# AAHH! Needle-wielding shrew! (Flu shot) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 29, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187 "2004-11-29T18:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/1 "2004-11-29T18:41:19Z")
So okay, the office building got a flu shot clinic. They asked a nurse to set up shop for the day. So on my way in from lunch, I picked up a consent form, filled it out (read all the fine print to make sure they weren’t also going to add a microchip witha GPS so they could track me and monitor my shopping habits… …What?) Then I took of my sweater, rolled up my sleeve and offered my wimpy shoulder for alcohol swabbing, from the frienldy, pretty nurse. She was smiley, she was friendly, she was downright jovial, with eyes that shone with compassion for all of humanity – a true Florence Nightingale! …Until the syringe was in her hand. Goodbye, Nurse Nightingale. Hello, Nurse Ratchett! She didn’t just stick the needle in my arm, she wound up for the pitch! She swung that needle-wielding fist for all she was worth like she was clubbing a baby seal for its skin and trying to fell it with a single blow! “Sometimes, I hit bone,” she said. No, shit. I’m lucky the needle didn’t come out the other side! ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/2 "2004-11-29T19:35:00Z")
😃 I remember the first time I had that technique used on me. The doctor pulled back and looked like he was about to throw a dart. :eek: Strangely, I’ve found that it hurts less that way than if they s-l-o-w-l-y poke it in. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/3 "2004-11-29T20:22:13Z")
Well, last year was a regulat shot. Needle was inserted deep into muscle, plunger depressed… whatever! No problem. Was slightly sore the next day, that was it. This time I can guarantee there will be bruising and my arm is effectviley debilatated. Good thing I had her do my non-cominant arm or I’d have to go home for the day. I got the flu shot because if I got sick, I could pass it to my mom over the holidays and at her age I want to start being more careful. But this is now _very_ and IMHO unneccessarily uncomfortable. Won’t get the shot again if that’s how they’re going to do it next time. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/4 "2004-11-29T20:43:56Z")
Yes, I’ve seen the dart throwers too. It works better since the muscle doesn’t have time to tense up. Of course, if your nurse is backing up for a run-up you may be in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/5 "2004-11-29T20:50:31Z")
> [@Rabid\_Squirrel](#): > > Yes, I’ve seen the dart throwers too. It works better since the muscle doesn’t have time to tense up. Of course, if your nurse is backing up for a run-up you may be in trouble. Maybe in theory. But I’m the type that’s really easy to inocculate, I just sit there. Don’t tense up or shy away or anything. (Zen and the art of pin-pricking). If she’d _asked_ I would’ve said “don’t bother with the wind-up”. I donate blood regularly and both intramuscular and intravenous shots don’t bug me. I don’t really respond. Considering I’m not at risk for complications and I don’t actually _live_ with mom (Mom\_Crayons lives three hours away), I’m going to forgo it next year if it looks like that. My arm is useless and I need to use it later! That sadist! ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/6 "2004-11-29T23:23:54Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > “Sometimes, I hit bone,” she said. _cringe, cringe_ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/7 "2004-11-30T00:19:20Z")
You say “shrew” like it’s a bad thing! ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aahh-needle-wielding-shrew-flu-shot/277187/8 "2004-11-30T00:43:00Z")
I hope you got her number.