But set a 23g butterfly, blood started, I grabbed the first tube, and the vein did a magic trick and vanished at 6:12 a.m. Anyone else do the tiny wiggle-and-smile and blame the tourniquet, or just tap out and try the other arm?
When it starts then ghosts, I swap the first tube for a pediatric/low‑vac and drop the forearm below heart level — usually revives the “shy vein”; if no luck, I back out a millimeter and then bail to the other arm. @creed has the right vibe — do you keep low‑vac tubes on your tray?