We too have walk-in phlebotomy centres in our area and it has transformed the whole business of having blood tests which always used to be a nightmare of hunting for suitable veins.

The phlebotomists seem to find them effortlessly. The only time the question of going to the surgery for a test rather than the drop-in centre is the one morning a week there is a visiting phlebotomist there that one can see by appointment.

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Cestina's dolls houses - I can't bear Christmas....

I would normally not have any difficulties finding veins but what I would always do is listen to the person themselves as they know which veins are good. I would also only ever try twice, once on each arm, because of the potential trauma that can be inflicted.

Was once called in to a blood transfusion place when I was OH nurse on site - the technician had obviously managed to nick an artery instead of a vein on one poor person and she had a swiftly increasing haematoma developing on her arm. Technician was pretty useless in doing anything to stop it.

Not surprised you were angry Jennie

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Lime Green Musing http://www.annersley.co.uk
New RCS started on Lime Green Musing

The point is that if the nurses at the oncology centre, The Woodlands, can't get blood out of my elbow veins, how can she expect to?

Those nurses take blood every day and really know what they're doing, so how can someone argue with them?

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Carpe diem, carpe noctem, carpe pecuniam et exe, celerrime.
A certain edge when she spoke of Mrs Maynard, certainly, but, after all, not everyone could love Joey.
'Life,' said Marvin, 'don't talk to me about life!'

I'm lucky, my surgery's resident phlebotomist is an ex Intensive care nurse (qualifications not valid in the UK). She's brilliant. Also I don't need blood tests very often.

Sounds like this Maureen person should have known when to leave well alone.

My personal woe is that my phone has died. However it was nearly 4 years old so I can't complain too much. Also I get a cool new toy now - thankfully it's pay day.

Hugs, Jennie! It's frustrating when they don't seem to be able to get your blood. I have to warn any one who's not taken mine before, as my veins just seem to vanish. I refuse to let them take mine at my surgery; unless it's the visiting phlebotomist as once, they ended up digging around and causing me pain. Do you end up with bruises, too Jennie? I do, depending who does it.

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Wishes the land of Merlin and magic was real

Yes, if people insist on trying my elbow veins they leave me bruised and very sore, and they are left without my blood.

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Carpe diem, carpe noctem, carpe pecuniam et exe, celerrime.
A certain edge when she spoke of Mrs Maynard, certainly, but, after all, not everyone could love Joey.
'Life,' said Marvin, 'don't talk to me about life!'

And then there was the confident young lady who when told my veins tended to disappear when blood was wanted, said, "Don't worry, I'm really good at darts". Some twenty minutes later with a bloody and bruised arm, I said I hope that were other games she was good at!

My friend S has hard-to-find veins - she came back from one blood-taking appointment to say that the nurse had been 'broddling' in her now bruised and bandaged arm. This expressive piece of Yorkshire dialect promptly passed into my own vocabulary...

I had one of the easiest blood test experiences last week. I had been very apprehensive as the one technician whom I knew could get my blood has left. When I made the appointment I did comment that I wasn't an easy bleeder and that C had always used a butterfly. Thankfully M, the new one on me, had taken note, and had a butterfly all ready. She found the vein straight away, and I didn't have any pain or bruising, just a tiny red mark that has now gone. This is a great relief to me, as I can now ask for M, knowing she has successfully 'done' me before.

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to be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e.e.cummings
http://stitchwords.blogspot.co.uk

My burglar alarm decided to lose the plot at 5 o'clock this morning . Not ideal at the best of times, even less so when you're jet-lagged. And I don't suppose the neighbours were very pleased either (the ones with the horrible barking dogs deserve to be disturbed, but the others don't!). After it'd gone off for the third time, I had to get the emergency engineer out, and he "helpfully" suggested that maybe it'd been set off by spiders running over the sensor. The image of spiders running around in the kitchen did not make me feel any better. Eventually, he decided that the sensor needed replacing (no sign of spiders), so I just hope that's sorted it.

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

Can anyone help me to explain to my sister that I cannot access her work emails from my PC? She's convinced that if I type her work email address into Google I can get into them.
"But why not? I've given you the password and everything".
well....yes.....but....

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http://www.timwoodward.weebly.com

I think she's a lost cause. Sorry.

I got an NHS choose and book letter this morning. Asking me to rebook an appointment which I have already attended

no doubt they'll keep nagging you about it.

As for my sister I've suspected she's a lost cause for many a long year now. When it comes to technology at least.

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http://www.timwoodward.weebly.com

As far as email goes, if I gave someone the site url and my work username and my password they would be able to get in via google as there's a web option, but I guess that's not true for you!

With my HR (retired) hat on, giving access to a work e-mail account to a non-employee (and even, possibly, other employees) would definitely be a disciplinary offence!

I phoned them up and explained that the appointment hadn't been cancelled so hopefully that's the end of it. The whole thing is driving me nuts; it's bad enough that my other shoulder has fallen apart but getting it sorted out is going wrong at every turn. Well nearly every turn, my consultant appointment actually went pretty well.

In our office we have an office email address plus individual ones. I know my colleague's password, because I have to use it to access other parts of the intranet system. But I would never attempt to access her individual email account any more than she would mine.

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''He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

The people with the vein troubles might appreciate the solidarity on this article:

https://themighty.com/2018/03/doctor-ca ... m=Facebook

At least you know you're not alone, but how frustrating that health professionals won't listen to the people who know what their bodies can and can't do.

Every time I am actually in a good mood, it turns out I've put weight on despite a week of trying hard, and then I feel rotten again. What have I done wrong this time? OK, one gingerbread latte, hands up, but I had it with skimmed milk. I cannot shift this holiday weight, and it's not because I'm not trying. Oh, to be able to eat a zillion cream cakes and fancy bread twists and never put weight on, like Mary-Lou et al!

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

Hugs - I'm trying to get going on the 5 & 2 again, which worked for me lat time - but I got out of the way of it 3 years ago when my mother was needing daily hospital visits 30-odd miles away, and the 2 stone I'd lost has gone back on ... and possibly more; I haven't dared look! I managed a week and a half at the beginning of this month, but keep forgetting and having breakfast!

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to be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e.e.cummings
http://stitchwords.blogspot.co.uk