So, I needed a note from my doctor to withdraw from my Medieval Lit class since it is so late in the semester. And she wrote it. She just wouldn't let me have it without also giving me a lab sheet for more blood work and making me promise to have it done immediately. I have sort of been putting it off, I guess.

Anyway, I took the sheet and went to the hospital like a good little Jamie only to have the phlebotomist from hell draw the blood. First, she wasn't even looking at me when she started. Instead she was hissing at a coworker and saying something innane like "see my tail swishing." I kid you not. She was pretending to be a cat. Then she tried to draw blood. And completely missed the vein, which didn't stop her from wiggling the needle around in my arm for a minute before removing it.

Now, I have small veins. People are always complaining about it, and so I was inclined to cut the woman some slack at first, cat performance aside. I explained what I knew about having small veins, and she replied with, and I love this, "No, the veins are fine. I just suck at this. Lets try the other arm, Sweetie."

I very nearly ran for my life then and there. But, no, I just stupidly rolled up my other sleeve. And, she looked for a vein, calling for help in the process. Then she plunged the needle in, hitting the vein this time, and saying "Are you okay? I saw your knuckles go white as I approached you."

I'm usually really good about blood work and shots, but this woman scared the crap out of me. So I simply responded with "Do you blame me?" Apparently, though she was too busy breaking the needle off in my arm while withdrawing it, after only having got a vial and half of the two she needed, having accidently pulled the needle out of the vein while changing vials. She offered to try again, but since there was enough for the tests I refused. Once she tweezered the bit of metal out of my arm I practically ran out of the office.

And my doctor wonders why I procrastinate about blood work.

In better news, maybe, I took the next big step as a writer. I sent something off to an editor. Now I wait two months or so for the rejection slip so I can send it somewhere else. Oddly, I feel very good about this process.

It's probably the blood loss.