I have a shame

[cleolinda]

So I had to go to the DMV to renew my driver's license today, except that it's not a driver's license, it's a driver's permit (it looks exactly the same, except there are two "exception" codes on the back. A: Corrective lenses and Y: Not a license. Oh. You know. That), because I can't drive, because I get panic attacks, because I'm a neurotic loser

Comments

[beth_shulman]

OH A BLOOD TEST NOOOO. No one can ever find my veins either. I feel for you - I know exactly how aimless jabs at my arms feel. And the bruises, oh, the bruises :( I hope it goes well.

[shemmelle]

Same, after glucose intolerence tests I don't want to know what people think happened to me.

However I have found a solution: Somehow(**) get to go to the children's hospital! They are so used to tiny people and tiny veins that it was the least traumatic experience ever.

(** Warning the 'somehow' bit will probably negate all the positives of having least tramatic blood test ever)

[wellowned]

or tell them that you have tiny, tiny, delicate veins and use a butterfly needle. the bruises may still happen if they go fishing for veins, but honestly?? my mom has this issue and refuses to do anything until they promise not to fish and show her the tiniest needle they've got.

me, on the other hand..... i have super veins(!). totally visible, easy to get to, easy to bleed, easy to heal. only time it's ever sucked was when they put an iv in my hand back in january. i still have a bruise and struggle to use the hand properly sometimes (playing volleyball made me realize it's still not quite healed and back to 100%).

[lost_garnet]

In all the blood tests I've had, there was only one time they couldn't find a vein, but I did get four stabs in one arm before they gave up and tried the other a couple of times and then a different nurse who had about thirty years on the first one came in and took over and was like "Yeah, we're gonna do this differently." And they went in through the back of my hand and told me to drink more fluids/keep warm next time. Uh, it was like, May. I wasn't figuring on breaking out my parka that day.

Not surprisingly that was also the only time I blacked out during bloodwork and had to lie down.

[trialia]

Hee. Pterry showed us said sword at the opening ceremony of DWcon. It is truly awesome :D

[randomdiversion]

When you go for the blood test, tell them that nobody can ever find your veins (though you don't use iv drugs) and beg them to please please use ultrasound to find out where to put the needle.

If you can convince them to do it this way (not every phlebotomist has the training) it should go much easier for you.

[musikologie]

I've never heard of a lab that has ultrasound (may be a regional thing), but you can ask them to use the smaller butterfly needles. They're less likely to bruise, too.

[randomdiversion]

Ultrasound gets more use in an ER on super-fat people & people who have low blood volume (dehydrated or bled a lot) & therefore hard-to-find veins.

Doesn't hurt to ask though. Or beg.

[musikologie]

Ah, maybe that's it -- I always get my blood drawn at my doctor's/walk-in and not a hospital, so there's not a lot of extra equipment there.

I agree about the asking, though! Anything that makes the process easier.

[sethrak]

I didn't get my driver's license until I was 28 and pregnant with my first Zodling. (He is about to turn 4.) Why? Combination of panic attacks which scared off all my relatives from teaching me to drive and having a pretty great public transit system in my hometown.

I still get panicky when we move to a new city and I have to learn how to drive places there all over again. Or even a little panicky when I'm in a familiar city and need to drive somewhere that's not part of my personal comfort zone. Or on major freeways. (My husband, who taught me to drive, is determined to fix the latter. I am dubious as to his success; he doesn't quite get panic attacks. We'll see.)

In short, don't feel bad.

[trialia]

eeeeeeeeeeeee you have a Cordelia icon. have I squeed at you about this before??

[sethrak]

Possibly. I seem to be getting a lot of Cordelia-squee lately when I use this icon. ^_^

[trialia]

Hee! Apparently so...

*cough* http://fan.unfaithful-mirror.net/bujold/ join? :D

[friggeng]

I am a fifteen year old who currently refuses to learn how to drive, the fact you don't drive actually makes me feel better about that decision, weirdly enough.

And you shouldn't feel bad for not knowing how at all. Mark my words, we'll all be in auto-piloted hover crafts in a couple decades and then NO ONE WILL CARE WHO KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE.

[jaseroque]

I didn't want to learn when I was fifteen. I didn't want to learn when I was seventeen, the legal age you could start getting a license in my country. I didn't want to learn when I was 18 and my parents bought me a car and Dad took me out to have me drive around a carpark and they started paying for my driving lessons. After a few attempts at this, when it was clear I was absolutely, totally unready, unwilling, and to put not too fine a point on it, terrified, they very kindly dropped it. My little sister got the car, learned to drive, and then sold the car without me ever using it.

When I was twenty two I decided I was ready to learn to drive. And aside from some mild jitters, I did. I'm still not the world's most confident driver, but when I was ready to learn I learned. Don't let anyone rush you, it'll come when it's ready. Or not at all, if you don't want to, and that's fine too.

[friggeng]

Thank you. :)
I really hate when people are all OMG YOU HAVE TO DRIVE NOW! Hearing this- someone who, y'know, gets that not everyone wants to drive as a teenager, is really, really helpful. Thanks.