We have been in the process of getting his vaccinations all caught up so that he’s ready for school this fall. Not a big deal. You would think.
He has been so far behind for so long for a variety of reasons, but mostly when he was little he always had stuffy noses or whatnot. Always had problems with reflux and the like. I refuse to vaccinate a remotely sick child. So he fell further and further behind over the past 5 years. Since he was not in day care or preschool or anything of the like, I was not too worried about it.
We had started the process of getting him caught up over a year ago, but again illness after illness hit the house. You start to wonder if it is ever going to end. Then we got busy. You know the every day things that just get in the way.
It is no surprise that Lance is a bit overly dramatic when it comes to shots. It is no secret. The entire office hears it every single freaking time. I was kind of grateful that Ben was with us when we head out to the free H1N1 Flu shot clinic hosted by the school district because it means he could hold him and play the bad guy for once. Fortunately or unfortunately, they had the mist version of the vaccine at the clinic so Lance could get one those instead of the shot. GREAT!
Well today was round 2 of the last remaining shots. I needed to get him his second H1N1 dose as well. So that would put him up for 4 shots today. I had hoped to get another mist version of the H1N1, but they did not have them at the doctor’s office.
I don’t even tell Lance where we’re going if we are going to the doctor’s office for shots. I am no fool. We pulled into the parking lot and the whining kicked on. In the parking lot and tears and fussing and whining started. By the time we got into the doctor’s office (second floor), he was crying about he didn’t want shots. I explained that he didn’t have a choice and that he had to have the shots before he could go to school with his brothers after the summer. The tears started flowing.
They finally called us back and I have to carry my 5 year old baby into the room. Not trying to sound uncaring, but at over 50 pounds and 5 years old I would expect some sort of attempt on his part to be a big boy and carry himself to the room. I didn’t happen. He’s sitting in my lap in the room as well. That’s not so big of a deal by itself and I don’t mind.
The nurses came in and said they were going to do the shots in his thigh. Ummm. NO! They remember the last experience, I suppose. Yes, Lance kicks, screams, and thrashes around. He is a strong little guy as well. Yes, it is work to get shots into him. I am not so sure what their problem is though. Their job is nothing more than sticking him multiple times while I play the bad guy and hold him down while they inflict pain on him. Not so cool.
I assured the nurses that they would be doing it in his arms. Why? Because he’s got STRONG legs and if *I* have to hold him still, I want to hold the part that is easiest to hold. I don’t care if you have a larger surface area to hit on the thigh, I am the one holding the child and listening to him scream and cry in my ear as loud as he possibly can.
I was preparing for the worst. I had him sitting in my lap, facing me, straddling my lap. I could hug him that way and just generally comfort him. I took a good look at each of the nurses and said, “we’re doing it in the arms.” I then crossed his arms and grabbed a hold of his wrists under his arms against his sides. This yields them almost unable to at least move the arms. He was a bit more submissive this time and laid his head on my chest, whimpering and repeating that he didn’t want the shots.
The big deal…the big surprise…
Four shots and hardly a whimper out of him. For the first time ever he did not cry or scream while getting shots! WAY TO GO, LANCE!
I am so stinking proud of him. We finished off a box of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies when we got home. He deserved it after seeing his friend, Russel, get hurt on the jungle gym at the park this morning and then hardly making a peep when getting his shots this afternoon! He was so proud of himself. That makes it even better because he knows he did a good job.
He only has 3 more shots to do sometime in mid-July and then he is completely caught up for school this fall. I am hoping that this experience is enough to kick the screaming out for good. That would be nice. I just simply hope that he realizes (like he said) that it didn’t hurt so bad after all and remembers that the next time. I think in their anxiety they are blinded to the fact that the pain is only there for a second. They just get so caught up in the fact that it will hurt that they blow it completely out of proportion so much that they don’t even realize that it didn’t even hurt that bad when all is said and done.
yay! shots are no fun but glad it went well.