Today's Grace, March 21, 2016
Hands, wrists, arms, feet, ankles - 8 digging probes before I lost count, though feet and ankles were spared the needles. Three nurses at once, each on a different limb, tourniquets on each, tapping, probing, sticking, wiping, shaving, twisting, apologizing. They were attempting to start an IV for my scheduled GI scope. Once, with a 12 penny nail being inserted into my right wrist just below the thumb, a swarm of angry bees attacked the back of my left hand. I could never survive torture. I'm not sure a tattoo is even a possibility. Then, with my hand shaking and blurry vision, I signed something similar to my name on two forms, giving the surgeon permission to attempt to insert a central line in my jugular. After 20-plus painful and frightening minutes, the surgeon patted my leg and said, "Sorry, chief". Nothing else to try. No procedure today. Other than this, of course. I now think I know what it's like to be simultaneously choked and stabbed in the throat r...