Oh So Many Tears!

It is October and what does that mean---FLU SHOTS! We get them every year since K ended up in the hospital for 2 days with Croup that was brought on by the Influenza virus. I still remember that day when her lips turned blue and she was sucking air so hard that her chest was caving in. I frantically called hubby from the doctor's office to tell him we were heading to the hospital. We were new to the area at the time and didn't know our way to the hospital, so we went by ambulance(no lights and sirens though-DARN!). The Fire Department had to be called to the doctor's office and so we made quite a scene at the time. That was quite the experience. Anyway, with hubby working with patients all day and kids in school, we figure that any help we can get to stay healthy, we will take it. Besides, our insurance pays 100%, so why not.

So, I call around to see when we can get these shots and find out that my doctor will give everyone shots except K. She is not a patient but if I paid for a doc visit, they would do it. OK, NO! I called her Ped. and got an appointment for a few days later. So, I take all the kids to the doc and meet hubby there so we can get them all done at the same time. I can't leave K by herself at home, so she comes too, knowing that she will not be getting her shot. They take us back 2 at a time to the nurse, so hubby and I go first. Okay, done. Next two are T and M. No problems there. Then it is J's turn. She is quite nervous about it, although for several days before she was bragging to everyone how much she likes getting flu shots. Too funny. Anyway, she wants me to go back with her, so I walk back there with her and K decides she wants to come too. I wrap my arms around J and she holds on for dear life as the nurse pokes her. All this time, K is watching intently to what is going on. We finish up and we are going to the basket full of goodies to pick one out and K starts crying. I don't notice it at first, but then all the nurses are asking what is wrong. When I ask her why she is crying, she says that she wants one too. I said of course she can have a goodie from the basket, but no, that is not what she wants. She is crying because she wanted to get a shot like everyone else. Oh, my poor baby. I try to explain to her that she will get hers in a few days, but that is not good enough. She just cries more. At this point, the nurses are asking why she isn't getting one. I explain that I am too cheap to pay for a doctors visit. They decide that they will ask to see if they can do it for her anyway. After a bit, they decide that they can do it after all. K is so excited she can't stand it. Go figure! Anyway, she gets the shot and everything is right in the world again. Thank goodness.

Who would have ever thought that she would be so upset not to be getting a shot. I remember last year when we took her into the doc for her flu shot. She had to be held down by both hubby and I as she was kicking and screaming so much. In fact, she was screaming so loud that the mother outside the room had to take her child down to the end of the hall because it was scaring him so much. It was so traumatic for her that is was upsetting for me to see. I felt like such a bad mother forcing this upon my child. How could I do this? What a difference a year makes. I guess they really do grow up and change in a blink of an eye. My sweet K!!