The day was going relatively well. I had just closed a heartfelt texting conversation with my friend, who was wonderfully in a good mood, and I had moved on to studying my venipuncture course. Short Notes On Other Bodily Fluids. Complications.
I was reading about catheter related infections when the phone rang, and it invited me to go over to my grandmother’s apartment.
“You can check my glucose level and I’ll tell you how much insulin to give me.”
“Great. Coming.”
Five minutes later I was at her door, jacket been put on, block been walked, elevator been ridden, and door been knocked on.
“Hello doctor!”
(Not quite)
I set up her lancet device, swabbed her preferred finger, and,
“1-2-3”
Prick
Blood(!)
I let the blood drop onto the disposable blood glucose test strip, and mission accomplished!
Okay, let me not hide the honesty. There was an “ERROR,” but an easy one to correct. I squeezed some more blood, victory in town. She told me how much insulin to draw up, and I did just that, while she–with her many years of efficient experience–revealed her abdomen and wiped it with an alcohol prep swab. After another round of-
“1-2-3”
Prick
(No blood)
The needle went in and I was as happy as my shoes were when I took them off after a five-mile jog (that never happened). I even remembered to aspirate! (That is only an accomplishing excitement in my brain.)
She thanked me and I thanked her. She was relieved that I’d be of assistance if she ever needed my help. I was happy to get to prick actual flesh.
On the way home, less in a rush than before, I realized how privileged and superior it was to actually get to administer a subcutaneous injection before receiving a diploma or degree. (Unless you count elementary school graduation.) (Don’t count elementary school graduation.) And that even if I won’t get to be a real doctor, but hopefully something in healthcare one day, this put a warm smile on my face and bubbled up my insides. And I am thankful that I was able to do at least that (…for now).
I can imagine how pathetic this must sound to anyone who has ever done anything more amazing than this, but this is my start and I like it. Because it’s one such prick that wraps up an average day in a big glitter bow and sunny smiles. And it’s an incident like this that puts you to sleep with a smirk and an imaginary victory dance.
Written by B Green