After years of having gallons of blood brutally sucked from my arm, I only recently discovered what I’m going to share with you now.
I’ve been a little sick the last few weeks with a Crohn’s flare up, and yesterday morning they put me in the hospital. Thankfully, some genius here at Goshen Hospital put in a patient wireless access point so contact with the outside world can be maintained.
But anyway, my tip about blood draws is this: you can refuse tape! I usually request the stuff that goes all the way around your arm, but lately the blood sticker people haven’t been carrying it. So I have just been flatly refusing tape, and they don’t push the matter. They just apply pressure for a little bit and let it go.
Stand firm, no tape.
Here’s another tip for the next time you stay in a two-bed hospital room. Use headphones for your tv! Come on! Man this is annoying. I’ve been listening to Glenn Beck and Glad Gershwin with my earbuds, trying to drown out the cacophony from across the curtain.
Guess who was my nurse last night? My own wife!
10 Responses
September 10th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Good to see you back, but sure sorry to hear about this hospital confinement thing.
I’d never heard of Crohn’s, so I searched it. And now I’m even SORRIER. This is particularly interesting in that my cousin has been suffering from the same painful symptoms, but is certain that her’s actually started from some new antibiotics she was given (other than penecillin) about 2 yrs. ago. Doctors have yet to give a diagnosis however.
And even though I don’t understand the “tape refusal” thing, I’ll take it under advisement. Is it an Unwarranted Medical Expense issue, or what?
September 10th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
No, it’s a comfort issue! It’s quite painful when it comes time for removal. And some of these people like to use a yard of tape for a tiny ball of cotton.
September 10th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Praying for your recovery. I thought your “I’ve been a little sick” was um, interesting. As your mom said last night, “When Tom finally tells you he’s sick, you know he’s SICK.”
Appreciate the endorsement of the book in the last post.
September 10th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
sorry to hear about your illness….
BTW, isn’t that a ‘conflict of intrest’ or something for your wife???
September 10th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
I agree with the no tape. Personally, I also insist on syring and butterfly needles, none of that vacutainer nonsense. Causes too much trilling of the blood vessels and is overall much more comfortable for the victim. As a professional “blood obtainer” I do use my own preferences on others as well! And I agree…it’s an unusual hospital to let spouse be the patient, but I have heard of surgeons operating on their wife; but Dr’s aren’t hospital employees. Better be easy on the call light!
September 10th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Get Well Wishes coming your way–wishing you a speedy recovery!!
September 10th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Oh wow!
May He without whom the sparrows don’t fall continue near you.
September 11th, 2007 at 11:48 am
So you have another fulltime job besides Husband/Dad at home? Sorry to hear about your flare up–we’ll be praying……
September 11th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
By the way, you want “Coban” for your wrap over your blood draw sites.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Interesting, Sorry to hear about your disease. I have never heard of it. So, I don’t know what it is… Also, wondering how it went when your wife came in in the middle of the night while your trying to sleep and decides it is a good time to take your blood pressure or worse yet stick something in your mouth. Seems like she may be tempted to get you back for something you did to her. Not that you ever would you know….