Do you suffer from a fear of needles? Maybe my

Do you suffer from a fear of needles? Maybe my story will make you laugh!

Lots of us have irrational fears of something or another you know, a fear of heights, clowns, flying, etc. Usually, these fears are over-exaggerated in our minds, usually triggered by some past traumatic association with the feared event or object. About a week or so ago, I was forced to visit my dentist for a toothache. After looking over my chart, he says, Say, don't I recall that you have a problem with needles and shots? Bless the man's good memory. So where do I start?

My fear of needles began when I was just a toddler. I was taken to the doctor's office for some vaccination. It's my first real memory of a doctor's office. It smelled funny. I didn't like the austere setup. It sure didn't feel like home. I figured I'd better pay close attention to this white-coated guy and his nurse. Looked like they were going to try and pull a fast one on me. Kids have that sixth sense. I was lifted on to the examination table, with its sheet so tight you could bounce a quarter off it. When I was turned over on my stomach, fear took a grip on me. What are they going to do? I turned my head to see the biggest needle I'd ever seen. Maybe I had subconscious memories of this type of instrument being involved in previous shenanigans.

I decided my best move was to remove myself from that table, pronto. I was thrashing and screaming. You'll have to help hold her down, Mom. Nurses! In the end, it took my Mom and three count 'em nurses to hold me on the table while the evil doctor administered the shot. The effect was instantaneous. I acquired a fear of needles from that point forward. I'd do anything to avoid contact with a needle, no matter how well intentioned it might be.

Unfortunately, dentists use needles too. Throughout my childhood, I dreaded the dentist. That shot of Novocaine, you know. The real problem arose when, after suffering the shot to deaden any pain, I felt all the pain! I blacked out every time. It wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties, that one astute dentist determined that the nerve was unusually positioned and a special technique was required to hit the nerve and thus make the procedure painless. Did this discovery quell my fear of needles? Not. I did visit the dentist more regularly.

My extreme fear of needles reemerged as a teenager, when I injured my back. Our family doctor decided a spinal tap was in order. Naturally, I wanted all of the details on just what we were talking about here, including seeing the instrument. OMG, the needle he produced looked like something Frankenstein must have endured. I opted out of that procedure. I never did figure out if he thought he'd just scare me into good health or what.

Now, with the scary little RFID chips being promoted, my fear of needles will never abate! So, if you suffer from this particular phobia, know that you're not alone! Personally, I find nothing attractive about them. Although I no longer thrash and scream, I'm terrified every time. I think the trick is to insist on watching. Then you know they can't get away with anything you know just what's happening until the person taking blood misses the vein! Ugh.