Thursday, December 18, 2008

she just wouldn't bleed!

So yesterday Sam had her nine month appointment. It was just Sam and I because they said that she wouldn't need any shots this time so I told Chris he didn't have to come (yes I am a wimp and like to have back-up when my daughter has to get shots!). Well they were WRONG!
They did all the usual stuff (head = off the charts!; height = 29inches, 90th percentile; weight = just over 20 pounds, 75th percentile) and then said that they would need to prick her finger for a blood screening and she needed the flu shot. Damn it I had to do the hard stuff by myself. But okay, I can be a strong mom and get through this with her. The nurse came in with to do the finger prick and Sam didn't cry at all...but she also didn't bleed! No kidding the nurse held the tube under her finer for over five minutes and barely got a drop. The room was so cold and Sam's poor hands were so frozen that the blood was just not flowing. So the nurse gave up and said she would have to draw her blood for real from her arm! Now, getting blood drawn makes me cry, yes every time I cry! But you don't understand...my veins are very weak and it can sometimes take 2 - 3 tries per arm before they finally find a vein that will fill the tube. So I was scared for Sam. While that nurse went out to get the blood drawing stuff another one came in to do the flu shot. She was great and super quick but of course Sam screamed. I got her calmed down from that and in walks the other nurse to draw her blood. She couldn't find a vein. Never stuck her, thank goodness. She never even saw one in her arm well enough to stick the needle in anywhere. So she gave up again. Left, again, and came back with a hand warmer to try and get the blood in Sam's finger flowing. So we sat and chatted and let Sam play with the hand warmer for a few minutes. Then she pricked Sam's finger, this time Sam screamed and the blood came flooding out! Blood actually came out of both holes that she had poked and was dripping all over the place. Sam continued to scream.
All in all we were there for over an hour and Sam was not a happy girl but she made it through it all and so did I.
Good grief!

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