I'm learning so many new words these days, it's amazing. Not that I really wanted to learn them.
After radiation this morning, I went to the lab in the oncology building to have blood drawn for my PT/INR (coumadin dosage testing). Arrived at 8:40 and I was called in almost immediately. Lately, because I can only have blood draws from my left arm (because of lymphedema in the right), the nurses have been having trouble finding a good vein that isn't "beaten up". The nurse that usually has the most success wasn't in today. But everyone else in the lab is experienced, and I had no doubt I'd be out of there pronto. Silly me...
Since I have a blood clot on my left side, they typically insert the needle without a tourniquet. First stick--no success. Second stick---no success. Nurse #2: third stick--no success. Fourth stick--no success. By this time, I was gritting my teeth. I'm not a fan of needles. Nurse #3 tried at my wrist instead of in the crook of my arm. While she was trying to get a draw, I suddenly felt really lightheaded, and knew I was going to faint. I told this to the nurses, and in a flash, I was moved to the floor, sweating, and breathing shallow. When I opened my eyes, there was an EMT standing over me asking questions. As soon as I sat back up, I felt better. Even so, they took me by ambulance to the hospital down the street, where they did an EKG and were finally able to get a blood draw (INR 1.98). Since everything else looked fine, I was released at 12:15. Diagnosis: vasovagal syncope.
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