I much prefer the hospital techs to the clinic techs. The clinic gets all the new graduates, and the hospital has the folks who have been doing IVs at 2AM on unhappy patients for years.

Phlebotomists are the best. Not that I've ever had a problem. I even have a great big freckle that could be labeled "needle goes here" they should rent me out to teaching hospitals.

Beverly, I love when I find someone like that, but it is rare. The hematologist's office is pretty good, but I think women I was dealing with today were nurses, not phelobomists, so that was part of the problem. They looked scared of me.

I don't know if these are lisenced phlebotomists or not, but all they do is draw and test blood. I guess practice on all types of veins helps one's technique.

actually they go through a lot of training -that's why you want one

I have better luck with nurses than phlebotomists. They send in the nurses that get IVs on babies, because that's how small my veins are. There are a few that have tricks, like going for my fingers, which hurts like a bitch and tends to infiltrate, but it's better than nothing.

Also, don't phlebotomists just have to get blood out? It's different when you have to get stuff in, especially if it's over a period of time.

I just really like the nurses that get all "I'm not going to let you beat me!" and will stick me over and over again. Sometimes it takes 9 tries. It's simpler if it's the same person. I don't even begrudge them if they have to take a break. Sometimes it takes half an hour or more to get the line.

And the ones that know how to use the ultrasound to find deep veins are extra special.

So, yeah, I ask for specific nurses by name.

actually they go through a lot of training -that's why you want one

Yep. For a while, my parents tried to convince me that I wanted to go to school to be a phlebotomist. Partially because between Mom's illness and Dad's monthly blood donations, they'd dealt with a lot of bad needle-wielders; partially because, as my Dad said, i"You get to work with blood all day! What could be more Goth than that?"

(I was ... 12 or 13 when we had that talk. Truefax.)

Jilli's parents ftw!

the energy-improvementing has being begun on my house! i was kinda doing and "insulate and post" on facebook but then i moved into the bedroom to keep the kitties company while the insulation blowing guys are working on the outside of the bedroom walls. Nico is so frackin miserable, he burrowed under the duvet when the work started around 9 am and has refused to be budged since then. he's a hot little wad of miserable fur on top of my soft winter sheet, under a feather duvet. he's so sweaty he feels out and out wet when when i reach under the cover to pet him (attention that is not at all well received). Mal is thrilled i've joined them in their penitentiary as Nico is clearly NOT being a fun companion. Nico hasn't done this hiding in the bed thing since his serious depressive state after moving to Portland but before i adopted Mal to keep him company. Companionship is not helping the trauma today. Mal is not happy about being shut inside the bedroom, but is taking this opportunity to alternate btween staring at me with an expression of dismay and horror, then flopping onto my legs and purring, so at least my presence is having some beneficial effect.

I had to go out for a few hours and run errands, the insulation is really stinky! they're pulling a run of vinyvl siding off the outside of the house and then punching holes about every foot horizontally across the outside of the house to blow in insulation. It's a creepy looking process. Apparently there is lead paint under the siding, so now there's biohazard tape roping off my yard and everyone's covered head to foot in tyvek and gas masks. Thankfully they covered my blueberry bushes well before starting.

Insulation~ma, erin.

I hope you have easy answers soon, sj.

They send in the nurses that get IVs on babies

I ask for the butterfly needle thingie and tell them they are more than welcome to needlelessly poke and prod and make me do stuff for as long as they want buy my needle phobia means they should get it on the first or second actual try. I also explain that I won't actually pass out but I understand they'll worry anyway. Then I bruise spectacularly.

Blood draws are not my favorite.