Long Day: Lungs burning, Head spinning. Bruised arm.

I lie on my bed, huffing and puffing. My body is exhausted. My lungs burn and are heavy with mucus. Today was a long day. I had to travel 45 minutes to the lab to have my blood work drawn for my TPN. While driving, I got a call from my doctor’s office stating I was to come in to their office to have some lab work done.

First, we attempted the lab. The lab was PACKED with people. I sighed and remembered it was a holiday yesterday. The usual heavy load of Mondays has been pushed to today. Then add in the Tuesday lab work and also lab work needing to be done because it is the first of the month, and the lab was busting at the seems with people. I abandoned the lab and went to my doctor’s office.

The nurse at the doctor’s office had to do two different blood draws. She got my vein the first time for the first blood draw. During the second blood draw, she missed and blew the vein. The third vein she missed, but she was able to re-adjust the needle several times (damaging the blood vessel), but in the end she was able to get blood. I prayed during the blood drawing ceremony that the nurse did not bust my beautiful big vein in the fold of my right arm. That is the vein they use at the lab for my weekly blood draws. My left arm is out of commission due to my PICC line. Praise God, the big vein the nurse was able to get on the first try. It was still viable to be poked again for another blood draw at the lab.

When we returned to the lab, I nearly leaped for joy when I saw the waiting room was empty. I signed in and was quickly taken back to a room. The lab tech used my big beautiful vein on my right arm. Pain shot up my arm as the needle went in. My poor arm was so sore and bruised. The lab tech collected the two vials of blood, and then I was out the door.

Now, I am home lying in bed. I am out of energy. My head throbs and spins. My lungs burn with each breath. I praise God this day went so well. I can lie here in my bed until my next big outing next week when I get to travel to the lab and get another weekly blood draw for my TPN. Hopefully by next week, the veins in my right arm will have had time to heal. Hopefully next week, I will only need to be poked once.