Today, this is my #buildaladder face. Nope, not my actual face since that one is riddled by pain (and I'm not that hairy) I had a botched blood draw at the Dr's office yesterday which was hands down the most painful experience I think I've EVER had - seriously, I've been thrown from a horse multiple times, been hit by a car, stabbed by a sword, cut with barbed wire, sliced a fingertip of with a mandolin TWICE, along with various other accidents - and that blood draw hurt more than all of them. I have a hard, swollen bump just under the right elbow crook, which is causing shooting pains down that arm & tingling in my right hand AND an already pretty dark bruise in my left elbow crook along with additional red bruising from the bandage they used and shooting pains, tingling, and inflammation in my left hand. This is triggering the arthritis in that wrist too, so dull achey pains underlie the shooty ones. For all you #spoonies out there, my experience is a great reminder to be a vigilant in your self-advocacy. We already have enough problems to deal with on a daily basis, so it's totally fine to tell the lab techs that you need someone experienced. You are NOT the best person for an untried medical student to learn how to draw blood on (oh! If I had only realized sooner!) and if you think the head tech is taking too long trying to find the vein in what you already told them was your bad arm since the n00b jacked your good one, IT'S OK to tell them to STOP. Which is great advice, if you remember to take it π But today, it just hurts. Thankfully, my bosses suggested that I work from home so I'm not on display while suffering and I can move more at my own pace. And this means that #Mochi can keep an eye on me and play #nannycat, keeping me warm, loved, and sharing all her #healingvibes and #purrs. But for now, have #lazypants, have #snugglebuddies and am letting my body do its #healing at its own pace. #psoriaticarthritissucks #PsAflare #PsA #botchedblooddraw #itsoktosayno #nonewbs #badpainday https://www.instagram.com/p/By8ea_vlW7L/?igshid=kb22xxvr01nl