Blood tests are not fun. No one enjoys getting blood drawn, absolutely no one. From the moment you step into the lab to get your blood work drawn to the moment you leave, the experience is boring, annoying, irritating, and/or painful. Sometimes it's even embarassing. We've all been there and lived through these struggles, some more often than others, and we can relate to similar stages and feelings like:
1. The long, never ending wait before being called to the information desk.
Unless you have an appointment, it can take hours to be called. Okay, maybe not hours...but definitely half-hours.
2. The hunger struggle is real.
Why do we need to fast for so many of the tests? If I'm fasting, I don't want to wait in a room with all these people.
3. Pee-shyness.
When you're told you have to pee in a cup, but you have pee-shyness. Yes, pee-shyness is a real thing, and it's serious. Don't tell me to pee before I can be called in for my blood work. I drank four bottles of water before coming here, but once you tell me I need to pee, I just can't do it.
4. Realizing that no amount of water is enough to get the blood to come out of your veins.
Some people have the gift of veins that give blood, but not me. My veins don't give up the goods.
5. Counting how many tubes the phlebotomist (the person who is taking your blood) grabs for you to fill.
And realizing how much of your blood is about to be drawn.
6. Seeing the needle and freaking out a little bit.
7. When it feels like your circulation is being cut off by the latex tourniquet.
8. Feeling the tiny pinch when the needle breaks into your skin and hearing the phlebotomist say "No blood is coming out."
You know what this means....you're about to be poked again.
9. When the phlebotomist can't find a vein in your arm so they have to poke veins in your hand(s).
Hands hurt sooooo badly, so much worse than the arms.
10. When your blood slows down and stops coming out but you still have tubes that need to be filled.
11. Ripping off the bandaid a few minutes after your blood is drawn and watching your bruise appear.
Yes, it sounds pathetic, but ripping off the band aid hurts. And that bruise hurts even more!
