I closed my eyes tightly and turned my head to my left, making extra effort to avoid visual contact of the needle. It felt like blood inside me rushed to the top of my head. I don’t know if it was the blood loss or the fact that I was mortified at the thought that I had been in this very same urgent care a few months back because I thought a condom got stuck in my nether region.
Suddenly, I felt the needle poke the tip of the bone.
“I think I’m going to throw up!”, the words come out like literal word vomit.
Regardless, the doctor continued with the procedure only slightly glancing in my direction, ensuring to move nothing but his eyes.
I could tell he was ready to go. Shit, I was ready to go.
Maybe it was the fact that had come into their office just minutes before closing time. It’s an urgent care though, and this is definitely urgent. Truthfully, I didn’t even want to go but my sister insisted.
“Can I get a baggy, please!”, now I’m slightly irritated because why do I have to tell you I need a baggy after I just told you I think I’m going to throw up. I wanted to give him a serious stare down but didn’t have the heart to look in the direction of my thumb which was bleeding like leaky faucet.
“Take a deep breath. You feel anxious because you’re overthinking it”, his voice remaining monotone, as he directed one of the med techs to bring an emesis bag.
The words flashed through my mind like a warning side on a highway. My interpersonal dialogue was already going off at what felt like a thousand miles an hour.
Take a deep breath, I directed myself, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
After implanting the words in my mind all other thoughts began to blacked out. My racing heart slowed down, as if I was approaching a yellow light from miles away.
Unexpectedly, a soft tap to my shoulder snapped me back. I took another long deep breath, and opened my eyes; with a gentle look the tech handed me the bag.
Turns out, I didn’t need it after all.
My eyes remained closed for the rest of the stitching process, as I focused on my steady breathing. It hadn’t taken more than 20 minutes tops - but felt like an eternity. Eventually, the doctor completed the sutures and sent me on my merry way. I left the urgent care with 5 stitches that night. Who knew washing dishes could turn out to be so inconvenient 🙃.
