Big Poke

Has this ever happened to you?

I went to the doctor a while ago and he sent me to get a blood test. So then I went to a friendly phlebotomist, who dabbed my inner elbow with alcohol, and then issued this warning, "you'll just feel a BIG POKE." As I sat there, feeling like a telephone pole was attached to my arm, I wondered why she chose those words, BIG POKE? Why would you want to suggest to someone that they experience a BIG POKE? Couldn't she have said tiny little pinch? I think I would have liked that better. Later that day I had a large ugly bruise on my arm. Well, of course, a BIG POKE is going to cause a big bruise isn't it?!

I avoided phlebotomists for a while, but eventually I had to go for another checkup. This time I kept repeating, tiny little pinch in my mind. And I noticed that the phlebotomist was silent this time. And no bruise resulted, either.

Words do influence our experiences.