I learned to conquer fear by “giving up.” It all started in the middle of chemotherapy.

I was getting ready for another CT scan. No big deal. Draw some blood. Watch it slide through the tube. Been there, done that. 

I’m thinking a little about how that needle hurt the last time they drew blood. But, it only lasts for a few seconds. They call my name and I’m off.

I go back to the room where it all starts and the nurse starts opening packages and when I glance over, I can tell she’s getting the needle ready. We make small talk. She pricks the arm and draws two viles of blood. 

Cool – that’s over. Hmmm. Getting kind of warm in here, I think. Is someone messing with the lights?

“Ahh, ma’am …,” I say to the nurse. “I don’t feel good.” Then I faint.

A few seconds later, I come out of it. At least I’m in my chair. All the ladies are around me. A nurse is fanning me. I feel pretty stupid because this has never happened to me before. They tell me it happens about every other day.

But that was the last time it ever happened and I’ve had 40 IV setups. What was the trick? 

I learned to “let go.” I learned to just give my arm up, so to speak. Now when I sit down for another needle prick, I say to myself, “Go ahead. Do it a dozen times if you need to. I give up. I give it all up.”

That’s what we do when Christians say, “give it up to God.” And that was the trick for me. I just gave it all up – the stress, the anticipation, the pain. And I’ve never had a problem with it since. 

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