A little excitement

***If you are squeamish about needles, you probably shouldn't read this.***

In the past few weeks, I've had 9 blood draws.  Normally I do fine--I just don't look at the needle.  For my last glucose tolerance test, they put in an IV line so they wouldn't have to poke me four times that day.  Well, the nurse putting the IV in was in training, so the regular nurse was talking her through it.  She checked my  arm three times and was advised where and how to do it.  Her first try wasn't quite right, so they talked about it some more and moved the needle around for a couple minutes.  I was starting to feel pretty uncomfortable, but thought I was ok.  They decided it wasn't going to work and went to my other arm.  This time the regular nurse did it.  The IV was in, and taped up.  It was time for me to drink the nasty glucose solution, but by this time I was feeling a little nauseous.  I asked for a little bit of water, then it really hit me.  My blood pressure plummeted and I felt horrible.  I have never felt like that before, but I knew I just needed to put my head down for a while.  The nurse wouldn't leave me alone though.  Of course it is her job to make sure I'm ok.  She wanted me to go lay down but I knew that if I stood up or even talked much I would pass out. I was finally able to go lay down, but before I knew it there were about 10 people in the room--an ER nurse, a few doctors, and a few other nurses who gradually trickled in to see what the fuss was about.  I was hooked up to the pulse-ox, blood pressure cuff, and heart monitor.  At first my blood pressure didn't register on the cuff, but it soon started coming up--80, 90, then 100.

I was so embarrassed!  I kept apologizing, and with those ten sets of eyes on me I finally started crying.  I promised that I felt better, and could I please still take my glucose test??  I was thankful when I was left with 3 nurses and the nasty drink.

Now that it's all over, I kind of wish I had a picture of myself.  They said I looked awful, and the trainee said she had never seen lips that color before.  I guess now I know what it's like to almost pass out.