“How Many Sticks 💉💉💉💉” Chapter 122

We all remember how many licks it takes to get to the center of a “Tootsie Roll” Pop. Three! Well, I wish it took only three sticks to get to the center of my veins.

The Army Combat Lifesaver Course teaches Soldiers lifesaving skills until the wounded can receive further medical help. When I was in the course, my veins were so prominent that I let several students practice on me during the IV portion of the training. You could throw the needle at me from across the room and hit the veins. Now, a similar task is like threading a needle - you need glasses and have to stick your tongue out to hit the vein. When I donated blood in the past I was in and out of the chair in 10 minutes with a cookie in hand.

“As ALS progresses and muscle weakness increases, reduced mobility can further contribute to poor blood circulation, potentially causing veins to appear smaller due to decreased blood volume in the affected areas.”

For the last two years of blood draws, no one is successful on the first stick. The techs always start out confident only to end up humbled. The last time the tech brought an infrared device to see my veins and draw blood.

This week before our blood draw appointment, Laura confirmed they would use an infrared device. We were a little surprised when we had to ask them again and the technician tried without it anyway. “Strike one,” I said as she missed the vein in my right arm. “Next batter” I said. A  nurse stepped up and asked her to use the infrared. She lined up the vein with the infrared and stuck it in my right forearm. “Strike two” I said as the blood flashed into the window on the barrel of the needle, but failed to draw a flow of blood. “Then she moved over to the left hand and missed again, “Strike three, next batter.” “Someone call Luce. She is the best.” The nurse said. By the time Luce showed up we had already been there for 45 minutes and gone through four nurses/techs. Luce showed up and I said, “You will need the infrared." “I don’t use infrared, I am too old for that.” Luce said. “Here we go again,” I thought. She tried finding the vein and couldn’t for 15 minutes. “Try sticking the needle in my foot or neck.” “Oh no, I can’t do that,” Luce said, in her Asian accent, then asked the other technician to hold the infrared vein finder for her before finally drawing the blood needed.

The answer to the initial question is “four.” Four sticks to get to the center of my vein. “Mark that spot. I’m going to get a tattoo that says ‘stick her.’” Drawing my blood used to take seconds to fill a vile, and now it takes a minutes. After all that, I didn’t even get cool Band-Aids for the four new holes in my body.

Lesson for my fellow PALS: Be prepared for failure. It’s not your fault. You will have to teach them.

Love and Blessings 

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