The Joke

I have spent the last four years
Being poked and prodded
By doctors and nurses
Most of who are genuinely pleasant people
My family has a lot of nurses in it
Sisters
Nieces
Nephews
In-laws
I know that they work hard
And it is not always easy
Bad backs are common among nurses
Long shifts and much overtime
But they have to put this aside
For the sake of the patient
And be cheerful
As a patient
I feel as though I have the same obligation
My discomfort or pain
Is not their fault
And if they have to poke about a bit
To find a vein
I’ll stand the unpleasantness
And I will make happy conversation
While they struggle

I say things like
I don’t have very easy veins to find
That’s one of the two reasons that I am not a heroin addict
What is the other reason?
They ask
I answer…
Fear of commitment

They laugh while they search
Needle first
Sometimes they try in both arms
Once they tried both arms
And then went for a vein in my hand
I know it is necessary
Leukaemia is like that
It lies dormant thanks to the chemo
But they always have to check
Because
One day it will wake up
And go to the next phase
They don’t know when
They don’t know how
But they know
And they monitor regularly
By taking my marrow and my blood
Needle
After
Needle
Visit
After
Visit

If I get a new nurse
I always tell them the joke I made up
I say
I’ve had more pricks
Than Marilyn Monroe
At
A Kennedy family reunion