an invention that would make life easier...

[paperclippy]

I haven't invented it, but I know what it should do. We need an invention that will allow people to have blood drawn more easily, for those of us whose veins are "tiny," "rolling," and "deep." I have actually had phlebotomists ask me, "Do you even HAVE veins?" Today I got stuck in both arms before they decided to take the blood from a teeny surface vein over my bicep because at least they could find that one (it barely gave them enough to fill the four vials).

So, I think the inventors out there should get to work on a way to draw blood from people like me, that will involve less pain, less poking, and more blood flow. Maybe if something like this existed I would actually donate blood -- as of right now they'd probably spend half an hour trying to find my vein, and it would stop flowing before they could get enough to be useful.

Actually a friend of my dad's already made an invention like this. It uses some kind of imaging technology to detect veins in the hand, and then projects an image of the vein locations onto the patient's skin. Its intended use is to help doctors put IVs in elderly patients. I don't think it is small and portable enough to be used in labs around the country though.

In other news I saw my rheumatologist today. He says it is quite possible that a lot of my problems are related to the hypothyroidism, so I feel better knowing that someone actually thinks so. He also said that chances I have an inflammatory disease are probably pretty small since I don't have any swelling anywhere, my lab numbers aren't high enough, and all the other tests came back normal/negative. The diagnosis on today's receipt was "diffuse joint pain."

Comments

[zwilichkl.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you at least have some sort of diagnosis (and a competent doctor). I'm sure I'll hear someone whine in the near future about how they don't have a PhD thesis topic... I'll have to pass on your idea!

[quigonejinn.livejournal.com]

Amen to the invention. I have the wee little veins and blood pressure that drops into the thirties when I haven't eaten for more than six hours or so. Summer before last, I went in for some blood sugar testing -- eighteen hours of fasting followed by twelve vials of blood over six hours. By the end of it, they were taking blood from the back of my hand, and two nurses were holding me down. XD

All of which is a roundabout way of saying: the only non-sucky blood-drawing experience I ever had was with the Red Cross, where the nurse took one look at my BP reading and told me to go eat a ginormous lunch, drink two glasses of water, then come back. She got a big vein and a full bag of blood on the first try.