Blood...

I forgot to write about an experience we had with Jessica last week. We took her in to the Doctor for a check-up and she wanted to get some blood drawn. This is a tall order for our oldest daughter. I think her fear of doctors, hospitals, and anything remotely medical stems from her heart surgery at age one. She was subjected to so many tests and somehow that has subconsciously affected her. We continue to try and soothe her and she has gotten a little better.... but we knew there would be a huge fit over getting blood drawn. On the day we took her in, we also had to take Chris to get some blood drawn for his Allergy doctor. We told Jessica that she would feel a little poke and that's all. It would be over quickly and she would get a BIG prize if she was good. Chris talked to her the whole way into the hospital, down the stairs to the lab, and into our seats in the waiting area. She was very calm. I kept thinking, "the calm before the storm..." Chris signed them both in and luckily there was no one else in line to get lab work. We went right back to the room. Jess hopped up in the chair and the nurse asked her which arm. I was all ready for the chaos to ensue...Nothing! She calmly sat there as the nurse wrapped the elastic band around her bicep, swabbed the area and proceeded to poke her!!!! Chris held her hand the whole time and she was an angel as she filled FOUR tubes of blood! I was waiting for the blood curdling screams and the limp fish alternating with the wild tiger cub routine. It never came! My baby has grown up! Chris traded her places and she stood there holding his hand while the nurse started to draw his blood. Then it hit her. She passed out. Chris caught her with his free arm and the other nurse grabbed her as I ran over to pick her up and lead her to the benches out in the waiting room. She was completely pale. It was terrible! She was so out of it and kept saying, "What happened?" The aide brought her a cup of water and I gave her a bag of fruit snacks. She was fine after a few minutes. It was crazy! Poor kid! She finally gets over her fears and then passes out!! I was so impressed with her! We took her to the PX afterwards and bought her a new Webkins. She was so happy!! Hopefully this will end all the drama at the doctor's now!

I always get woozy with blood. Mostly my own blood. On Monday morning I was cleaning up the kid's room and putting away some stray toys. I reached under the bed to open Miah's toy box and a remnant piece of glass from a broken light fixture jabbed straight into my finger! It started gushing blood and I knew if I stood up I would lose it so I asked Jilli to go grab me some tissue. She came back with 1 square!!! I said, "Go get some more tissue! A lot more!" She came back with 1 square! I had soaked both of those so I sent her next for the box of wet wipes on the back of the toilet. She got me those, thank goodness, and I was able to clean myself up and stop the bleeding. I hate that I'm so sensitive to my own blood! I remember once, years ago, I was cooking dinner and sliced open my finger. It was pretty deep and it wouldn't stop bleeding. Chris was at work and I was feeling really bad. I called my friend to come over and bandage me up. I can still hear her laughing at me! No worries!  I always think it's better to look like a dork than try to do it myself and knock myself out hitting the counter on my way to the floor!!