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sandycee's avatar
sandycee
Member
15 years ago

Needles - I hate the horrible things

Does anyone else hate needles as much as I do? I am really just venting here and 'talking' out loud.

If I never see another one, it will be too soon. I know they are necessary, however I have had my fill of them thanks so much.

Twice daily shots of hepperin in the thighs are no fun at all. Some of those nurses just jab it in, and others go so slow, they hurt just as much. I had one nurse actually pull the needle out, after thinking she had to go in and sink her well to find the right spot. Was she searching for oil, I wonder???

Then there were the daily blood tests. Again, some of those pathology people need to take better care. The last couple of needles went straight into my elbow and nearly out the other side! O.M.G. it HURT.

Someone, I don't remember who, put an IV drain in my left hand and then wondered why I complained when the saline was cold and could feel my arm going numb. My blood pressure went through the roof, my heart rate followed and I couldn't remember to BREATHE - in thru za noze, and out thru za mouth...

My partner was sittlng along side of me, trying to coach me in calming and said - your sacred place...remember your sacred place. At that stage home was my sacred space - any other space than right nere, getting all these needles.

By the time I got out the second time round, I was well and truly over all of those daily needles and antibiotics. No one told me I could ask for oral antibiotics instead...

Ahh.. home sweet home - may be a mess, may be in the middle of rennovation mode, there may be two young dogs playing heavily and pulling everything out...but it is HOME. and i am not getting any more needles!

8 Replies

  • pisces_tas's avatar
    pisces_tas
    Member
    15 years ago

    hi, i remember my first chemo. the nurse put canula in back of my hand. ouch! the second time i had it in my elbow. it was fine, and i had the rest that way also.

    i am not a great fan of needles. i look away and close my eyes, and breathe out , thinking ..keep calm..

    kathy.

  • pisces_tas's avatar
    pisces_tas
    Member
    15 years ago

    hi, i remember my first chemo. the nurse put canula in back of my hand. ouch! the second time i had it in my elbow. it was fine, and i had the rest that way also.

    i am not a great fan of needles. i look away and close my eyes, and breathe out , thinking ..keep calm..

    kathy.

  • Julia44's avatar
    Julia44
    Member
    15 years ago

    I had my first chemo yesterday, and was dreading the cannula thingy but the nurse was great,  and even though i was having 3 drugs it was only the one needle stick.  I just looked away and she also gave me a hot pack.  I also asked my oncologist for a stress relieving drug first, so got that.

     

    My nurse checked my veins and thought they were fine and said she did not think i would need one of those port lines,  she said they were often given to people who were on a more extended course than I am-i am on 6

    Good luck with yours!

    Julia

  • sandycee's avatar
    sandycee
    Member
    15 years ago

    Thanks so much Elizabeth

    I remember to breathe - just do it too fast. I am improving - I started to faint with needles when I was about 14. Now they just hurt. If I look away and envision my sacred place - I have to remember this quickly - I am okay. Not that I don't feel it, just makes it better.

    I prefer having the IV line in that way there are not so many jabs all the time. Guess they can't always do this though. A friend of mine had something like a catheter put in her chest so it didn't go through her arm veins and she said this was much better. I'm just thinking of the getting it in part - probably the sedation will hurt as much as a needle....

    Anyway, the way I am viewing it all is that all this is necessary if I want to get better. I keep visualising myself next week being over this and being healthier. Every week in the future is a new clean week that I will be a step closer to health, wealth (ha!!! ) and HAPPINESS!!! :)

    So I am hanging in there - you do the same - me thinks we are all brave woman for doing all of this.

    Bright blessings

     

    Sandy xx

  • Liz24's avatar
    Liz24
    Member
    15 years ago

    Hi Sandy,

    Hang in there! It's funny that I'm saying this, because I hate needles too. Maybe its a bit of anxiety about needles. I've disliked and tried to avoid them since I was a child.

    I just had my chemo 2. Before I started it, I was concerned about the chemo and cannulas etc, but now I feel that it's doable. That's coming from a big chicken. ;) It's a good idea not to tense up and forget to breathe, unfortunately like I tend to do.

    Take care.

    eLIZabeth x

     

  • Liz24's avatar
    Liz24
    Member
    15 years ago

    Hi Sandy,

    Hang in there! It's funny that I'm saying this, because I hate needles too. Maybe its a bit of anxiety about needles. I've disliked and tried to avoid them since I was a child.

    I just had my chemo 2. Before I started it, I was concerned about the chemo and cannulas etc, but now I feel that it's doable. That's coming from a big chicken. ;) It's a good idea not to tense up and forget to breathe, unfortunately like I tend to do.

    Take care.

    eLIZabeth x

     

  • sandycee's avatar
    sandycee
    Member
    15 years ago

    I felt like I was in Jail and every time a needle jabber came to the bed and mentioned my name, I thought - oh no! I can't do this. Some of them said I could refuse, then I thought, what good would that do? I could be worse off and then what agony would I be in?

    Oh Tonya, I am feeling queezy at the thought of the next step - chemo? I don't even know what to do. I must say though that the males who gave me the needles - doctors, and nurses where so much better and more compassionate.

    I don't know that women really allow their maternal instinct to flow through their veins when they are nurses or needle jabbers!

    One day there will be a pain free cure for all of this - if we can just hang in there until that day comes....:)

    Sandy

  • TonyaM's avatar
    TonyaM
    Member
    15 years ago

    Those of us with bad veins suffer something terrible.I hear your pain and relive my needle trauma memories.After my first chemo I ended up in isolation ward for 4 days with no white cells.No lymph nodes in left arm so iv had to go right in the middle of my right arm.So had to keep arm straight and fend for myself with my left arm.Blood collectors resorted to my ankles for blood.This would involve 2 go's on one ankle before switching for 2 go's on the other one.This torture went on for 4 days.I couldn't wait to get out -could barely bend my right arm and hobbled on my bruised ankles.Somehow we survive and get through it.Better days ahead- hang in there.

                                                  Tonya xx