Thread Drift

[SadieKate]

I had to have an IV while in NS. The nurse tried to put it in my hand.

Why the IV in the hand? I've seen that a lot. They did that to me when I had one of my many knee surgeries (fortunately, under anesthesia) and, of course, put it in the wrong spot to also use crutches. I can't remember where they moved it to but I refused to get out of bed until they moved it.

[Veronica]

It was part of the migraine therapy the doc suggested.

V.

[chickwhorips]

i had an iv attempted to be put in the back of my hand when i was very dehydrated. i think they hit a nerve because for a while the back of my hand would go numb randomly, and then later when i touched it. now i seem to be ok.

[SadieKate]

I mean, why the location in the hand? Is it because they can see the veins? I, too, have easily accessible veins. Sometimes, it is done in the feet when you need to rotate locations for longer term use. Yeow!

[Veronica]

I don't know why she picked the hand. To me the veins there look to be good size. But she couldn't hit one. She kept wiggling the needle around - trying to make it stay. And it was all I could to not scream or pull away from her.

V.

[Nanci]

Mystery Men. Lise.

[maillotpois]

If you're ever in Bend, OR, at St. Mark's Hosp and need your blood drawn, ask for Alex. Ex-pro mtn bike racer, about 6'4 (at least), does an incredible Pee Wee Herman imitation among others, will have you on floor rolling. Don't ask him to show you how to ride some tricky piece of trail because he'll do something that will make you crack up so hard you'll fall off your bike.

I bet he pulls the same tricks when drawing blood. I've seen him do it with his children just to get them to behave. So far, Dad is still smarter than his children -- and your tech is smarter than you.

And, my shot is only 30 mcg.

He sounds great!

I guess mcg is the unit. Mine's 80 - but hey, I'm bigger! I think my marg should be proportionately bigger next week, as well....

Still, none of it is great - but there are folks who endure a lot more then we do, and we can still ride our bikes (well, I can't, but I'm healthy enough to exercise vigorously - you get my point). My happy news of the day is one of my TNT leukemia patient honorees is now able to come out of his isolation, is feeling better (after MONTHS of not being able to do anything he can now walk outside) and we're having dinner with him next week!! I really was afraid we were going to lose him.

[SadieKate]

MP, that is so wonderful to hear. Same one you emailed me about from the hospital during our chat?

You guys should consider Bend for a vacation. Incredible road biking, trail running, superb food, better alcohol, family friendly, dog friendly, no sales tax . . . I'd say mtbiking but it might make you cry. Someday, I'll convert you. This winter -- Mt. Tam or Bolinas Ridge. Just needs to be dry.

[maillotpois]

I don't know why she picked the hand. To me the veins there look to be good size. But she couldn't hit one. She kept wiggling the needle around - trying to make it stay. And it was all I could to not scream or pull away from her.

V.

One reason they may have done the hand was because when it is in the crook of the arm, it is really difficult to bend your arm which sucks long term. The best one I had in the hospital was in the top of my lower forearm - totally out of the way.

[SadieKate]

Lower forearm -- why don't they do it there all the time? Dogs get it there. Why can't we get the same treatment as dogs?

Excuse me a sec . . . . I'm back, Izaak the Wonder Poodle just told me it is because dogs are superior.

[maillotpois]

MP, that is so wonderful to hear. Same one you emailed me about from the hospital during our chat?

You guys should consider Bend for a vacation. Incredible road biking, trail running, superb food, better alcohol, family friendly, dog friendly, no sales tax . . . I'd say mtbiking but it might make you cry. Someday, I'll convert you. This winter -- Mt. Tam or Bolinas Ridge. Just needs to be dry.

Yeah, probably the same guy. There are two guys we've really become friends with and Mike and I have between us coached them in probably 5 - 6 centuries. This one lives in Sausalito on a houseboat and is just such a great guy - very into cycling and all things French and I lent him my French copy of Lance's book during one of his low periods. (Always fun to read a book you've read already in English - much easier than reading a book for the first time in French - like when I struggled through LA Confidentiel.) Anyway, we're going out for Chinese food at my new favorite place - they serve this lamb dish called Cumin Lamb (or, if you are my smart aleck father in law "Coumadin Lamb" - renamed in my honor.) It is HEAVENLY.

I like Oregon. They have good wine.... We should all go to the Steamboat Inn. I know they have fishing there, and I am sure there are good cycling places nearby.

[SadieKate]

Steamboat is on the Umqua River. However, I don't mtbike the Umqua River trail. Is has scary drop-offs to the side. I believe Thom calls it "death on the [right or left]" Give me smooth easy trail with a cliff to the side and I freeze.

[Veronica]

Steamboat Inn - maybe that's where Thom and I will go for a long weekend. Thanks for the idea. The mountain biking is awesome there. And not all of it involves death drops.

V.

[maillotpois]

Well, if you go to Steamboat, tell the Van Loans you know the Burkes and the Burkes say hi (the younger ones, anyway).

I'm not big on death drops even when hiking...

[SadieKate]

Death drops - I'm getting better. I rode the appropriately named Farewell Trail on Monday. The downhill portion drops 1,700 ft in a series of switchbacks over 3 miles. The 8" wide trail (labeled advanced on the maps) was either overgrown with manzanita so it was hard to see where you were going or had no undergrowth at all so you could see where you would land (waaaaay down there). I rode by far the great majority of it -- at least until one of the manzanita reached out and tried to shove me over the edge. At the point the mental "death drop" blinders I had on failed. I was able to get back on my bike after a little walk and finish off. From all the descriptions I'd been given by people who know me and my phobias, I rode a huge amount more than anyone predicted.

So, I'm doing better with my mental blinders but sometimes I wonder if a sports pyschologist would help. I've gotten to the point sometimes where I'm shaking with adrenaline over easy stuff others with less skill are zooming over. It's really frustrating.

What is it in our brains that wires us this way? I blame it on my parents mostly but there also must be something hardwired wrong.