Monday, March 29, 2010

Things we must do

Lately our lives have been filled with things we have to do.

Usually they are minor things that dont require too much thought or action. Taking vitamins every morning, bathing Owen every night. Reading him a nightly story no matter how long or how many times we have read said story. Continually reminding him of the rules.

Today it was given a violent shove of thought and action. Owen had to get his kindergarten shots. He had to get 4 of them. No combining any of them either. Four separate pokes!
I was going back-n-forth about telling him before and having to hear him try to talk me out of it for the next couple days or just let him go and not be prepared of what was coming his way. Jeremy and I decided to tell him about it yesterday after church. We told him it was what every kid does to be able to go to kindergarten. Of course and with a very nonchalant tone he told us," then i guess i dont want to go to kindergarten."

So we worked out a probable solution. He needed 5 more stickers to be done yet again with his chore chart and get a new game for his playstation. We told him that if he was good at the doctors and got all of his shots like a big boy he would get the rest of the stickers and get his game. That seemed to work until about 5 min before we got to the office. Owen started with the whining and telling me he didnt want to get shots. I comforted him as best I could putting on a brave face and reminding him of the game waiting at home for him.

He did really good until the nurse came in to give the shots. We laid him down on the table and there was immediate tears. I held his hands and told him to look at me. I tried to tell him to close his eyes and count to 5 and it would be over. None of these things helped. Poor kid screamed before the first shot even went in. Oh man when it went in he went ballistic. In the last 4 years of him having shots NEVER has it had an affect on me. When he was little it was just something that had to be done and I could comfort him and it was over. This time I almost sobbed right along with him. It took me a minute to get my emotions under control so I could be there for him but it was rough!! With each poke he just looked in my eyes and screamed like why dont you take me away from here. It broke my heart.

Even when it was all over he was sobbing with real tears streaming down his face. He even did that awful cough that sounds like they might barf all over the place a couple times. We pulled ourselves together and walked out of there. I told him he was so brave and I loved him. I hope he knows I do.

I got him in the car and we headed to get his favorite bug juice from the store. It wasnt more than a mile or two down the road to the store and when we got out he immediately said his legs hurt and there were more real tears. He was even walking really stiff like a penguin SO SAD!

We hurried home and he got his game, his bug juice and some Ibuprofen to help with the pain.
I am so glad I dont have to do that again till he is 12!!