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.

Yes, butterfly needles are a definite, and I am so bruised at the moment that it looks like I got beat up.

My best luck has always been with phlebotomists, although the infusion nurses are very good. There are a couple of people where I normally get blood tests who are excellent and one or two I avoid, because they don't believe me when I say "Use the smallest needle."

::runs away from disturbing blood talk::

all this talk of needles reminds me that my workplace is FINALLY sponsoring a blood drive (like they've been promising for over a year) and the date is....next week. I just gave blood in December so i can't again so soon. I still have a visible mark from last time and the lingering ick that resulted from the lowered immunity. *sadface* i wish i could share my veins with ya'll who suffer the woes. Like Laga, i have been blessed with with lovely, easily accessible veins that are clearly visible from feet away. Which doesn't mean that the Dr who had to put in an emergency iv that one time didn't cause misery and suffering....never EVER let your GP stick you. I think it must have been over a decade since she last had to put in an IV line during residency or something, because it was a pretty terrible experience. I was afraid of needles for years afterwards, until i started going to KP and their phlebotomists who were so frigging awesome i could look away and not even know the needle was in.

I'm trying to get a blood drive going with the roller derby team.

I'm trying to get a blood drive going with the roller derby team.

My first reaction to this was to picture someone at a roller derby game with a bucket....

::runs away from disturbing blood talk::

I'm sorry, quester! I didn't mean to start a whole thing.

I sometimes have to deal with a nurse who is not used to looking for veins in people of color, and tries to blame me. I have beautiful veins. Please do not stick me somewhere uncomfortable because you are embarrassed to ask for more light or whatever.

I'm so fucking high yella it should be obvious. But you really can't see veins on my arms. It's kind of creepy. Unless you're putting a line in my neck (which I like, because it almost always works first time, but it can only be done by a doctor, so they're hesitant) it requires lots of cutting off of circulation, smacking, re-angling of the light, heat packs, etc.

I'm considering getting a port put in, but...I don't know. I waffle.

I waffle.

It's better than pancaking, I imagine.