Monday, June 30, 2008

Do You Hate Needles?

Funny the things that find their way to your inbox when you post to a blog. Years ago, when the neuropathy in my feet was rather intense (before we changed medications and I got a little better), I wrote in my blog that I like Gold-Toe socks because they seemed to be much softer than the average sock one buys in the department store.

Well, lo and behold, someone in the marketing department of Gold-Toe read my blog and sent me a handful of socks. I guess they liked the plug! (And I still get Gold Toe socks for birthdays and holiday gifts. Keep 'em comin'!).

This week, after writing about my visit to the infusion center, I received an email from a person a person named Tara Hart representing something called "emla," with the fabulous web address of http://www.ihateneedles.co.uk/.

Who doesn't hate needles?

"emla" (spelled without a capital "e" for some unknown reason) is an ointment that's packaged in a "pre-injection numbing kit." You put the ointment on at least an hour before injection and let it sit there, and it numbs your skin so that you don't have to feel a lot of pain if you're going to be needle-stabbed.

They're especially recommending it for people who want to donate blood but are afraid of needles, or for children who we know REALLY hate needles. Me, I've been poked so many times, I don't really care anymore. I just take a deep breath and let it happen.

But, on the site, you can upload your sob story about how much you hate needles, and you'll be entered in a contest for free plane flights. So, what could be bad?

1 comment:

M. Knoester said...

Are people who are afraid of needles really afraid of the pain, though? I wouldn't think so, because then it would only happen once, after which they'd be, perhaps not perfectly happy, but not panicking at the thought of needles.