Childhood Dream

Chapter 8

All the necessary supplies was laid out on Matthew's kitchen table, I was sitting in a chair facing Matthew and his sister was leaning over his shoulder ready to jump in if he managed to mess up and blow a vein. God, I can't stop thinking of all the ways that this could go wrong. As I'm staring off into space thinking of all the ways that this could go wrong, I hear a snap of rubber gloves that immediately brings me back to reality. I look up at Matthew and he just smiles at me and says, "Wouldn't be a doctor without the snap of the gloves"

"You're not a doctor yet," I reply back with glaring at him.

"No, I will be soon. Seems like someone is already agitated that I know a skill before she does," He says with a smirk, "Okay so I'm going to start now."

The room is silent as he places a wide rubber band on my upper arm and looks for a good vein that has popped out. I assume he finds one because he unwraps the alcohol pad from its wrapper and starts to rub it in a circular motion in the crease of my elbow.

"Geez, don't everyone talk all at once. I haven't even done anything yet," Matthew breaks the silence with.

"Sorry I'm just a little distracted with my best friend about to insert a needle into my skin," I kind of snap back with.

It's at this point that he uncaps the needle and all I want to do is shrivel away. He takes one long look at me and says, "Hey Abbie are you okay? You're looking a little white."

"Would now be the right time to tell you I kind of have a phobia of needles."

"Why didn't you tell me before we started? You know I wouldn't have pressured you into this if I had known."

"Yea well can't back out now and you know I never break a promise."

"Okay it'll be over before you know it. Just extend your arm out for me."

As I stick out my arm, Matthew's sister is right there behind his shoulder, making sure everything goes as planned. I turn my head away as I feel his gloved fingers gently touch the area around my vein and then I feel a slight prick into my skin and that's it. As I look at my arm, Matthew is finishing up taping the IV down and then smiles at me.

"See I told you I'm a pro at this. Just hand me an MD now," He says with a chuckle.

As I take another glance at the needle I get this queasy feeling in my stomach and lightheaded.

"Matthew, I think I'm going to..."

And that's as a far as I get before I pass out.

When I come too, I'm laying on the ground in Matthews lap. I look up at him and he smiles, "Don't worry I caught you before you had a chance to hit the ground."

"Matthew, I'm sorry I passed out on you after you did such a good job on the IV. I didn't even feel it but seeing it in my skin kind of wigged me out."

"Hey no worries. Kelly took the IV out as soon as you were safely on the ground. Are you good to sit up?"

I slowly sit up and lean my back against the couch behind me. For the next few hours we just talk. Everything from our anatomy class to who we think will hook up this year to medical school and everything in between. I leave to go home later that night and thank him for being so gentle even before he knew I was afraid of needles. I'm sure it will come back to haunt me in medical school.