I got my flu shot today. It was fine. No biggie. I didn’t flinch as the nurse shoved a hollow metal rod into my arm. I even watched her do it, to which she remarked that I was “very brave.” Yes, I am.
Medicine is fascinating to me; of course I want to see the miracle of modern science as it works on (and in!) my own body. When I mentioned this quiet heroism to my colleagues at GMG, however, I was shocked to learn that many of my fellow bloggers are not nearly as courageous as I am.
Asking point blank whether they looked at themselves getting flu shots provoked a range of reactions:
Aleks Chan:
I look.
Nick Martin:
I never look and I can’t imagine any sane person would. Also, unrelated, I may have passed out one time during a routine set of shots when I was 17 and also maybe bowled through the nurse on my way to the floor; thankfully, I broke the fall with my chin. Anyways, looking is for weirdos.
Hamilton Nolan:
No.
Paul Blest:
I do not look when I get a flu shot or blood drawn, because I’m not a sadist.
Libby Watson:
I do NOT look, I clench my brain as hard as possible to think about something else til its over
Katie McDonough:
This last one i did not look. Also looking is a little awkward because you are turning your head to look at your upper arm, Which I guess isn’t that hard to do but still takes effort.
Katherine Krueger:
OF COURSE NOT WHAT KIND OF PSYCHO DOES THAT RAFI
Jack Mirkinson:
No.
Molly Osberg:
I feel like it is bad practice to look in another direction when someone is coming at you with a potentially painful sharp object.
Elena Scotti:
HELL NO. NEVER LOOK.
Caitlin Schneider:
i absolutely do not look. u gotta be crazy to look.
Perhaps you too got a flu shot recently? That’s nice. You’re doing your part to keep yourself and your friends and loved ones safe and fit. Good work! Did you avert your eyes, or are you brave like me? Did you watch as cold metal pierced your skin and delivered its payload in the name of health and science, or did you turn away and ignore the magic of immunization happening under your very nose?
Reader, I humbly ask: Do U Look?
Sound off in the comments!