Our first blood draw!!!

[totoro]

Well I let difficult child 1 go to school this morning so she would not think about doctor apt. She is getting sick of the apts.
I am single Mom this week, so I had difficult child 2 as well. I had called and asked if they could give her the Emla prior... they acted at first like why would she need that? I then explained that her anxiety, her likelihood of numerous bloodwork throughout life etc... I would like to make the first one as little of an upsetting experience as possible, oh they got it. DUH.

So we went an hour early, in the future if we ned lots of bood work they will give us our own Emla, got the Emla, nurse told difficult child that it was like frosting, but don't eat it. So in the car difficult child said afterwards, "where is my frosting?" I then explained to her that the nurse was trying to make her laugh, she said "well that is not very funny when it isn't frosting, why would she kid with me about something that wasn't true?"
I had to go on about trying to make a person feel better and all that, she wasn't buying it!!!

So on the way back, she started amping up when reality hit her... started crying, screaming, kicking the backseat, undid her seat belt, luckily we were only about 3 blocks from docs, climbed into the back of minivan, and started screaming take me home... I ended up having to drag her out with difficult child 2 hanging on me, carry my 55pound difficult child 1, with difficult child 2 hanging on me into the doctor's office!!! I walk in and say "Um we are not doing well". difficult child 1 was screaming, I kind of laughed as I said it.
They got us into the room, and I was able to talk her down and give her some gum, then a sucker, rub her back, lots of hugs, I told her, pediatrician told me she knew she was brave and she was so excited to see how brave she could be...
Finally pediatrician came in after 15minutes of this, seemed like forever, difficult child took the blood draw, didn't cry was totally calm giggled and was a total champ!!! :bravo:
I was so proud of her. The pediatrician did a great job! difficult child 1 is going to be OK for next time I think, hope!!!

 

[Crazy-Steph]

Whew! At least the pediatrician knew how to deal with her and not make it worse! Way to go difficult child 1!

 

[Alisonlg]

Wow....at least it all worked out in the end, right? First blood draw down!

 

[Steely]

Yay, I am so glad......
My son has been having his blood drawn since he was a little tyke as well. He now is a professional champ, and I am certain he could go into nursing and ace it if he so chose.
His common MO now is to boss the nurses around when he gets his blood drawn......although I am sure annoying, it kinda cracks me up.
I can hear him:
"No, no, no nurse.....this arm, and this vein......No, that vein is not big enough - this one here! And don't you dare use a butterfly needle I hate those, please use the regular ones....oh and if you need more than one vial, please hold the syringe tight to the skin, it hurts less."
Good golly!
We all find a way to adapt though......and maybe now your little one will know that it's just not that big of a deal to have a needle near her. A good life skill, I think.

 

[Wiped Out]

Great for difficult child! My difficult child loves to get his blood drawn-he is fascinated by the needles and the blood.

 

[jannie]

Great Job !!! :bravo:

 

[flutterbee]

Wonderful! :bravo:

 

[timer lady]

:bravo: Good for difficult child! I think the anticipation of the blood draw is worse than the actual event.

Keeping fingers crossed that she continues to be a "pro". kt has gotten to the point of talking through the whole thing & complaining if they take too many tubes of blood. :smile:

 

[On_Call]

:bravo:

I repeatedly tell difficult child that (almost) nobody likes to have their blood drawn. I have even worked it out so that my regular blood work gets done on the same day as his so that he can see that I have it done too.

There is always a bit of anxiety on his part before the draw, but almost always he says afterward "that was no big deal. don't know why I made it a big deal, right mommy?". :laugh:

Glad your draw went well. I'Tourette's Syndrome unfortunate that it is a necessity for our little ones on such a routine basis. Hopefully, your difficult child will be a pro before you know it.