How I conquered my fear of needles
Aged 9, I needed to have a blood test done. I was at home at the time and a doctor came to see me. When I realised I was going to have a needle stuck in my arm, my fear kicked in. I had no option but to run and hide. I ran until I had reached a dead end in the form of my parent's bedroom. I immediately barricaded myself. This involved me shoving a chair against the door and piling other pieces of furniture on top of the chair. I was determined not to be penetrated by a needle.

The doctor soon gave up and left. I sensed victory and after dismantling my makeshift barricade (I just dismantled it, I didn't tidy it up), I came out. My mum then found me a distraction to keep my mind off things, and about an hour later, the doctor returned, with an assistant. I was taken by surprise and had no option but to endure a pointy needle and have red stuff taken out of me.

Fast-forward 11 years. I was at university. The previous year, I had overcome my milk phobia and so thought that it was about time I got rid of my silly childhood phobia of needles. There was a blood-giving session on campus and I thought I'd face off my fear determination-to-phobia.

So off I went to donate my blood. At first, I had to answer a few questions and have a small sample taken with a prick in my finger. So far so good. Next, I got to lie down and have a bloodsucker (I don't know what they're called) stuck in my arm. This actually hurt less than the prick to the finger and in fact, didn't even notice any real pain. It was in. All I needed to do was lie back and think of England. As I lay down the nurse was continuously asking me if I was all right. The makeshift bed I was lying on made me feel very relaxed and comfy. I usually have a mellow air to me so combining that with my comfyness; it looked like I was feeling a bit faint. My feeling of relaxation also distracted my mind from the thought that I might just be feeling this way because I was loosing my life-giving red-stuff, so I kept saying "Yes" when the nurse asked me without giving the question much thought.

Eventually, after I had emitted ¾ pint (IIRC) of blood, they took the bloodsucker out and sealed up my newest orifice with cotton wool attached to a plaster. The blood in my vein looked like it had flooded the bit opposite the elbow ("elbow-pit"?) so that it looked like the vein that's usually there had expanded into a vein-coloured lake that took up my entire elbow-pit. I was herded off to the tea and biscuits area and then left to my own devices.

For the next few days, I felt a bit faint. Everything I did required me to summon up more effort to achieve focus. Things were obviously going slowly. To return to normal, I turned myself into an eating machine, and got myself some iron tablets. There was no response from the bloodbank people. After two days, I felt more like I had done something that nobody had acknowledged. I was starting to wonder if girls go through this every time they have their period (I later learned that they lose only 1/10th that amount over a few days). I was also wondering if I should ask a girl if I could use one of her used tampons as a sort of teabag. By now, my flooded elbow-pit had turned into a normal bruise. According to the Bluffers' Guide to University, you're supposed to tell your university tutor if you've given blood as it's supposed to be a sign that you're a public spirited chap and is an excuse for being a bit slow. Alas, I never did tell him and just heroically soldiered on being slow and unfocused.

For some reason, I never got a certificate or anything like that. My only souvenir was the cotton wool that plugged my needle-hole. I did get coffee and a biscuit but was told I should have chosen tea instead because according to legend, the tea you get when you've just given blood is like no other tea on Earth.

I only gave blood once. I managed to overcome the fear of needles, but not getting any feedback or a certificate did put me off. And besides, now that I've visited Mongolia, I've probably earned a lifetime ban from the bloodbank.

Apologies for length, but you know what it's like when you've lost a lot of blood.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Wed 13 Aug 2008, 21:52, Reply)