What's the significance of a modern day angel?
Are you one of those people who cringe inside every time you need to get a needle? I am.
Let me tell you, you’re not alone. The fear of the needle is worse than the actual needle in the arm. My veins are small and deeply buried. This is just how my body comes, with veins that don’t like to surface.
When I was receiving cancer treatments, I had a port-a-cath put in for this very reason. I needed to minimize my fear of facing needles.
POST-PORT-A-CATH 3 YEARS LATER
If you are recovering from an illness and need regular scan checkups or occasionally require a needle for some blood work every year, the body still remembers the drill and probably feels that familiar cringing inside. It already senses the impending ‘danger’ and sets the mind into action with defensive thoughts such as: “I’m going to protect you, don’t worry. Maybe we don’t need a needle. I’ll see if I can avoid it.” An anxious conversation gets sparked in the mind and now the challenge is to stay calm.
HOW TO STAY CALM
I thought I was calm as I lay on the bed preparing for my most recent CT scan. I was breathing, looking at the ceiling, focusing on relaxing my body. However, I was weak from infection and I felt vulnerable and scared nonetheless. This should’ve been a routine procedure for me.
Maybe you relate to this as well if you’ve had to undergo many scans or procedures that are challenging for you. The body remembers everything and doesn’t hide how it’s feeling.
I’m laying on the scan bed talking to my body reassuring it that we’ll be alright. My mind is telling me that this will soon be over if my veins would just show up. The technician tries twice to insert the needle but is unsuccessful in opening up the vein. I feel my feet cold and damp. I’m getting agitated.
She asks her colleague to try. Another unsuccessful attempt. Immediately, she says, “I’m getting the specialist.”
THE SPECIALIST WITH SPECIAL POWERS
Thankful that a new person, an anesthetist would be coming to help me get out of this worsening situation, I’m wondering what special powers does she have that they don’t? Almost half an hour has gone by for something that should take about 5 minutes. I’m feeling emotionally exhausted and weary. I wait.
I look to my left and I feel as if an angel has just floated into the room. I see this woman walking towards me with smiling eyes and a soft voice. She gently holds my arm with one hand and is rubbing my forearm with her free hand in search of a vein. I hear her say, “hello veins, where are you, who wants to come out and play?”
I was completely disarmed. Within minutes, I felt my muscles relaxing and my confidence coming back. She’s not frustrated with me for having difficult veins to find. Instead, she’s focused on coaxing one to come up to the surface.
Eventually, she finds one. With a comforting voice, she tells me that she wants me to cough exactly when she pricks the skin. I am laughing instead of coughing and continuing to laugh. We are successful!
Blood is flowing and I’m still laughing. All of this accomplished in five minutes. She floats out of the room.
RECOGNIZING AN ANGEL
These are the people who show up out of nowhere or when you least expect it and provide some form of help, comfort, and support. Compassion and kindness overflow towards you and you feel your body filling up with a soft and loving energy. A sense of, “I’m going to be alright” fills your awareness and your body relaxes knowing everything is OK. Oftentimes, this insight happens in an instant.
You have been graced by an angel.
When was the last time you can recall having an experience where you felt like this?
FEELING IN NEED OF SOME SUPPORT?
I offer free 15 minute consultations over zoom, facetime, or what’s app. Sometimes all you need is a short interaction and a bit of guidance to feel relaxed and confident to know what comes next.