I'm a convert!

When I was in Primary 6, I had my first BCG injection. The first injection to test if there's a need to take a jab, was at the inner elbow. I remember it hurting a lot to the point that I teared. Then of course there was the actual jab on the arm. Ouch... I teared again.

That perhaps gave me the fear of injections. My subsequent encounters with injections were the second dosage of BCG at Sec 4, a tetanus jab for the OBS camp in JC1, a blood test for Hep B & C in university and subsequently an immunity jab two years ago. At all times, I feared the needles.. And because of that fear, muscular tension caused it to be more painful. The only comfort I got was that gentle squeeze of a familar hand or a smile or the fact that it was just a minor pain.. But the whole time round, I was embarrassed by the fact that I actually fear such pain at such a age and that there are many more things that are more painful.

But all that changed this year...

For the first time in my life, I told myself that I was acting up my fear and that everything is psychological. It's all in the mind. If I will myself to be free from pain, perhaps, it will just disappear. And so, for this year's medical check up, I told myself that I've gone through enough pain (physical and emotional) that this tiny prick is not going to affect me. I went in with an unnatural calm and ease.

Even one male teacher in front of me said that he's fearful of the needles... whether he was just teasing or not, I wasn't sure.. but somehow, his facial expression while he was having his jab revealed a real sense of fear.. which I found rather amusing.

Mine was after his... and I was so calm that it didn't really hurt at all. Even that initial prick was nothing. My composure and nonchalance were much to the horror of the male teacher who questioned if I was in pain. To spare his ego from being bruised along with his inner elbow, I lied that it was a little painful.

The whole time round, I wondered what happened. Why did it hurt so much before and why did I always needed a hand to hold when I had my previous jabs? Was I over-reacting and being needy and whiny just to have someone reassuring me that everything will be ok?

Perhaps, it's just mind over matter. Or perhaps, it was just a fluke that it didn't hurt.

To confirm that I really overcame my fear for injections, I decided to test it out one more time.

I recalled the time when my good friend in JC tried persuading me to donate blood with her when the drive came to our school. I refused. She was so keen on donating blood that she faked her weight by increasing it up by 1kg just so that she could donate (I guess back then, they weren't really that strict. Now, you have to weigh yourself in front of the staff). I missed my chance back then.

Today, I took that chance.

I went for my very first blood donation at SGH together with some colleagues of mine.

At the blood donation center, I was again trying to be calm but deep down I was rather excited, hoping that it wouldn't hurt and that I won't develop a phobia for needles again. But somehow, when I saw the room I was entering, it felt right...

And so it is, two injections, totally painless. Thickest needle I've seen thus far inserted to me but not as pain as I thought.

I am free!!! Free from fear. Free from having someone to be there for me when I go for my future jabs. Free from embarrassment

Though a rather insignificant thing in my life and to most people, it gave me new found hope together with my overseas trips & adventures, that I'm ready to embrace independence without fear and hate. I am also convinced that I'll most probably make a yearly blood donation from now onwards and convince others to do so.

Give blood, save lives....

P.S: In case anyone is wondering, the first picture was taken when I was in Melbourne.