The night before I had gone to an amazing Pampered Chef party at Andrea's place and tried to pack in all the snacks I could before 8:30 p.m. because I had to fast for 14 hours before my Dr. appointment. Oops! Well, I hope she understood why I was so aggressive in the food line, "hurry up, it's 8:26!!!"
We arrived on time to our appointment in the morning, but I realized that I forgot to prepare Joel for getting yet another needle. He was pretty ticked off about being poked again; I could hear him yelling in the next room. Thankfully our family was the only one in the Dr's office. After our physicals and a nice quick chat with our Dr. and receptionist, we said our goodbyes and headed down the hall for blood work. We knew that both Carl and I would have to have needles to draw out blood, but we were just thinking that the kids would need a pin prick to the finger. Boy, we were wrong.....
We sat in the waiting room, ignorant of what was about to happen. The kids played happily on the floor while people smiled at them. What sweet kids! Our number was called and then we were herded into a back room. The lab technician took our forms, glanced at them and asked us who was first. Carl inquired about what would happen for the kids and the lab tech. said that all of us, including the little baby would need to have blood drawn for at least two tubes. You could tell he wasn't looking forward to doing that and by the look on our faces, it was the same, times ten. Joel and Kezia's eyes went wide and I quickly crouched down to Joel to explain what was going to happen. He said over and over, "You didn't tell me this was what we were here for! I really, REALLY don't want to do this,". I told him that I wasn't keen on the idea either, but that we needed to do it in order for us to make sure his blood was healthy. Carl and I quickly made the decision to have Joel go first, with me, so that he wouldn't continue to freak out.
He sat on my lap, crying and hollering, "I don't want to do this, REALLY," until the needle went in and he realized that it didn't hurt, so he stopped and just looked at the tube filling with his blood. Kezia was peering in, despite Carl's attempts to keep her away, watching wide eyed at the whole thing. After it was done, Joel lay against me and said it wasn't too bad. So I put on a brave face and went next. I HATE needles and I didn't really want to do this, but I was strong to set a good example.
Next was Kezia, with Carl, and as soon as she was led into the room, started to cry. She wasn't crying because she wasn't sure what was going on, no, she was crying because she knew exactly what was going to happen. It was heartbreaking to see her look at me as Carl sat her on his lap and held her arm still. But again, as soon as the needle went in, she stopped crying, wiped her tears with her free hand and just stared at her arm. Afterwards, she hopped off Carl's lap and told Joel that she only cried just a little bit when her blood was sucked out.
Carl went, no incident.
And then there was Asha.
I knew she would be angry at me since I stood there and watched as the mean lady punctured her ear lobes the Friday before. And ever since then I've been pinning her down to douse her ears in this substance that is cold and wet. I am not in her good books. So it was decided I would hold her down.
The lab technician looked a bit nervous and when I asked him if they have young babies in here, he said hardly ever. He gulped and got the butterfly needle. The other technician joined him to help find Asha's vein and by this time she was yelling at the top of her lungs. I'm sure it was quite upsetting for those poor souls waiting in the waiting room, waiting for their turn to be slaughtered.
The first attempt at finding a vein was in vain because Asha squirmed too much. So yet another tech came and replaced the nervous guy to put the needle in her other arm. I held her on my lap, one tech held her legs, one held her arm steady and the new lady tech talked soothingly to Asha as she gently slid the needle into her arm. By this time I was almost in tears and Asha was screaming like I'd never heard her scream before. Almost immediately the tube of red caught Asha's attention and she stopped crying and just watched the tube fill up, and quite quickly since her blood pressure was through the roof.
And then it was over and we all got our fancy round band-aids for our arms. As we exited the lab, we got an eternity of sympathy looks from those that were still waiting for their turn. Kezia immediately asked what kind of treat we were getting today, "Probably donuts," I told her. And Joel asked if he ever had to have another needle again. Well...."Maybe when I'm 14 or not until I'm 18 or if I'm really lucky, maybe not until I'm 35". I hate to break it to him that we have to go for another round of needles in 10 days....Maybe I'll bring the donuts and the Happy Meals and the pop along with us to the travel clinic.
4 comments:
They do sound like brave kids - WOW. Nobody likes to be poked with needles and having blood drawn is the worst - good for them and they are so darling!
Take care - Kellan
oh, Kathy, that just sucks...no other word for it! that's a tough day...i would be bawling too...and kids don't understand....wow, that is a ton of needles.so y'all have one more round then? i'm sure the treats were so worth it
OH WOW! that is tough. i remember when i was 3 (my parents were gonna be missionaries to bangledesh) and i had to get a tonne of needles...it took SEVERAL nurses to hold me down and get the needle in. i was ( a little) dramatic.
AND THAT IS SO COOL THAT YOU ARE NEIGHBORS WITH MY BRO AND SIS! small world indeed. and a beautiful one.
Wow. Reminds me of when we got shots (many, many shots) before going to Zaire when I was a kid. I have to say, I didn't handle it nearly as well as your kids did. My sister got the offered bribe of a pretty plastic ring for going first, but I was not interested in such trinkets. I was interested in not being poked... unfortunately (or fortunately, since I didn't contract yellow fever or cholera), it wasn't up to me. =)
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