Monday, February 26, 2007

Coins, keys, consciousness...and a summer song

Sorry that I could not maintain my alliteration.

Coins and Keys:
Yesterday I went to the aeroport to pick up my parents who had been to Sydney for a week. I went upstairs to wait for the plane which meant that I had to go through the security point. I removed my bangles and my shoes and put my bag on the x-ray belt then went through the metal detector. GOOD. When I got to the other side my bag was being held. I was told that I had a lot of keys and coins in my bag. I had to remove my keys..."That is a lot of keys!" I was told. I had to show my open my purse and show my coins..."That is a lot of coins!"

I consider myself an intelligent person, but I have no propensity to be an evil genius. Try as I may I cannot understand how keys and coins might pose a danger or why they were remarkable enough to make my bag worthy of inspection. How very paranoid we have become!

Consciousness:
On Friday I took my son to have a blood test. Nothing of concern. He last had one done when he was seven and threw a bit of a panic tantrum about it. I reassured him that he would not do that at the age of 12, he would just sit still. He was very nervous about the blood test, but he did stay very still and allow the nurse to do her job.

He didn't watch the test being done...he looked away.

He offered this commentary, "That kind of hurt, but I can hardly feel it now.


I am kind of aware of it.


It is a little uncomfortable.


I am passing out now."


I looked up to see all the colour drain from his face, sweat break out on his brow, then he slumped into the chair. He has a complexion like mine, so pale that he is almost iridescent

but he got a whole lot paler than this! Poor darling had to lay down for half an hour before he could stand up and walk from the room. He was very quiet for the rest of the day and it took the longest time for his fingers to warm, they were like icicles.
As we were leaving the nurse informed us that she hadn't managed to get enough blood and we would have to come back again on Monday!!! Today he laid down right from the start and stayed conscious for the entire time. I took him to school but they rang me to say they were concerned because he was pale. He looks OK now and will certainly be going to school tomorrow!
A Summer Song:
I have become such a nerd that I have taken to going to youtube to find film clips for songs that I like. (I only just discovered that you can do this) I might just include a link to a song that I like from time to time. This one is Ben Kweller Sundress. Just beautiful. Hope you enjoy it.

11 comments:

meggie said...

I just cant get those things to play for me! Must be my slow, no broadband computer! I get so frustrated...

Hope your handsome son is ok. I think drinking a lot of water is the way to make the blood easy to take. Works for me, & I have odd, collapsable veins! & very an unusual blood group, so I am glad that almost no one else can have my blood, but I can have theirs... which doesnt seem fair??

Anonymous said...

I have O-negative blood which the blood banks love. However, the one and only time that I tried to donate blood, I went into shock and passed out. It was so severe that, once they had me stablised me, the Red Cross asked me not to come back. I still got the chocolate biscuit though.

Stomper Girl said...

It must have been a ghastly moment for you but gee I laughed at the running commentary and the final "I am passing out now".

I'm a low-blood pressure / fainting type, but I'm also prone to a bit of anxiety induced hyperventilation so I always really really concentrate on my breathing in blood-taking situations.

Those airport security guards? Were they on some power trip to make you feel like that nothin' got past them, or were they just dickheads, do you think?

caramaena said...

rofl @ the running commentary. What a cutie he is.

Tracey Petersen said...

Meggie, I don't know how you cope without broadband! It opens a whole new world.
Brenda, I doubt that my son will ever be a blood donor - his father passes out when medical equipment is visible too.
Stomper, I laughed with him, much later, at the time I was suitably sympathetic. I have no idea what the guard's agenda was, but the dickhead thing will do!
Caramaena, I love that he is such a talker, hope he never loses that quality

molly said...

This is uncanny. The very same thing happened, a year or so ago, to my youngest son. Routine blood work. He's a big, strong, strapping lad. The techs never thought to have him lie down. They certainly didn't tie him to the chair. They drew the blood. He made no comment [most unusual!] That was because he was busy keeling over, face first, onto the floor. When he came to, he was very sheepish---What am I? Some kind of GIRL? But they reassured him this happens often to battle hardened military men....which would mean, if it's true, that they should have been better prepared? Because he could have hurt more than his ego! Needless to say, he always lies down now!

Precious Pink Pumps said...

Thanks for making me laugh. THanks for the link you gave me on my blog - I contacted that couple and they are amazing. I have new perspective! I have to ask...how do you get you tube links in your blog? Jennifer

My float said...

Is he ok? And how hard is it to get enough blood in the first place? YOur poor son, having to go through it all again. He's a very brave soul. The commentary cracked me up. Meggie has some good advice - drinking lots of water does help. I hope it all goes ok for him.

By the way, he's a little heartbreaker!!

nutmeg said...

Your son is a handsome young man! Shame that you have to go back so soon though!

I like the song but the guy singing it makes me feel (and probaby look) about a hundred years old! Oh no! Everyone is starting to look very young these days ;-)

Aunty Evil said...

Oh the poor thing, and how gorgeous is he!!

I always do my civil duty and donate blood, every three months I rock up, only to go through trauma because my veins are weak and won't pump the blood fast enough for them to get a viable donation, that is if they can find the veins at all!

Since I have been on IVF though, and getting blood tests done every other day, I have found them going in through the vein in my hand much less stressful for me, and easier for them.

I feel so sorry for your boy, that the nurse was unable to take advantage of his unconcious state and get the blood she needed, because now he has to go through it all again!

All the best to him. Tell the nurse to stomp on his toe while inserting the needle, that will take his mind off his arm for a while! :)

Anonymous said...

Good luck with getting that header on - it will look fabulous and I keep checking back.