Jill Franks

[User 23988]

Never pretend your 30 when your actually 65

 

[maymorganlondon]

Or a size small, when you’re not …

 

[Lemonpop]

I'm not sure whether we we can do anything about the size of our hands & I had a look at the recording of the 10pm beauty show on 26th to see what hers looked like; apart from the fact that I have freckles they could be mine! Towards the end of the hour AY was on & her fingers looked very swollen, as did her face, so I wonder if it could be a side effect of medication.

Mine are the same,they have always been bony and veiny. My shins are the same and I bruise easily. I was sent for blood tests at the hospital a few years ago and was told I had fragile skin,it's hereditary as my dad's were the same.

 

[Lemonpop]

Very wise - especially because by the time they’ve been tapping you for blood, and maybe tried a couple of regular needles, most of the veins have gone into hiding (or at least mine have!)

Years back GP was trying to take my blood and I warned him that it was traumatic and usually impossible - but he was so cocky that he ploughed on ignoring me - by which which point I felt so ill I vomited in his waste-paper bin!!

I did apologise and was v embarrassed, but I couldn’t help thinking he should’ve listened!!

When I was a blood donor the nurses always said the worst person to try and take blood would be a doctor. I always found the best was a trainee or a phlebotomist.

 

[Lemonpop]

And never show your bits!

 

[maymorganlondon]

When I was a blood donor the nurses always said the worst person to try and take blood would be a doctor. I always found the best was a trainee or a phlebotomist.

I always warn that I have disappearing veins...but I still emerge with bruises from the various sites they have tried. The veins will literally collapse and disappear as soon as the needle goes in. Nurses fail 100% of the time, and doctors often need multiple tries. Oncology phlebotomists are the ones who normally manage to get blood at the first time of asking.
I still have the scars from when I was a blood donor.

 

[Twilight]

I always warn that I have disappearing veins...but I still emerge with bruises from the various sites they have tried. The veins will literally collapse and disappear as soon as the needle goes in. Nurses fail 100% of the time, and doctors often need multiple tries. Oncology phlebotomists are the ones who normally manage to get blood at the first time of asking.
I still have the scars from when I was a blood donor.

That sounds horrendous. I'm not surprised your veins disappear, if I was them I'd adopt a new identity & leave the country. It's the 21st century, humans have been to the Moon & created amazing technology so developing a kinder & more successful way of taking blood shouldn't be beyond their capabilities.

 

[Loveinamist]

Always make sure you are well hydrated before having blood taken, it does help. I have very difficult veins to find and they collapse at the drop of a hat then sometimes reinflate with a bubble that the next blood test can be taken from so no digging needed. Mum was the same and I’ve passed it onto my daughter.

 

[Totally Loopy Lou]

Always make sure you are well hydrated before having blood taken, it does help. I have very difficult veins to find and they collapse at the drop of a hat then sometimes reinflate with a bubble that the next blood test can be taken from so no digging needed. Mum was the same and I’ve passed it onto my daughter.

Agree it does help - lots to drink and a warm bath or shower both help esp when you have “difficult veins” (I relate!)

 

[Brissles]

I've been having regular 3 monthly blood tests since `1993 (Lupus), and NO-ONE told me to drink plenty of water before having blood taken, until about 6 months ago and the nurse said it was advisable. Well, the difference was staggering - no probs getting a gusher - like the proverbial oil well it was. So yes, drink plenty beforehand.

 

[Totally Loopy Lou]

I always warn that I have disappearing veins...but I still emerge with bruises from the various sites they have tried. The veins will literally collapse and disappear as soon as the needle goes in. Nurses fail 100% of the time, and doctors often need multiple tries. Oncology phlebotomists are the ones who normally manage to get blood at the first time of asking.
I still have the scars from when I was a blood donor.

I feel your pain - literally!
It’s horrid isn’t it and after failed attempts you feel even worse.

They stopped using nurses with me - and I’m always so relieved when it’s a phlebotomist I know has succeeded in the past!

I’ll never forget trying to donate blood was I was about 18yo and it was such a disaster they basically said “thanks but no thanks” and asked me not to come back!!!
Felt so guilty!
And the same thing happened with my uncle. Oh dear!

I've been having regular 3 monthly blood tests since `1993 (Lupus), and NO-ONE told me to drink plenty of water before having blood taken, until about 6 months ago and the nurse said it was advisable. Well, the difference was staggering - no probs getting a gusher - like the proverbial oil well it was. So yes, drink plenty beforehand.

That’s crazy no one had thought to advise you of that!
Hope your lupus is fairly manageable/controlled, one of my best friends has it and she’s extremely poorly with it (constantly in hospital and on IV chemo) but my aunt has it and can have decent quality of life.
B*****d chronic illnesses!

 

[Twilight]

I've been having regular 3 monthly blood tests since `1993 (Lupus), and NO-ONE told me to drink plenty of water before having blood taken, until about 6 months ago and the nurse said it was advisable. Well, the difference was staggering - no probs getting a gusher - like the proverbial oil well it was. So yes, drink plenty beforehand.

It's things like this that makes me despair of the NHS; even I know that blood is 90% water* & blood donors are given water to drink before a session. My sister has regular blood tests & her most recent one has come back with skewed results so I'll ask her if she was advised to be hydrated before that test.

*I was allowed to drop Biology when I took my O levels & studied languages instead. Consequently I know very little about human bodies but can remember this & that taste buds live for 10 days.

 

[donna255]

Me, usually have to try both arms to get blood. This happened once only. Left walking away from the doctor's and felt something damp on my inner arm. Kept walking then stopped and took off my coat, it was a bloodbath with blood flowing down my arm. People were looking at me, I was so embarrassed hoping they didn't think I had slashed my arm! Ran back to the surgery, and they had to sort me out. Thankfully it wasn't a good coat of jumper I was wearing.

 

[Toril]

I have regular blood tests (underactive thyroid) and 9/10 times they find a vein first time. On one occasion however, the nurse was rootling around for ages and had to insert the needle three times before she hit the jackpot. The bruise on my forearm was spectacular to say the least.

It’s just as well that I don’t have a needle phobia.

 

[stratobuddy]

No blood testa at the moment because they have run out of plastic bottles!

You couldn't make it up

 

[Grizelda]

Seems Ophelia said on air, she dislikes cats and would rather have a pair of slippers.

Someone on Facebook put this up and the comment did not go down well.

No, a comment like that would put off a lot of cat lovers. And, who doesn't like a cat? Only people who are allergic to cat hair, I think.

I haven't got kids, but its often been said I'm a better cook than my sister in law with 3 offspring - her speciality being sausage casserole.

Ooh, lovely! Lumpy gravy. Just just like mum used to make !

 

[stratobuddy]

One of my former partners was a teacher and used to go away in the summer holidays with her daughter, so I used to move into her house to look after her 4 cats. It was like a holiday for me too.

I also watered all her plants including those in the greenhouse.

 

[loujareth]

Me, usually have to try both arms to get blood. This happened once only. Left walking away from the doctor's and felt something damp on my inner arm. Kept walking then stopped and took off my coat, it was a bloodbath with blood flowing down my arm. People were looking at me, I was so embarrassed hoping they didn't think I had slashed my arm! Ran back to the surgery, and they had to sort me out. Thankfully it wasn't a good coat of jumper I was wearing.

Same thing happened to me a few yeas ago upon leaving A&E, not as drastic but as I walked out the dept, felt hot and wet down my arm, looked at it and saw blood dripping onto the floor and then a trail of blood drops behind me, such a weird situation.

When I finally learnt the water revelation for blood tests I mentioned it to a 'taker' about never knowning this until recently and she looked at me aghast and sarcastically said, yes everyone knows that and shook her head. I love the NHS but hate this attitude, my own DD is HCA but there are some 'Hattie Jaques' out there.

 

[llloyd]

I always bruise & generally they have to take it from my hand. Mine is a fasting test & I didn't know until recently that I can have water before.
So the last test I had , last week , I drank a bottle of water whilst travelling there & woohoo she managed to get it out of my arm.

 

[Brissles]

That’s crazy no one had thought to advise you of that!
Hope your lupus is fairly manageable/controlled, one of my best friends has it and she’s extremely poorly with it (constantly in hospital and on IV chemo) but my aunt has it and can have decent quality of life.
B*****d chronic illnesses!

Thanks TTL admittedly 30 years ago I'd never heard of it, and with no internet to investigate, it was down to research in the Library. I discovered it was (for some reason) mainly women of colour who suffered with it, and that the U.S were more on top of this auto immune disease than here in the UK. There are degrees of severity with it, and I've been fortunate (so far), in the early years my platelet count was so low it was rubbish, I bruised easily and the overwhelming tiredness difficult to cope with. Its once it attacks the organs that it becomes a serious problem. I've continued to live my life without 'it' defining me, but have been on medication to 'control' the symptoms every day since. Lupus is an amalgam of symptoms likened to MS and arthritis.

I would add that I was 43 when first diagnosed (severe bruising set off the alarm bells), and as I had been taking HRT for about 6 months preceded by a bad dose of flu, I was told that both had exacerbated the symptoms of Lupus so was immediately taken off HRT.