Don't Pass.........Out

If I close my eyes and think, I can remember the day that my bad relationship with needles began. I had just started working at the blood bank. I hadn't even been there a month. The blood supply was critically low. Like really bad. At the time I had no idea how bad it really was, and looking back and knowing what I know now, I realize that it was panic, crisis time bad. The situation prompted me to sacrifice myself on the chair of blood donation. I decided to go and donate blood for the first time right around mid December 2003. It was earlier in the day. I hadn't eaten anything, and all I'd had to drink was coffee. Smart girl.........not.
I passed the 'mini physical', my iron checked out great (it always has), I weighed enough, and got through the whole list of questions (some of them very personal), and was ushered out to the waiting area. From there I was taken to one of the bed/chair thingys, and poked with a gigantic needle. I had never seen such a huge needle in my life! I considered asking if they had run out of regular human type needles and had to borrow some from the veteranerian, and all they had left was horse needles! And still, I did OK. Just for a little while. I started feeling all shaky, and gross, sweaty, a little naseous, and then really tired ---- and then I was out.
WHEW!!!!! What on earth?! Something smelled alarmingly terrible! Right in the middle of my nice nap too! I woke up with towels on my head and stomach and a whole bunch of the nurses around me. I was fine. But after that, me and needles, well, we just don't like eachother.
Now, that experience was bad, but not because I had a bad stick, or any of the people did a bad job. It was just too much to expect to get a pint out of someone who hasn't properly hydrated and nourished themselves. And no matter what now, I have a hard time having my blood drawn.
I have doubted the wisdom in taking a phlebotomy course. Can I do it? Can I really stick someone else? Can I handle having unexperienced puncture novices weilding needles and stabbing my tender flesh? Hhhmmmm... But what do I want to be when I grow up? A scientist. Clinical Laboratory Scientist. And can I go to school for four years, full time, and we're not talking about kindergarten courses here. Can I keep up with that, take care of my house, take care of my kids, help them with their school, and work too? Maybe. Maybe, but I don't know if there will be anything left of me when I am done. Or what about my kids? They're small now, but they will be grown and gone in the blink of my eyes. How much can I afford to miss? The answer is nothing. Not a day. They're my babies. I am going to raise them. Me and their Daddy. We're going to change all of the diapers, and take care of their scrapes, and do their homework with them. Even if it means we have to work alternate shifts. That means that I can't handle taking on that kind of course in it's entirety right now. But I can take the phlebotomy course and start myself out down at the bottom of the ladder. I can take a look at the job I really think I want to do, and see exactly where I want to take it. And once I get a feel for things I can start up some of the classes that I will need. It will probably take me a long time to get where I want to go, and maybe I won't end up going in that direction at all. Regardless, I think that this will be a good skill to have.
That leaves me in a class with.....needles. I have had to do some practical thinking and pep talking with myself. I have been nervous. Not about the book work. I know I'll get through that. Tests make me nervous, but study takes care of that. So, book work and tests are one thing, but the hands on stuff is another thing. I can do the book stuff, I can answer all the questions about the veins, the venipuncture, and the tubes, but can I find the vein on the person, puncture that vein, and fill those tubes?
I am finding out. On Friday we did the finger sticks. I wondered if I would do OK with that, and I did just fine. Both with sticking someone, and letting them stick me. Today we practiced venipuncture on the back of the hand. I made it through today too, and not too bad if I don't say so! Tomorrow we will practice again with a bigger needle and in the arm. We'll see how that goes.......
So far God has been good to me! I know that He is helping me, because this is just not me, to be fine with having my blood drawn!
Oohhh, and I also took my first test today, the Basic Final, and passed with a good score! Exciting! Now I'll have to get through the advanced final, and the National Exam!