Welcome to my wonderful, terrible, soap opera sit-com world.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
And life gets back on track...?
Well, let's see. What's been going on?
As I wrote before, I had to have a blood test. Here's THAT story.
I went to apply for some life insurance, this is something S. and I had talked about on and off for a while and I figured I'd just get it done while he was gone. My insurance agent had assured me that they had some policies in smaller price/limit ranges that didn't involve a blood draw.
I am needle-phobic.
(from Wikipedia:)Vaso-Vagal Trypanophobia
People who suffer from vaso-vagal trypanophobia fear the sight, thought or feeling of needles or needle-like objects. The primary symptom of vaso-vagal trypanophobia is vasovagal syncope, or fainting due to a decrease of blood pressure.
The physiological changes associated with this type of trypanophobia also include feeling faint, sweating, nausea, pallor, tinnitus, panic attacks and initially high blood pressure and heart rate followed by a plunge in both at the moment of injection. In this case, the patient is more likely to react passively as opposed to aggressively.
Associative Trypanophobia
Associative Trypanophobia is the second most common type of trypanophobia, affecting thirty percent of needle phobes. This type of trypanophobia is the classic specific phobia in which a traumatic event such as an extremely painful medical procedure or witnessing a family member or friend undergo such, causes the patient to associate all procedures involving needles with the original negative experience.
This form of trypanophobia causes symptoms that are primarily psychological in nature, such as extreme unexplained anxiety, insomnia, preoccupation with the coming procedure and panic attacks.
Resistive Trypanophobia
Resistive Trypanophobia occurs when the underlying fear involves not simply needles or injections but also being controlled or restrained. It typically stems from repressive upbringing or poor handling of prior needle procedures i.e with forced physical or emotional restraint.
This form of trypanophobia affects around 20% of needle phobes. Symptoms of this form of trypanophobia include combativeness, high heart rate coupled with xtremely high blood pressure, violent resistance, avoidance and flight.
I have an overwhelmingly complete combination of all of the symptoms of all three types of needle phobia. In short, I go from perfectly rational to freaking out, sweating, crying, kicking, trying to run away, panicking, hyperventilating, screaming, and passing out.
I have even punched a nurse and kicked a dental hygenist or two in my day. No lie.
So, when I went in for my initial consultation for the life insurance, we agreed on a policy and a limit that would not require a blood draw. Unfortunately for me, it turns out that was at the "underwriter's discretion," and they phoned me two days later to tell me that the underwriter had determined I'd have to get blood drawn anyway.
Joy.
That was on a Monday. I spent the next two days completely freaking out, with my insurance agent trying to work it out where I wouldn't have to have a blood draw. That, you can imagine, is a concept that sunk like lead shot in a rain bucket.
In talking with S., we agreed that it seemed inevitable -- I would have to have blood drawn at some time. It was going to have to happen. S. wanted to be here for it, but understanding my very, very severe phobia, I would have given myself an ulcer in the remaining two months of his absence just waiting for him to come home so I could get blood drawn. It was going to have to be all or nothing, now. Find a policy that maintained no blood drawing, or just get it the fuck done with. Now it was just a matter of finding someone to go with me.
S. made the suggestion that I ask J., who is: (1) one of his best friends here, (2) the husband of one of my best friends here, (3) 6'1", (4) 230+ pounds, and (5) an Army Infantryman. I suppose the rationale behind that was that he'd be strong enough to hold me down or keep me there if needed, and he'd be able to keep calm enough through my panic to help me calm down, too. Fortunately for me, J and his wife were both on board with that idea and J. was not working the afternoon of the test, so J. became my blood test escort.
The physical was originally supposed to happen here at the house, but of course after I told them I was needle-phobic they insisted that I had to go THERE to the lab to have it done (God/dess forbid I be comfortable in my own home for the traumatic experience) and I had to have someone else drive me there (lest my car get a mind of its own somewhere between home and the appointment and just never arrive [I've done that] or pass out at the appointment and then not be safe to drive myself home [done that, too]. J. was here right on time, drove me to the appointment, ran blocker between me and the nurses who stuck the back of my left hand (ow!) and did a very good job of not getting weirded out when I (1) panicked, (2) cried, (3) screamed, (4) started to pass out, (5) kicked, and (6) wanted to flee.
So, today the blessing in my life is for friends who would have taken me to my blood draw. I am so lucky to say I have multiple friends here that I am sure would have gone with me. And if you're reading this and nodding your head that you would have taken me, then you know who you are. :)
The long and short of that is, that they came back and rated me very well even though I'm a little heavy (perfect blood test, I'm as healthy as a horse -- a chubby horse, but a horse nonetheless) and actually issued my policy at less of a rate than they had originally quoted me. So, that's a good thing, woot-woot, and yay.
The bad thing about it was, I gave myself a cold with all the worrying. It did as all colds I catch do, and immediately took up residence in my chest. I went to the doctor on Friday and they were kind enough to tell me there's really nothing they can do for me, as they are assuming it's viral... so I was prescribed some medicine that I'm not taking to help me not cough, and I'm just supposed to rest. And you know, get better.
So when I kicked the cold out of my chest, a rebel contingent took up residence in my right ear. YAY. I'm a little frustrated, being 37 years old and having the beginnings of an ear infection. I'm taking garlic and vitamin C and all my vitamins, some Guaifenesin (Mucinex) to help the fluids get thinner and drain, and I bought some ear drops today that are supposed to help with the pain... I'm also putting hot compresses on it. This is the second in a series of medical issues that affect my work in the last week or so... stuck me in the back of the hand? Black! And blue! BLACK AND BLUE! For a week! Sore! For a week! Typing? Yeah, I had to suck it up.
And now? I'm half deaf in one ear. What's that? Hearing lawyers and recorded interviews and psycholgogists talking to me? Sure! I can hear in the left side!
As regards work, things are going pretty well. I have a new client, and he's wonderful, and he loves me. And he keeps giving me work, which is excellent. I would love to have two or three clients like him, and then I could get rid of the pain in the rear-end client I have who just drives me freaking insane. INSANE. Oy. OY OY OY.
(lots of oy)
I've also taken on an enhanced role in the local car club, helping out a lot with the sponsorship efforts of the club and the events. Most recently we had a car show at the local Ford dealership, where 57 Ford Mustangs came out and participated. We raised a lot of money for the club and got some great publicity, and it was a HUGE turnout on very short notice. I even cleaned up and showed the Mach1, and although she didn't win any prizes, she did get a good second look from the judges and LOTS of compliments.
I think that might have me caught up. Up to speed, as it were.
The weather here has been so nice of late, I'm ready to start working on the patio again and starting my herb garden. I want to grow an absolute ton of herbs and this is going to be the way to get it done, I think. Start early. Grow fast. :D If the weather stays warm, I'm going to have a much better early growing season than last year. (Oh, EJP, are you out there? Have any seeds you'd like to swap this year?)
Well, I guess that's about all I've got. If you haven't heard from me in a while, rest assured I still adore you. I've just been a little ... meh ... lately. Hoping that I can get back into the regular blogging. *fingers crossed*
Labels: catching up
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My job as a military wife is
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for my beloved husband to do his job.
Where he leads, I will follow.
Name: Rose
Age: 36
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