Needles

[pdub]

I was on call all of last week. Unfortunately a guy at the mill on Saturday lost the ends of two fingers on the job. Yep, the machine reached out and got him.

I got the call, go to the hospital 25 miles away and represent the company, so I did. Visiting with the guy in the emergency room, trying to comfort him, his hand in a pot of distilled water, bleeding like all whatever. I took a look at it. It was pretty gross alright. Bone exposed, lots missing. Yeah, he was hurt.

I looked at that because I had to report that to the mill manager on the phone, minutes later. Poor guy, he was of course in severe pain. I made the observation...bone exposed, lots of flesh missing. I didn't realize it at the time, the gory and the gravity of the thing didn't affect me. I called the mill manager and said lots missing, bone exposed...

The hospital folks came in there and said they were going to do a nerve block, to alleviate the pain. They were going to put a needle in his finger. The lady said, "You can stay right here, you're not in the way."

Then, and only then, did I feel like was going to pass out. Oh hell no, not a needle. I had to leave the room while she did that. Oh hell no, not a needle, I don't even want to see one, or even hear any talk about it.

[68scott385]

I'm with you on the needles. I HATE them but I like some of the stuff that comes out of them. And to that extent I have to tolerate about four inches of needle penetrating my knee joints every two to three months. Both my kids (9 & 10 at the time) watched the process one time. I'm all about life experiences with them.

[tedly]

I got over my fear of needles by by getting my tongue pierced. Now I just really don't like them.

[Deaf Bob]

Doc was trying to inject dye in the arch of my foot.. Watched himbang it like an accordian.. The resulting surge mad me pass out..
2 beautiful nurses with their masks off. " Wake up sir.. " slapping me and trying to keep me on the gurney while doc held my leg with the 3" dia needle and dye flopping ..
Passed out again years later when the intern bumped my elbow bone injecting cortisone in ..
I get frained, blood drawn, and injected too often to worry about needles.. Big breath, grimace and swear silently ( I hope)

[chevybuytroy]

I have to get testosterone shots every 2 weeks. I have for the past 5 years. My wife gives them to me. I alway dread that upcoming day but she is getting pretty good at finding a spot that doesnt hurt. I have 2 scar on each of my butt cheeks where she puts the needle in.

[DanStokes]

About 4 times a day. After a while it gets like brushing your teeth - you just do it. But I still can't watch them doing a blood draw which they do a LOT with diabetics.

And Troy - I know that one, too (part of the diabetes thing). Are you having trouble getting the insurance to pay for the med? My company is now making me go to the doc after having ME do the shots for years.

And PW - not sure I could watch that shot either - sounds nasty. Still, I bet the guy was happy to get that shot. Best of luck to him - sounds like a nasty injury.

Dan

[chevybuytroy]

About 4 times a day. After a while it gets like brushing your teeth - you just do it. But I still can't watch them doing a blood draw which they do a LOT with diabetics.

And Troy - I know that one, too (part of the diabetes thing). Are you having trouble getting the insurance to pay for the med? My company is now making me go to the doc after having ME do the shots for years.

And PW - not sure I could watch that shot either - sounds nasty. Still, I bet the guy was happy to get that shot. Best of luck to him - sounds like a nasty injury.

Dan

My insurance will only help if I by it a month at a time. I found out if I have the script wrote up for a 6 month bottle and have one big bottle filled, its cheaper to pay with out insurance. Its $30 dollars a month with insurance, $80 dollars for 6 months without using insurance.

I forgot, those needles feel like they are 3x bigger also since the liquid is so thick.

[DanStokes]

A tidbit of knowledge - the base of the stuff is - sesame oil! It makes it dissipate more slowly in the body so it has more of a long-term effect and not a quick spike. I always want hummus after a shot, though.......

My insurance pays in full IF the shot is done at the Doc's office. They used to pay for the bottle (though not the syringes) but now they won't. Guess they think I'm selling it to the local sports teams?

Dan

[studemax]

I used to dislike watching needles going into my skin. At the doc or hospital, I always looked away. About 10 months ago I was diagnosed as a diabetic. So now I take my blood sugar twice a day with the lance. You GOTTA watch that, even though the needle is short. So I'm getting over my squeamishness....

[DanStokes]

33+ years, Stude. Anything you want to know send me a PM - I have lots of hard-won info. BTW - I'm type I and type II is a bit different though I have tips for both. Been a while but when I get a new endro doc they usually want me to see their diabetes educator. My response is "Sure, what do they need to learn?" Most docs get it.

Dan

[silver_bullet]

I've been through that pain, lost a good chunk of my left thumb nearly 24 years ago. basically pinched off all of the flesh up to the knuckle. shattering the bone.... the first ER doc wanted to take the entire thumb off, but I knew the on call doc that saved my right index finger after an incident with a radial arm saw. The manager found the flesh cap and it was sewn back on. after a month, that died and had to be removed... the best part of the story is, that after all of that, enough flesh, and even somewhat of a nail grew back that i have a fully usable thumb, even though it doesn't look the greatest... P.S. I still hate needles!

[convss]

I don't do well with needles, either! I've discovered that the most painful place to get a needle is in the end of your nose! I had a spot of skin cancer on the end of my nose, which had to be removed. To do that, they use a needle to inject a numbing agent, then slice off a chunk, and test it to make sure they got it all. If they didn't get it all, they start the process over, with another needle! That happened four times. Painful as he....

[corvettedad]

33+ years, Stude. Anything you want to know send me a PM - I have lots of hard-won info. BTW - I'm type I and type II is a bit different though I have tips for both. Been a while but when I get a new endro doc they usually want me to see their diabetes educator. My response is "Sure, what do they need to learn?" Most docs get it.

Dan

Wife was diagnosed at age 4 , Dan, 33 yrs yeah you know. Stude, checking it is the key, keep that sugar flat lined.

[studemax]

Wife was diagnosed at age 4 , Dan, 33 yrs yeah you know. Stude, checking it is the key, keep that sugar flat lined.

Many friends and family members with Type 1 and Type 2 around me as a support system. The doc had been warning me the last couple years I was at risk. I was a carb loader who filled up on breads, potatos, pasta, rice, and sweets - especially chocolate. I ballooned up over 350 pounds.

My dentist figured it out first, then my optometrist. When I finally went to my physician, my blood sugar was almost 300, with an A1C over 14. I immediately ditched all the starchy stuff and sweets, started taking Metformin. Let's just say I eat a lot of celery. At my first 3 month checkup, I had lost 50 pounds and gotten my A1C down to 6.5... Now my morning blood sugar readings are under 100, and my A1C is holding steady at 5.6. I have dropped an additional 30 pounds with more to go.

Gotta thank my brother who helped get me on an Atkins Diet program and a karate instructor pal who established an exercise program he called "Redneck Tai Chi". It's mostly stretching and low impact weight training. It's simple stuff - keep moving at least once an hour, and eat multiple small snacks instead of big meals. It's amazing the difference in just 10 months.

[yellomalibu]

I don't care to see them stick me, like when giving blood, but it doesn't bother me to see them stick someone else. I don't even think the needle stick would make me squeamish, it's just that it may make me flinch or hurt more if I actually see it. *shrug* I don't think we're meant to watch things puncture our skin... it's unnatural.

The only time I felt squeamish about a medical procedure was when I was younger... about 19. I got my class ring hung up on something, and received a "partial degloving injury". They had to cut the ring off. The wound was numb from the trauma of the injury, so I couldn't really feel them scrubbing the gold flecks out of the wound with a brush... but I could see what they were doing, and I knew it ought to hurt like hell... so I started getting squeamish, and told them I wanted to lie back while they finished.