My first non-emergency visit to the doctor since I was like, uh, 5 years old.
 
 
If that doesn't tell you how much I love this country and how much I want to stay here, I don't know what will. :P
 
My biggest worry was that some of the testing would involve latex gloves, but apparently, that's not part of the routine examination for immigrants. I love the US, but my dignity as a man is very dear to me.
 
Actually, the whole procedure came down to a very quick check up of my ears and throat, listening to me breathing w/ the stethoscope and taking my pressure.
 
Then needles.
I hate those.
I dream of the day where they'll finally catch up with Star Trek and invent hypo-sprays. Why do I hate them so much? I don't know because honestly, I barely felt any of the 3 vaccine cocktails and the blood test.
 
Oh, and the tuberculosis test - which also involved a needle. 
 
So that 4 needles in me, total. I've had them stuck in much worst place in the past - knee, armpit... Can't really complain.
 
Besides an arm that feels sore from the tetanus shot, I'm no worst for it.
 
And now, the anxiety of waiting for the results 'til Friday...

Hang in there Rain! Find some fun and anything that makes you and your Lady smile! It will bring good Karma!!!!

He who smelt it...dealt it.


I'm sure you'll be fine, ol pal. Glad to hear you got a checkup.

Mine last week turned up that at long last I have a fat liver. Go figure. So I'm seeding it to R. Lee Ermey for some "discipline".

Me no likey needles either.  I've got good reasons.

When it's time for my checkups, I prefer to go to a vet. The waiting time is shorter, the other patients are friendlier, and there are better treats. The standard of care is about the same, office visits cost less, and you can amuse yourself with a chew toy during the examination.

Yeah... they do have those hyposprays you mentioned.  They use  them in the service to vaccinate hundreds of guys at a time.  No needles, just a spray....and it hurts more than the needle. If you flinch, it can slice you like a knife. But it's faster and no need to have a bunch of "sharps" laying around after.
 
A nurse who's good with the needle can make it relatively painless or not. 
 
That's my main freak out with dentists.... but the one I go to now is really good with the needle..... can't hardly feel it at all....
 
I had to update my shots a few years back before heading to Argentina and needed several in a series of 3 visits.... not bad at all.
 
It's over pretty quick.... and the super fine needles are not like the monstrosities of the 50's and 60's which felt and looked like 16D nails.

You should have had my allergy test several years ago...

They have you lay on your stomach with your shirt off and
put 50 "dots" of liquid on your back and "irritate" them with
some kind of rotary irritate-inator...(that's a Doufenschmirtz term)

Whatever you don't react to on your back they then have to "inject" under the
skin on your forearm!

Lucky me, I didn't react to anything.  So I got 50 shots in the arm...

I still didn't react to anything...after all that the Doc says...it just must be dust?

That's be several thousand please...  Thank God for insurance.

I absolutely HATED needles as kid...it took 5 interns to hold me down
to give me shot.  At about 13 that all went away....thank goodness...
I finally learned to just relax..it's no big deal....

Funny you mention the dentist... As a kid I loved going to the dentist. That's until the day when I saw the needle coming out of my mouth. "You shot me? In the mouth?!" I asked in disbelief.
 
I never even felt it but knowing it was enough - tI never went again until I was in my late 20s. It took 4 bad teeth and 4 abscesses at the same time - as much pain as I have ever been in. But we did the whole thing under anaesthesia.
 
I kept avoiding them until recently, when I agreed to go. I was expecting the worst but much to my surprise, nothing was needed but a deep cleaning, and no needed were involved. Since then I'm going every six months.

cclarry
You should have had my allergy test several years ago...

They have you lay on your stomach with your shirt off and
put 50 "dots" of liquid on your back and "irritate" them with
some kind of rotary irritate-inator...(that's a Doufenschmirtz term)

Whatever you don't react to on your back they then have to "inject" under the
skin on your forearm!

Lucky me, I didn't react to anything.  So I got 50 shots in the arm...

I still didn't react to anything...after all that the Doc says...it just must be dust?

That's be several thousand please...  Thank God for insurance.

I absolutely HATED needles as kid...it took 5 interns to hold me down
to give me shot.  At about 13 that all went away....thank goodness...
I finally learned to just relax..it's no big deal....

50 shots?! Man, why don't they do that under anesthesia... lol
 
But indeed, it usually is no big deal. And it's hard to convince your nurse or doctor that you're afraid of needles when you have a bunch of big tattoos. Fact is, I don't think I ever had a shot that was anywhere near as painful as having that part of my tattoo done on my sternum. Nerves and pain are a weird thing - at one point it felt like being punched in the chin... Odd.

I've got 3 tatoos...but not on my sternum...
I have a Celtic Arm Band, a Spider Web with a Black Widow
on my left should, and a one around my navel that is a
Blue and Black feather like pattern...non of those bothered me...

Sternum....ummm...yeah...that's skin and bone...OUCH...