I don't know how anyone can endure watching their children go through painful medical procedures. Both of my boys had routine shots today at the doctor (please don't leave me comments about your opinions on vaccinations. Each and every parent must make this opinion on their own and I don't judge anyone else personal decisions, please don't judge mine.) This is tolerable. They are quick and over before they know it.
But they both also had to have blood drawn today. I decided to have Makili tested for Lyme because he had a known tick bite a few months back and has had three otherwise symptomless fevers since then, and I also decided to have both kids screened for lead. We learned this year that the garden closest to our house is full of lead. We mostly grow flowers there (now exclusively flowers) but in the past two years we've grown a few vegetables and I wanted to make sure that the boys don't have high levels of lead, though honestly I don't really know what you do about it even if you do? Anyway, Makili was scared, but was so brave and it didn't take long. BUT Remick was just awful. Unfortunately, the poor child inherited my deep, small veins which have been awful for me my whole life. Phlebotomists frequently miss and leave me with an armful of bruises. Three women worked to restrain his writhing, screaming body for EVER to get a tiny, vial of blood that was nearly not enough. They tied that rubber tourniquit on countless times, feeling around, put on a warming pack which Remick hated, missed once with the needle after moving it around all over the place in his arm trying to make the stick come up with something. Remick eventually tired out and was there sweaty from screaming. I talked to him, asking him if he wanted to go see Daddy, or eat blueberries, or have milk, and he would grunt desperately at me hoping I would free him from the torture. It was an hour of absolute AWFUL. I really don't know how either of us could have possibly endured more.
