A series of poking...

Salam,

I volunteered to be one of the 'victim'(research subject) for my 4th year seniors SSM(research) under Surgical Department. I have to give them my precious blood twice (at least). One taken without any compression on your arm(in normal blood taking a light pressure have to be appiled to make the blood vessel vissible), another one with a compression of 10 mmHg less than your systolic BP within 3minutes.

When i surrender my arm to the staff nurse( because the doctor room are full with students), they says my vein is quite fine & not really visible...and that means...there is a possiblity of a few series of attempts to get my precious blood.

The prediction becomes a reality..

1st poke by staff nurse...usng 23G needle(blue) small size,butterfly type..(they have smaller size, for peadiatric patient),unfortunately, not successful.

the butterfly needle (it looks like butterfly, easier to use,less pain, more hygenic & cost more too)-my favourite type of needle (",)


I was reffered to a doctor next door...2nd poke by green(medium size) needle..not successful, he insert it to another site & make it deeper...it is much more painfull than the blue needle

Still...NO success

the classic needle & syringe..


He move to my other arm, put on the cuff and did the 3rd poke...with the green needle..finally, the red blood appears....I'm the happiest person in the room of course (",)..

Reminder, blood taking with the pressure on(due to the research objective) was the most painful of all- A VERY SHARP PAIN

Last, for the control blood, he have to poke me again(the 4th poke) to get my blood without any pressure on. This time the doctor have to choose the vein from on my hand. I never let anyone practise taking blood on my hand before (logically because it is more painful than the arm). I persuade the doctor to use the smaller needle instead..the blue needle.

Finally, it was a success. However, the blood comes out only drop by drop..It tooks us sometime to get about 1 ml of my blood from that..It was the least painful of all
(isn't it a good way to end the misery..hehe)

At the end, I was rewarded with a bottle of mineral water & a delicious packed nasi lemak ayam.

Regardless all, if i was needed again, i won't hesistate to help. Hopefully, their research found some good & benificial findings. Therefore, all the pain is worth it.

Looking from the positive angle, I learn to experience the feeling of pain by different size of needle on different sites of my arm.EMPHATY!! It is important to at least know how it feel because poking people is doctors job everyday a ward. I myself did this procedure to patients during my practical at wards. SOmetimes i did more than one attempt to a patient. And so now I know the feeling. Thus, I won't attempt more than twice as long as i'm a medical student. Unless, i really have to do it more than that...

Lesson of the day which i can think of...
1. Don't stop volunteering as long as you are sincere with it...
2. Be emphaty but not symphaty
3. NO pain NO gain!!
4. Patience is the key to success.
5. Don't give up and try again...

In conclusion,the results is 4 pokes on my hand & arm.
(what an exaggeration?? Patients have to deal with their blood taken everyday..but i'm making it a big deal after a series of blood taking in a day..hehe..)

Wasalam..(",)