Adventures in bloodwork
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
4 WEEKS, 3 DAYS PREGNANT
BLOOD-TAKER (reading sheet): So you’re pregnant?
ME: Yes!
BLOOD-TAKER: Congratulations.
ME (beaming): Thank you!
BLOOD-TAKER: Uh … are you … keeping it?
ME (shocked): … Yes!
Then she took 10 empty tubes — at least 10 tubes — and started sticking labels to them. I had only gotten blood drawn once or twice in my life, and I never remembered quite this many tubes. And I had certainly never gotten blood drawn while I already felt so bad.
ME (weakly): Wow, are those all for me?
BLOOD-TAKER: Oh yes! (pause) It’s not quite the most I’ve ever drawn at one time, but it’s close.
ME: I’m going to need to look away.
The pinch hurt, but I kept my gaze on the door hinges while God-knows-what happened to my poor left arm. I couldn’t feel the blood whooshing out of my body like I thought I would, but my left hand felt sweaty and lifeless. I chattered on like an idiot, trying to keep from passing out cold with my dress over my head.
BLOOD-TAKER (pressing a cotton ball to my elbow): All done!
ME (still chattering): Oh, that wasn’t so bad, actually. I feel OK. I don’t feel —
I turn back to the table in front of me, and see 10 tubes of gross dark red blood. My blood!
ME: Uhhhh …
3 Comments on “Adventures in bloodwork”
So what do you think?
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Heather's Handmade Life 
You're very brave! That's a whole lot of blood!
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Yeah, it was! I can't believe I chose this photo for my post — I'm grossing myself out right now!
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I think the worst part is actually seeing your own blood sitting there. I get that feeling too.
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