I don’t like needles. I mean I really don’t like needles… I should actually be more specific. Shots are are not so bad. I don’t look forward to getting poked in that way, I but I can tolerate it. When I say I don’t like needles, I mean that I can’t stand having blood drawn. The sight of the blood is not the problem. The sight of another person’s blood does not bother me one bit. When it is my blood, it is a different story. I even passed out in the doctor’s office on one occasion after giving blood. That was a thrill. It was in the comfort of my living room where I finally experienced a turning point in the fear of blood drawing needles.

Several years ago I had to undergo a physical examination for an insurance company. A lady came out to the house to complete forms long enough to cause the IRS to be envious. The questions poked around in areas of my life that I preferred to leave in the past. I thought at one point she was going to ask me how old I was when I had my first kiss. When she finally completed the interrogation, she told me to roll up my sleeve. I told her: “I am feeling a little chilly right now. I think I will just leave my sleeve down.” She did not appreciate my humor in the least. I could tell by the look on her face that she did not intend to back down. My sleeve was about to be rolled up.

I confessed. I told her that I was a big sissy. I shared with her that blood drawing needles scared the daylights out of me. She didn’t laugh. I took that as a good sign. In a voice that any military general would envy, she ordered me to stretch out on the couch, and roll up my sleeve. She got out all of the necessary equipment and drew my blood in record time. After the brief ordeal was over, she asked me how I felt. Well…”I feel great.” She resumed the conversation in her command presence voice and instructed me to tell all future blood drawing needle bearers to have me stretch out on a couch before proceeding.

I have been following her advice for nearly 18 years now. My doctor’s 20 something nurse laughed at me a couple of years ago, but I did not let her youthful lack of empathy deter my plan. I actually learned an important lesson from the blood drawing general. There is more than one way to conquer a fear.

When we are facing a fear, we need to think out of the box. It is not a time for the traditional approach. There are usually multiple ways of approaching the issue at hand. Anxiety is crippling, so it also a good idea to seek input from credible people. My blood drawing general is an expert in her field. Her advice was thus very useful. I am thinking today that my experience with having blood drawn may very well apply to any number of life issues. I will have to consider those matters a little later, because in a few moments a lady is coming to the house to do an insurance exam. I am prepared for the detailed interrrogation. I refuse to tell how old I was when I experienced my first kiss. And while I am on the couch in a few minutes I will think of ways to conquer other fears…