I had to get bloods taken this morning. I've become strict about this, after realising how many Gone Digging players there are out there...... I have my guy. He does it. Hopefully it should've been the last time today as I'm due to get a PICC line fitted tomorrow..... a tap of sorts.
I was nervous waiting for my guy this morning. Although I had checked and double checked and felt confident in the most recent person I'd spoken to, I also know how easy it is for things not to be joined up.
We get up at 6.15am, so it felt like a lifetime until there came a knock at the door. I'd been out for my morning walk, had meditated, read for a bit..... it wasn't very long, but I was slowly building myself up inside. What if he doesn't turn up??what if he can't get a vein and stops being my guy?? Knock, knock, knock. Ah, thank god! But wait, hold on..... who is this female nurse?? You're not my guy. I'm a little ashamed to say I let her stand on my doorstep as I eyed her, deciding what to do next..... I told her i was expecting someone else and she politely explained he was off. Off?? OFF???? No, I whined inside, I need him.
Think, think, think. Logically, refusing her entry made no sense. The bloods need taken today. If not, my chemo schedule would be knocked off. Diva or zen?? Why zen of course!! Please come in. No talk of bad veins, don't make the poor girl nervous. The crappiness of the hand she was dealt was spotted straight away, but she didn't fuss. Just commented my veins were bad. I told her I had confidence in her and I knew she was going to get it first time. In reality I was spiralling into an internal panic, but I did a bit of deep breathing and told myself a couple of bad experiences doesn't suddenly mean you'll never meet another nurse who can take blood! In fact I've met quite a lot who can.
This poor nurse was only covering staff shortage had clearly been given a really bum deal! I was literally willing her to get it. GO DIG!! I'll deal you as good a hand as I possibly can, I promise! I've been wrapped up all morning and have drunk more water than a camel who's just stumbled across an oasis in the Sahara....... GO. DIG. Boom!! Not quite a royal flush, but certainly a winning hand that included face cards. Quick, fuss free, done. She took my little vial and headed off...... likely to visit some cantankerous old cow that throws things at nurses who call to her door...... or the guy with the Alsatian called Fluffy who's 'bark is worse than his bite. Honest.' Perhaps her day even ended with a visit to a hardware shop to get tartan paint and a long stand?...... Fair play to her though. Unphased by the initial hard stare, followed by the crap veins.
Hopefully that's us all set for cycle 2 tomorrow. I'm weirdly a little excited...... partly because it's another bit done, but mostly because I get time with my sister. That's always good, regardless of circumstances. Plus later this morning was spent in what I hope becomes a traditional pre chemo catch up with my inner circle girls. The ones who help keep me calm, make me laugh and support me. They kept me calm before cycle one and appear to have achieved the same ahead of cycle two.
Onwards into the breach...... Let's get another bit done. As my son just said to me "the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step...... And all that....... you know??!" Xxx
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