tapped out

Let me start by saying I'm grateful Madi's issues are as small as they are. We could be much worse off than we are and I'm thankful that's not the case. So...blood draw was horrible. Madi's graduated to the full grown adult method, no more quick sticks on the heel. I had to put her on a small padded table shaped like a T. The arms of the T had straps for her arms but we didn't use the straps, nurse asked if I would hold Madi still. Yikes! Madi did really well with the first stick but the nurse couldn't find the vein so she was moving the needle around in Madi's arm, reinserting it here and there, poor girl couldn't take it. I have never heard Madi cry that loud or hard. She was trying to wriggle free (don't blame her) and grabbing fists of my hair. That's alright baby, pull as hard as you need to, Mama's sorry! After a couple more tries we switched to the other arm. I got a few seconds of consoling during the switch but they didn't do much good, Madi was wound up. The left arm was better but when the needle went in again Madi lost it. By the time it was over and I could pick her up she had sweat through and left marks on the table plus I had a puddle of tears, some mine and some Madi's. I am so incredibly grateful blood draws are not a scheduled part of our routine. To those parents where they are, you are saints for enduring that time after time. It took a good while for me to get Madi calm enough to put her in the car seat. On the way out the nurse apologized for not getting the first arm and said "she's just so big." Really? That's what you come up with - she's chunky?/! Grrr.

I was put in my place on the way out. We passed a family getting discharged and the little girl in the wheelchair was bald. I'm not sure what her health issues are but most little girls aren't bald by choice. Thank you Lord for putting things into perspective and making me appreciate what I have. Our bad days are still good days in comparison.