My First Blood Drive Experience

Oh, the blood drive.....

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

I'm pretty sure that everyone has heard the story, but just in case I will attempt to tell a quick version of it for those of you who missed out.

I got my blood drawn on Monday for the first time.

I waited in line for an hour and a half and then they had to prick my finger twice. No fun...

So then they sit me down in the chair and stick the FAT needle in my arm. All is going well! Or so I thought..?

Next thing I know nurse dude is back and telling me that he missed the vein and that he can either take out the needle or wiggle the needle around in my arm and try to hit the vein. So I told him to try and hit the vein  because helloooooo I waited in line for an hour and half. I was going to get my blood drawn.

So he wiggles the needle around in my arm for what felt like forever and then tells me that he didn't even hit the vein. 

ARE YOU SERIOUS NURSE DUDE????

apparently yes.

He then makes me hold down the blood covered gauze while he cleans up around the hole. Then he has me lift my arm. Why?? Because blood is covering the entire back side of my arm. I swear, the clean up took longer than the actual process of sticking the needle in and sucking out the blood.

So he cleans me up and sends me away with an ice pack.

End result?  

This lovely bruise on my arm.

Good to know that it's healing though!

And thankfully it's been just cold enough in happy valley for me to wear long sleeves so that no one really has to see it...

Although, if you're going to have a bad first experience of having your blood drawn, might as well come with a battle wound, right?