I did it!  Without crying at all, too!

I woke up early this morning to take some medicine that would calm me down to have my blood drawn, and my hero Sam showed up an hour later to pick me up.  I kept myself distracted during that hour by re-watching this week's Glee tribute to Madonna.  You should check it out if you haven't done so yet. 

We arrived at the lab to find the comfiest, and thus most comforting, chairs ever in any medical office anywhere.  And yes, I realize the extreme-ness of my statement, but I feel qualified to make such a grand declaration given my medical history and vast waiting-room experience. 

See?  I could've been there to get a pedicure if I didn't know better.  

While I waited, my favorite people sent me text messages to encourage me, and Sam kept me distracted by telling me about her sweet new shoes: 

So cute!  If I heard cow shoes, without seeing them first, I'd be doubtful.  Pretty sweet keds, though, if I do say so myself. 

I walked in, sat down in a chair that looked like it was created as a torture device and Sam added to the gold stars she was racking up by telling me stories and holding my hand and not letting me think about anything else at all.   

Note:  There have been some threats of shoe-throwing and other non-niceties in my past so I promised my mom I would be nice to the nurse as well, which I was, but she was the least-comforting phlebotomist I've encountered.  I took a second to let her know I was terrified and she basically just nodded and kept going.  Uhhhh, thanks?

Anyway, it did hurt.  Badly.  I tried my best not to focus on it, and in the meantime, did not hear any of the stories Sam told me, so she got to re-tell them in the car.  

The last time I had blood drawn was 12 years ago, and I remember it very vividly.  I had had a 102 degree fever, so my mom took me to the doctor and they drew two tubes of blood.  All that, just to find out that I was a-ok.  My mom continues to defend this, but I'm still bitter.  Because I made it through without a single tear or fit being thrown, Sam and I agreed that I deserved a treat.  Forget the no-eating-out-for-a-month promise for one meal. 

Sadly, the cute burrito boy wasn't working this morning, but my delish lunch, complete with a hard-earned chocolate chip cookie, almost made up for that.  

Thanks again for praying/texting and to Sam for being a LIFESAVER!!!

33 days til summer...