Today was a rough day for Harper.
She has the first dose of H1N1 at school. I went in to help with the preschoolers. I ended up taking six children from her class down to the gym to get their vaccinations.
Her teachers gave the children who were to be vaccinated name tags and permission forms, then they lined up and followed me down to the gym. When we got there we had to wait a minute, and Harper looked up at me, obviously pleased that I was helping her friends, and asked, "What are we doing here?"
Imagine her batting those big eyes at me. Oops! I thought she knew about the vaccination but she'd obviously forgotten. I told her we were there for a vaccine. She asked me to clarify and I said, "Well, some of our friends are going to get a squirt up their noses and some friends will get a shot."
Actually only Harper was getting a shot (asthma means no nasal spray vaccine) but I didn't want to emphasize that. I guess I should have been more specific because one of the little boys burst into tears and howled, "I don't want to get a shot!" Um, oops. I quickly calmed him down and all was well.
I think Harper was so stunned by the news that she barely had time to process it - before she knew it she was on my lap getting her injection and it was over. She whimpered, but didn't cry - hooray!
Unfortunately we had her five -year well check at the pediatrician this afternoon and she needed four shots there.
I'm a little miffed because the doctor told her she could choose whether to get the shots in her arm or leg - Harper chose two in the arm and two in the leg - but then the nurse said they all had to be in her legs. I think giving her that illusion of control and then taking it away sort of undid her - especially after we had to wait twenty minutes for the nurse to come back with the shots. I basically had to pin her down and I guess the last shot (the MMR) really hurt and she screamed loud enough for the entire office to hear.
Five shots before lunch - that's a rough morning. Nana and Dziatku took her out to McDonald's for a Happy Meal afterward, which helped her feel significantly better.
****
In other news, OMG Michael is twenty months old today! I cannot believe he is so close to turning two. Where has my baby gone?
9 comments:
Oh, poor thing, that's enough to discourage anyone.
I'm intrigued that they are vaccinating at school? already? You guys seem to have more vaccine than we do...we still just have clinics with 5 hour waits...
Ooooooo nooooooo! Poor Harper! A Happy Meal sounds like the very thing.
Ouch is RIGHT. She definitely earned herself some french fries.
Good for you to help out at the preschool on such an unpleasant day. I can imagine you are the perfect person to walk those kids through shots. You have a way of being so calm and reassuring.
I second Erin's comment -- I was just going to applaud you for being there, both for Harper and all of the other kids. Even if she can't/doesn't express it, I'm sure it made a big difference to Harper that you were there.
Hooray for Nana and Dziatku to help ease Harper's pain!!
Grandpa
there are a lot of shots going on at the preschool where i work- and then they ran out!
They started giving H1N1 vacs in one of the local school districts in my county...Health department doesn't have it or any information. My cousin who is a public health nurse in Delaware has been working at various clinics- it seems like Delaware has alot?!
I think it's awesome that you volunteered to help out & cheers for Harper for hanging tough today.
20 months- so true that babies grow up so darn fast!
Crikey that's a lot of shots!! Poor girl. She deseves McD's at least twice for that :-)
N will get her H1N1 through school too. I imagine I'll have to have someone watch the boys so I can be there....in case she has to get a shot, although I put on the permission that she can get either.
What a rough day! No one likes getting stuck that many times.
Post a Comment