So how many sticks does it take for them to do an infusion on you? Yesterday I had an infusion scheduled with my clinic (which for the most part I love - DM me for details if you want) and when the nurse/phlebotomist got there I knew I was in trouble. To be fair I haven't been thrilled with the series of phlebotomists that the clinic has used. They always seem new and lacking knowledge. None of my infusions have worked with a single stick and I don't think I am a particularly hard stick but maybe I am harder than I thought. Some times it is 2 sticks other times it takes more I think there was one that I was stuck 8 times before they were able to get the meds into me.

Anyways this nurse (who I will call J) she didn't do great on the previous session, and my other issue with her is that she spoke almost no English, being more fluent in Spanish. I only remember a little high school Spanish so the language barrier was an issue. Anyways she stuck me in the arm and it looked like it was going to be a one stick. But there was some issue with her not looping the IV and taping it, I'm not sure but the doctor was telling her how to do it so it didn't pull out. Anyways he started the meds and got the benadryl and zofran into me. Then something went wrong. I don't know if it pulled out, clotted, or clogged, or even something else but they had to take the needle out.

Then came the plethora of sticks. I had been previously stuck in the wrist of the right hand and even a month later my hand still hurts and is almost non functional. So I had told them that they could stick me anywhere as long as it was 2 inches above my wrists. When the 6th stick didn't work they found a spot above the right wrist about an inch up. They cajoled me to let them do it there as it was high enough up. Messed up from the benadryl and zofran I just gave in. The stick failed.
Also at one point J decided that there was an issue with air in the line from the bag. With the doctor out of the room trying to find an ultrasound she went over to the IV bag and using a syringe drew out fluid to get the air out. But the bag was not just saline, but included the ketamine, and maybe some of the other meds. I wanted to stop her but with the language barrier and my head hurting I couldn't stop her. The doctor was mad when I told him what she did as the medicine she had drained could not be reinserted.

Anyways an hour and a half later I was stuck I think 10 times all over and my arms and hands were on fire. I told them I gave up and I couldn't take any more needles. They weren't happy about this and during this my ride texted me to say she had finished her chores and wanted to know how much longer, so she could know when to come get me. I let her know that we didn't have the needle in and I was giving up. She called and on speaker me, her, the doc, and J all convinced me to try one more stick in the left hand. I gave in I was beat down. So they stuck me in the left hand. It didn't take and they stuck me in the left hand a second time. No dice. I was stuck a dozen times over two hours and just gave up crying and in pain. I'm a mess my arms and hands are killing me, I didn't get the meds, and I look like a junkie with needle marks and bruises all over my hands and arms.

After this as I am trying to get my stuff so I can go, J comes in when the doctor is out and in broken English berates me that I can't decide where they stick me, and that I have to let her stick me where she wants. I was horrified. Does this woman not understand bodily autonomy? If you stick the needle in my hand it still hurts over a month later, I don't care how good a vein you find it isn't worth it to me to be stuck there unless I am actively dying! I tried to tell her off but all I got out was a weak no. She berated me a bit more and then left when I wouldn't let her stick me any more.
Finally the doctor came back in to check on me and tell me it was my fault and I did fine. I told him what J had said to me and how I was very upset with her. Before I could say I would refuse to have her as a nurse in the future he said that what J did was unacceptable, and they would not be using her anymore. Maybe I'm jaded but I don't know if I was being placated or he was being sincere, but I don't much care as long as I never have to see J again.

I left the clinic after 2 hours in agony, barely able to walk, and was in massive pain the rest of the day, and still am the next. I was so bad that when I got in the car my ride gave me a cookie to eat, even knowing my diet, because I was so broken and hurting. I'm supposed to go back monday for what would have been the 6th in the series, but I have no idea how missing 5 days between infusions is going to effect the therapy.

If I wasn't so tired I would be mad. But mostly I just want to throw up from the headache.

So how many sticks does it take to get the IV into you? How many sticks before you say I give up and don't get your meds?