Would You Know Your Own Veins?

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Would You Know Your Own Veins?

By Kaycee Nilson
Nov. 29, 2005

I know that the veins in my own arm are spidery thin and will roll if any lab technician tries to use a regulation-sized needle to draw blood out of my arm. I carefully tell each tech to use a butterfly needle and I even point out which vein to use in order to garner the blood for the draw that the doctor has ordered.

But do they believe me? No way Jose! I get stubborn lab technicians that will say that they know what they are doing. So I end up with the rubber tie-up being slapped on my upper arm and the tech is slapping as hard as they can on my inner elbow and screeching at me like a baby pterodactyl to pump my fist to get my veins up to the surface. The result? A regular sized needled jammed inside my elbow and then the tech goes “fishing” around for the vein and mashing the needle with the other hand.

Not only does this cause great pain to me, but it ends up leaving terrible bruising that makes me look like I have track marks. I try to joke with the tech saying that it’s a good thing I have never done IV Drugs. But after enduring this pain for 2 to 3 minutes I finally scream. That normally makes them stop. Finally they take my advice and get the blood they need for the test.

What bothers me the most is their demeanor. You know the type, “I’ve been doing this type of job for a long time so I know what I’m doing.” Well I’m sorry to the world of Lab Techs out there, but when a patient tells you if they have special veins, you should listen. At the advanced age of 37, I know what works in my lab tests and what doesn’t.

I urge each of you to keep in your own mind which needle brings the best blood up and into the tubes for the blood draws. Because, as I sit here at my own computer and write this column, I have both arms bruised from many pickings by needles by different lab techs that wouldn’t listen to me over what works best with my veins. You have to practically fight the tech, but believe me, fighting the tech is better than having an over-sized needle jammed into your arm and having it dug around in the hopes of finding a vein for the needle to hit.

One of these days, I’m just going to walk into the laboratory myself and do my own blood draw. What are they going to do to me? Arrest me for “Reckless Lab Work?” “Drawing Blood Without a License?” I’d like to see their faces when I do draw my own blood. That would be a sight to see. “Oh no ma’am, you cannot touch those needles! You haven’t been trained!” Well train this you lab techs!

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About the author: Kaycee Nilson has completed her first novel, "Night Falls on Chicago." The first two chapters can be viewed at http://www.KayceeNilson.com.

Besides writing columns for Useless-Knowledge, Kaycee is currently working on two more novels, "From the Mind of a Vampire", and "I'll Love You Til You Die."

If you have enjoyed what you read, or would like to leave Kaycee a message, please visit her message board at http://www.KayceeNilson.com/Board

Email: Kaycee@kayceenilson.com

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