DTP

Hello all!

This blog is to recount a personal achievement!

As an International Student this University requires you to submit immunization records to make sure you're healthy and whatnot, but they also sometimes request TB screening tests... Of course these involve needles. 

(insert heart palpitations here)

I've been putting off going to the Health Centre ever since I arrived, but today I finally plucked up the courage (after receiving many prompting emails!) and I went. It was nerve racking to say the least. 

I arrived and had to fill out a ton of forms, and then having done so, I had to do the dreaded thing: sit and wait in a surgery. I don't know what it is, or where this fear came from but I loathe any kind of medical institute, especially the ones that want to administer sharp pointed objects into my arm!

As I sat and waited the inevitable happened, my mind began to race through the scenes over and over again about what was about to happen; I literally had to force myself to think of trivial things to attempt to take my mind off of it.

Then her voice sung through the surgery silence... "Miss Culliford-Whyte."

I jumped out of my seat nearly knocking the adjacent one over, I greeted the nurse and began talking at her at about 120mph, explaining how I'd filled all the forms out, I have my immunization records, I don't think I have TB and if it was okay to leave now? 

She of course registered my nervousness and was so lovely and gentle. She reviewed all of my documents and agreed that I wasn't a high risk TB carrier (or however she termed it!) Great, I thought, I can go now then. 

Then she proceeded with the frightful three letter word... "But..."

There it was. I shuddered.

"You are way over due your boosters, it was meant to be administered in 2008, they only last 10 years. It's not bad, there's nothing wrong with you, but you'll still need to have it."

"Now? Like today? As in, you're going to do it right now?" I responded.

"Well, yes?" She replied, "Don't worry I'll be quick and gentle."

I never believe it when they say that, but she was actually true to her word.

Now, if you know me, or perhaps you may have gathered from this post, I generally don't respond well to needles, in fact I've been known to pass out a number of times, well, practically every time it happens! And this time I was by myself, in a completely different country, in a surgery I've never been to before, with a nurse I don't know and most importantly with no one's hand to crush. 

So, all in all it went well. She gave me some apple juice since my face drained of any possible pale colour it had in the first place and she told me to sit down for a few minutes before leaving. Of course I was reluctant to stay any longer than necessary in a room of such objects, so I politely excused myself and jokingly said good-bye with a wish to not have to see her again. I bounced too enthusiastically out of that room only to then have to quickly scoot to the bathroom so I could sit on the floor for a further 15 minutes to try to stop feeling woozy.

Okay, so it wasn't a completely smooth experience. But, I think it's still one to be proud of. I had my first injection all by myself, and for once I didn't pass out either! Result.

I'm hoping to adventure around the local town some more this weekend, and next weekend I'll be heading to Chicago, so watch out for some more stories! (Hopefully some pictures too!)

From Cheryl your Belonephobic.