A story about blood

alexiarudolph — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:32:38 +0000

I had my first blood draw a couple weeks ago at my 27 week prenatal appointment. I met with my doctor who gave me some paperwork and sent me off to the other side of Good Samaritan to the scary blood draw area. It was just me and some very old people, hanging out in the room with no magazines. They called my name and gave me a clear liquid that I needed to drink so they could screen me for gestational diabetes. You get five minutes to drink it and they time you. It was disgusting and syrupy and sweet and grossss and I ran out of time before I finished it and had to chug the last ounce. Ick. Then you have to wait a half hour before they take your blood. I asked if I could wait outside the quiet scary room with no magazines because I wanted to talk on my cell phone to pass the time. I was asked if I was “sure you are okay to get up and walk around” which made me worry about the side effects of all that glucose I had just consumed. I talked to my mom and then emily and then came back in after 30 minutes. They took me down the long hallway, and sat me down in a chair. I was expecting a bit more privacy. There weren’t any private rooms, everything was out in the open. The lady wrapped a rubbery band around my arm like we were about to shoot up and then started piling empty tube after tube on the table by my arm. The look of horror on my face must have been obvious, as she paused to ask if I was okay. I told her I had never had blood drawn before and was scared. She asked me how far along I was and seemed shocked/appalled that this was my first blood work of my pregnancy. Uh…sorry? I looked the other way as she jabbed the needle in my arm and filled up all the little tubes with my blood. I honestly hardly felt a thing. She was so fast I didn’t even realize she was done until she said “you are all done!” and I had tape on my arm. Crazy! I took a picture of my arm when I got home that day:

PROOF!

A few days ago at my 29 week appointment my doctor went over the three pages of results with me. I didn’t even know what I was being tested for in the first place besides the glucose thing. Basically though, my blood rocks. I don’t have HIV, syphillis, anemia, german measles, gestational diabetes, or two other pages of things that I can’t even remember. I wanted to ask my doctor for a copy of the results that so I could frame them. I might still. I am awesome, my blood beats your blood in the blood contest. Thanks.

Itsy Bitsy Baby » doctor appointments

A story about blood