• Really, it is that scary!

    February 2, 2010 // 2 Comments »

    Welcome to Kathrin’s somewhat bumpy trip down memory lane of traumatic needle episodes!

    Trypanophobia – an irrational and often intense fear of hypodermic needles or injections – though it is often incorrectly called belonephobia, a name which simply denotes fear of pins or needles, without referring to the medical aspects.

    Blood, sweat and tears….literally! Being within 50 feet of a needle puts me into a panic. Just thinking about them sends my pulse through the roof.

    The back story is quite complicated, made murky as I only remember bits and pieces, so bear with me. I think much of it stems back to when I was 8 or 9 years old. My dad and I used to go to this military clinic in Germany every couple of months for testing. I don’t remember specifically why I was having the tests done, but it had something to do with my bone structure. The reason really isn’t pertinent to the story.  Every time was traumatic, but the very last appointment took the cake. I remember the lab tech continually missing my vein. I remember my dad getting angry. I remember being hysterical. I remember my dad yelling. I remember the look on the lab techs face. I remember leaving. And…that’s all she wrote! Since then I have had major issues with needles.

    Ok, well…full stop! I remember getting my tonsils out when I was 6 or 7 and wanting to go home with the IV still in my hand. It was a huge to do for them to touch by hand. Full blown fit ensued!

    My phobia grew from there. Most doctors and dentists that I have encountered since then have been patronizing, condescending and quite impatient with me. Some of them told me to suck it up, to act my age even. None of that has been extremely helpful in managing my phobia let alone helping me move beyond it.

    Several years ago I thought about addressing this issue in therapy.  I initially started therapy because of The Ex. Talking to someone helped me begin to see how damaging that relationship was and ultimately helped me cope (and not react) when she pulled her final power play.  After several months it felt like I was moving on, so I decided to use my therapy time wisely. We had some initially discussions about my fear of needles.  I remember the day I began to tell her the back story and her response….”this doesn’t make you a whip…it makes you a special needs patient.” Well…the walls went up and that was all she wrote! Being characterized a special needs patient felt worse than being considered a wimp…at least in my mind.

    I ended up researching this phobia even after I stopped going to therapy. I am a combination of associative and resistive, save for the fact that I don’t have any violent responses to needles. Flight yes, fight no! I am not really sure what exactly I am afraid of.  I am not afraid of pain per se (well we shall revisit this in another post). I can deal with immunizations and injections. I dealt with Depo several yrs ago to regulate my cycle. I can even psych myself up for the dentist. However, IVS and giving blood…hot mess!

    I finally got up the nerve to schedule my annual exam WITH labs. A lot of recent discussions motivates me to finally take that step.  I rarely ever avoid my annual check up, but the lab component has always been more complicated. So, I did the bravest thing I knew how….I scheduled it for when the Medic is in town. I already thought about what excuse I could come up with to get out of it. I know the Medic won’t let me, but still….the thought crossed my mind! How the hell do I get out of this?!

    So here is the question – do I want her to hold my hand or if possible, do I want her to do it? I have no relationship or track record with a lab tech at my doctors office (since I haven’t had blood work done in four years…maybe more), so that is going to make me nervous. So, who I trust more is a given. However, if she is doing it, then she can’t hold my hand. Yeah the rational part of me thinks this thought process is absolutely absurd!

    Thoughs?

    Posted in Healthy Living, Simple Life, The Medic

    Poverty and Healthy Living

    December 3, 2008 // No Comments »

    I was researching recent media coverage on obesity in poor communities (particularly among the urban poor) and  the availability of healthy and nutritious food.  In doing so, I once again realized media attention on domestic poverty is almost nonexistent.  However, coverage of various issues relating to poverty abroad is in abundance.

    Poverty in India, China, various regions in Africa, etc. are widely covered.  Yet, America’s poor, whether they live in urban, rural or suburban communities, are practically forgotten.

    People living in poverty are more likely to be obese, thereby making diabetes, heart disease, asthma and other such illnesses also more prevalent.  These elements contribute to an overall shorter life expectancy for individuals living in poverty.

    Sanjay Gupta, resident M.D. on CNN, recently hosted a segment on urban health and obesity.  He highlighted the fact that many grocers refuse to open chains in poverty stricken areas. He makes the indirect link that high poverty areas are also high crime areas.  The result – residents have little to no access to fresh fruits and vegetables, integral components to quality nutrition.  Yet, there is a fast food chain at every restaurant. Most corner stores boast chips, cookies and regular sodas. Most of the canned goods are extremely high in sodium.

    Several school districts across the country have removed vending machines and revamped their lunch menus in order to address childhood obesity.  However, little headway can be made if parents are unable to provide their children with healthy and nutritious foods at home.  In fact, in some instances, parents have criticized the removal of vending machines.

    It will be interesting to see how the new Obama Administration tackles the national health care crisis, particularly in poverty stricken areas. Issues of nutrition and obesity directly impact the larger health care crisis and vise versa.

    Posted in Media, Poverty