Learning to do an intravenous insertion (IV) at the Combat Casualty Aid Course is, hands down, one of the most intense experiences of journalist Benita Teo's life and also the most fun she's ever had.
I sat poised, with a needle in one gloved hand and a throbbing vein held down in the other. Everything was silent, except for the voice in my head screaming, "WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?"
Learning to do an IV, that's what.
Setting the scene
The training shed resembled the set of a horror flick. Side-stepping the dismembered dummy forearms, I started to question myself. Was this tribute to my combat medic brother necessary, even though his IV scars do look pretty badass? I was effectively signing up to stick a potentially dangerous foreign object into another person.
Too late, I was already in too deep.
Practising on the dummy arm was easy enough; it even bled rose-coloured "blood". And then it was show time.
"I found you a nice vein," Military Expert (ME) 2-1 Brian Benitez, my instructor, said as he positively beamed. The owner of the vein smiled weakly.
After getting him to lie down on his back and placing the Hartmann solution bag (commonly known as the IV bag) behind his butt, I tied a tourniquet around his left arm in preparation. In an outfield situation, when there is no IV pole to hang the bag from, placing it underneath the casualty creates pressure to force the solution into the tube.
As I got ready to unwrap my venous catheter, it dawned on me that I'd forgotten something important
"This is a bit late, but I ought to ask your name first "
"Oh, right. Junhe."
Now that Lieutenant (LTA) (NS) Soh Junhe and I were acquainted, I felt a little better about what I was about to do to him.
A dramatic point
After ME2-1 Benitez helped me to locate a suitable vein (again), I swabbed the area with an alcohol wipe and, finally, we were ready.
As I held the needle to his taut skin, the last thing I remembered was ME2-1 Benitez telling me: "Ok, now, I need you to be " He paused, searching for the words.
"Ballsy?" I offered.
"Yes." He looked squarely into my eyes and added: "No hesitation, because the needle must go in."
Even though I was terrified, I looked at LTA (NS) Soh, who was staring stoically into the sky, and I thought to myself, "If he is being brave for me, then I have to be brave for him too." I took a breath and held it.
And suddenly, the needle was in.
What followed was a blur. I vaguely recalled ME2-1 Benitez guiding my hand to move the needle in deeper. Finally, blood filled the catheter hub, signalling that the catheter was in place. ME2-1 Benitez raised his hands to give me a high-ten, but all I wanted was to pass out into his outstretched arms. I must have been white as a sheet.
Celebrations over, now came the crucial part. Very carefully, I pulled the needle out while holding on to the catheter to keep it in, and attached the Hartmann solution tube. When the fluid began flowing into the catheter, I taped it down, bandaged LTA (NS) Soh's forearm arm to secure it, and we were in business.
A second climax
"Now, return the favour. Lie down!" ME2-1 Benitez announced with a big grin. Obediently, I took my position.
Lying there, I finally understood how LTA (NS) Soh felt: I was blind to the proceedings and at the mercy of the needle. Furthermore, I knew that my barely-visible veins would be a problem.
I was not wrong. After feeling the initial needle prick, I heard ME2-1 Benitez affirming LTA (NS) Soh. However, as LTA (NS) Soh attempted to move the needle in, the usually amiable ME2-1 Benitez suddenly raised his voice: "Look, it's swelling now! Do you know what'll happen when you remove the needle?!"
Horrified, I sat up. A small bump had formed. I scrambled to speak: "Oh my god, will the blood spurt out onto his face?!"
"No," ME2-1 Benitez deadpanned anticlimactically. "Nothing will come out, because the blood has pooled underneath the skin." He was obviously having fun with us too.
Relieved, I laid back down. Turns out that LTA (NS) Soh had just made another hole in the vein, causing a hematoma (an upsized orh cheh or bruise). He plastered me up and tried again on someone else. He did better the second time around.
The finale
Cradling my little bruise, I felt quite proud of myself and the scar that I would soon have. LTA (NS) Soh must have been too, because he revealed that I was the first person to successfully IV him. His buddy back in Basic Military Training tried unsuccessfully on both his arms before giving up.
So, I was actually the best he'd ever had.
