France in Focus

It didn't go well.

I have blood tests every 3 months, if I see the right lady it goes well. These are just routine diabetes, thyroid and cholesterol checks.

Today my usual lady must've been away, so the 2 barbaric vampires on duty were useless. Stabbed 2 times by one lady, then I was passed on to her colleague. Another 2 stabs later, no go. I was told to return on Tuesday morning.

I need to go back at 8am as one of the tests has to be done by 9am, I arrived today at 09.20 a jaune. The tests I need are a bit different as they for the gynae Dr I saw a couple of weeks ago. 19 tests in total.

Pretty annoyed. Yes, I know my one arm vein is deep and fine, so difficult at times to find.

Why is it that when I cut myself, or get scratched I bleed like no tomorrow?

Off to put an ice pack on my poor arm

That doesn't sound good but your usual person may just be on holiday so you shouldn't get the stabbers next time.
Hope your poor arm recovers soon ...

Our daughter trained at the local hospital as a Phlebotomist while at Uni. Her hobby is a Goth and Goth make-up, shes very good, have seen her looking like half her face has been taken off if I saw her coming like that I would off pronto You have my sympathy its pot luck you you get.

Speaking of pots - why don't you just cut or scratch yourself and take your own jam jar full?

You'll need to wash it out thoroughly though, or it will skew the diabetes results!

I have to say the last tests I had two weeks ago - another 8 phials - were amazingly painless - certainly in the top three of the twenty or thirty I have now suffered.

He said he does not look for the vein - he feels for it - and he used more of a stabbing motion to get the needle in - not a gentle push - and the bruise was there for several days after.

And I am a total needle and blood test wimp.

As for the early morning tests - for blood sugar / diabetes - that requires 12 hours starvation so the 9 a.m. thing sounds more like local logistics not a medical issue.

Good luck anyhow.

I don’t have brilliant veins ,so wisely signed up for a Covid research project that involved monthly blood tests for a year then three monthly. We finally settled on the back of my hands as the best place. As J says it’s best to feel for a vein not do it by sight

@manonthemoon2 ooh that was an awful experience for you. Hope that your next visit is with the usual lady and all goes well. Best wishes to you.

Years ago I was a blood doner no problem other than when a newbie didn't clip the tube properly and I was bleeding all over the edge of the bed onto the floor - I was told don't worry it's not much but spreads out so looks serious! I finally got OH to go with me except the nurses didn't know it was my OH. Whilst he was being drained I waited and waited - we were the last people there me drinking tea and another tea and eating my way thro. the biscuits when I heard....... 'we've got a slow bleeder' they very nearly had someone choking to death on their biscuits. At the end he was thanked but was told it would be better if he didn't give blood!

Whenever I go for a blood test at our local lab. it's apparent that the rooms are set up for left arms.
I get some 'old fashioned' looks from some nurses when I insist that using my right arm will give an easier extraction for them & be less painfull for me.