Every time I have to give blood, I think of that mosquito bite, 10 years ago, in New York

Tuesday 9th June 2026

GJ/NYC/Aug/2016

Yesterday I had an appointment at the blood clinic. They have a super-duper system whereby you book online and check in, just as if you were about to fly, and then you wait until you are called to your gate.

I did say to the phlebotomist, “I have a little bit of apprehension about needles."

The older I get, the more things trigger a memory. Every time I walk past my car, I have the notion that the number plates may have been stolen. This is the result of it happening twice. The most recent was last July.

The apprehension over having a needle in my vein is due to an experience in New York City.

It started with a bite. As Trinity and Charlotte (the former wife) shopped, I walked the streets of the city. Manhattan has a grid system, which I enjoyed navigating. Somewhere in those walks, a mosquito bit me on my foot. I began limping but struggled on. I will remember the visit to the Guggenheim Museum not only for its design but also for my struggle to walk there.

I tend to deny that such things are happening until I can’t ignore them. Trinity, then 16, persuaded me to do something about it. I phoned the insurance company. The offer was that I pay what could have been thousands to a local hospital, and they would reimburse me once they received my claim, or I could go with a provider nominated by them and pay nothing. I chose the latter.

We took a yellow cab to the address given. I was surprised when the receptionist was the same person who attempted to take blood from me. She was unsuccessful as she kept making attempts until I fainted. Since then, each time I have to give blood, this story is triggered and anxiety with it.

Well, just like the last time, it was over before I knew it. I don’t recall feeling even a jab.

Only a day later, I had a text from my Medical Practice to say that the results were in and their pharmacist would speak to me on Thursday about my cholesterol levels. I was confused as I thought it was to measure how much sugar was in my blood. I phoned them, and the receptionist, trying to be helpful, suggested that the sugar levels were just above the norm. She never mentioned the cholesterol.

I was disappointed, as I changed my diet and reduced my intake of sugar.

On Thursday, feeling somewhat flat, I received the call from the pharmacist who was speaking about how my cholesterol had come down since the last test 10 years ago. This must have been on my return from New York City. She suggested I remove butter from my diet. I thanked her for the information but then said, “I thought this call was about sugar levels." She replied, “No, they are fine.”

“No, they are fine!” What great news! I explained to her that the receptionist had indicated they weren’t, hence my surprise. She gave me a tip: “Don’t ask the receptionist about blood test results.” I thought later, maybe the process of informing a patient should be swifter, which would remove an anxious patient like me wanting to know a result and a receptionist wanting to be helpful.

It didn’t matter; I was grateful that after 18 months of making changes, something worked. I had been confused, as, due to the conversation with the receptionist, I was thinking, “So if I have made all those changes, what does it take?”

I went from being flat to being elated. Now I just need to get used to ‘dry toast’.

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