Day 4: Doctor Appointment

I take back what I said yesterday about Rex' biggest cry. We have a new winner--his first doctor appointment. It was terrible. If you have a weak stomach, don't read on. Our pediatrician wanted to see Rex for a wellness checkup, read his medical history, update him on vaccinations the United States requires, and so forth. Turns out she needed to give him two shots and take several vials of his blood.

The shots weren't too bad--Colette held him on her lap, the nurse pulled up his pant legs, and quickly pressed a needle into each leg. He was already screaming and I don't think he made any more noise when the needles actually went in. Then it was time to take blood. Rex is only 25 pounds, but he is mighty. An extra nurse had to be called in to help. Three of us--Colette, nurse 1 and me--held Rex down while nurse 2 tried to find a vein in his arm. She couldn't. So they called the doctor back in.

The doctor asked Colette and Asia to leave the room so they didn't have to witness the procedure. I wanted to escape too, but for Rex' sake, I stayed. The doctor laid Rex on his back, his poor hot head dangling over the edge of the table. She needed to take blood from his neck vein. Yeah, his neck vein. A nurse pinned his body down while I held his arms from flailing. The doctor stuck the needle in his neck and blood started flowing. The whole awful thing was over in a few minutes, but it felt much longer than that, to me and to Rex, no doubt. We are praying this experience doesn't tramatize him.