On Blood Taking

Went for screening of infectious disease earlier. And a registered nurse came to draw my blood.

I expect she'd not have any problem finding my veins in my arm. I know I used to have really fine veins but after I started running and all, I myself could feel them, so it shouldn't be difficult. What caught me by surprise was, even though she found it, and it was pretty easy to get the needle head into the vein, blood just wouldn't come out! Therefore, she apologized and we did a second attempt.

Second attempt was more successful, we managed to see the blood flowing into the syringe. But it was odd that it looked thick. And it was flowing out so slowly. So when we had enough, and when she needed to put it into the test tube, the whole syringe sort of frozen. My blood was clotted!

Seriously?! CLOTTED?

I have never withdrew any blood that clot before I manage to put them into a test tube (although previously I had the blood straight into the bottle using another method of drawing blood). It was just plain odd! Super weird!

And I started to worry. I have hypercoagulable blood. I'm at risk of getting deep vein thrombosis? Or even heart attack! And and... STROKE!!!

Nurse reassured me and asked me not to think too much. But I did. Thoughts of the causes and complications ran through my mind... It's hard not to worry. :S

Had a final attempt on my right arm, and finally we had a bottle of blood for the test.