I learned to aggressively quiz anyone who approached me for blood. I
required the phlebotomist.
I remember being told once there was none and it would cost more. I
also remember telling someone they had " one stick" and no more. I
was already in the most wretched pain from TM and paralyzed,
but promised to strike anyone who stuck me more than once
unsuccessfully. When I was transferred from one hospital to another
they left my IV in and the second hospital said the line had gone dry
and that they had to do it again.
I developed a blood clot because hospital # 2 took weeks to get my
leg machine ( hospital # 1
brought in machines that they put in the bed to move my paralyzed
legs) and so spent 9 months
on blood thinners and getting stuck. horrific.
My one childhood nightmare was being held by my mother while monsters
in white coats sucked blood from my neck. This was real life,
interpreted through vampire movies. They took blood from
my jugular because they couldn't get it elsewhere. I have no clue
what merited that or what was wrong with me.... I was only
hospitalized to have my tonsils removed.... and maybe this wasn't
even a hospitalization, but the trauma made me a very activist
patient.
Just to say--- I hear you.
Akua
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