I do have to admit - this above 60 degree weather in November up here is...not reassuring.

I'm the same way, Hil - I would much rather watch it go in. Control thing maybe, or I don't know what. It does seem to freak some blood drive people out though.

I hope the discussion sunk in a bit, msbelle. I was actually talking to my friend about this last night. I have Guilt over not giving blood, ever . However, for a lot of the last 15 years, I've been ineligible off and on because of places I've visited, so it's been a convenient excuse. (Hey, Bhutan should knock me out of the running again, right??) While I'm good with watching the actual stick, and with blood tests, am mildly fascinated by how the vials fill, within an hour after, I get cramps, woozy, lightheaded and a headache. Never in proportion to the amount given. I'm not rationally afraid of it, but the lizardbrain apparently finds it traumatic.

Up until recently, I've always looked away when the needle went it. But then I decided to experiment and see if I could actually watch it go in. That turned out OK, so now I always watch.

Drawing blood for tests is still weird for me - when they remove the rubber tube and the blood seems to gush into the tube thing all by itself is disconcerting. But when they're drawing a dozen tubes worth of blood, I feel I have to watch, so I can see the progress being made.

I think the thing that freaks me out the most is the thought of "what if something were to happen while the needle is in me?" Like, I dunno, I fall down or someone bumps into me. It's just the weird feeling of being incredibly vulnerable....

I've stabbed myself enough with MK's needles, the what-ifs of accidents don't ping me. ANd neither do the accidental sticks. Brains=weird.

I've had 9 shots in the past two months, mostly for my trip to Senegal in December. It's a good thing needles don't bother me much.

ETA: Happy Birthday, Sumi!

Happy birthday, Sumi!

Needles don't bother me at all. I watch when doctors or nurses have to stick me, and I watch when I get tattoos.

I don't like shots, they hurt, but getting blood drown breaks me. I have to be lying down when they do it or I will faint.

Oh, heh. One of my co-workers is going to Haiti in December for an annual mission/work trip with her church. She was explaining to us some confusion going on with her doctor and said loudly, just as one of those classic hushes falls "And I got it all worked out with my doctor and I do have Hepatitis B!"

Of course, she meant that yes, she had previously had the vaccination. But the look on her face.

I think I need to redo my hepB shots. When I got it first, I think I missed the booster. I hope all else is current. A quick review of the cdc indicates this is likely. I still have my little yellow cards!