, she kept talking about it, and kept looking at me, and her face was next to the drawing of the blood, and I kept looking at her. Also, she took waaay too long with the blood pressure thing--and did it twice, omg--and took my pulse--and with too much of that stuff, I start to get faint. Most people do it quickly and I'm totally fine. grah!

I've only ever fainted once before, and that was because I didn't eat afterwards, and I was young and foolish. This is the first time in years that I've actually had an issue. blergle. Next time I'll try to stick to my guns and talk about something else.

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

It seems like quite a few people who draw blood talk about it like that. I prefer people to just talk to be with out the vampire jokes...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I actually used to know someone who did it for a living, and she HATED vampire comments. She was so sick of them, seriously.

[lady-branwyn.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have heard the pronunciation "massectomy" before. Maybe it's a Clevelandism? :D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

You have?

Actually, Husband was uncertain about it, so then I got freaked out and had to look it up, and my little dictionary didn't have it listed, but on one of the online dictionaries it did show the pronunciation as ma stek tomy. I might be wrong, though--English is such a strange language!

[hardboiledbaby]

English is such a strange language!
True, but I think it's the speakers that are stranger than the language ;)

Sadly, my veins are small and tend to be coy and roll; I don't mind so much if they strike oil on the first try, but when they fish around, I start to break out in a sweat. I won't tell my squicky "Raiders of the Lost Vein" story, but I can totally sympathize with you about being handled by someone who didn't seem quite "on" it. Hope you're feeling better, sweetie.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

What is that famous line--that English takes other languages into dark alleys and mugs them and steals their pocket change? lol.

She really was excellent at her craft--I barely felt it, but her poor conversational choice was what really made me feel faint. *shivers*

And it sounds like you do have some horror stories. I'm so sorry! I've always been lucky about getting blood drawn--it's always been on the first try.

[jaelle-n-gilla.livejournal.com]

No food and then giving blood will make most people queasy. I hope oyu are feeling better by now. Get you blood sugar up and treat yourself to something nice. Hot chocolate and fresh air for example :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hee! Oh yes, I had a nice chocolate snack when I got home from work. *nodnod* :) *hugs*

[aramintasnape.livejournal.com]

I hate blood tests too. I always tell the person taking the blood that I'm likely to feel faint and then I just chat away to them about any old thing during the process. It usually works and I get out of there without feeling dizzy.

Sorry you had a bad time of it :( Hope you are feeling better now!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, I feel much better now! Last year it took a couple days before I felt like myself again, but this time it wasn't so bad. *nodnod*