The kids needed flu shots and the baby needed her 18 month shots (the Dr. didn't do them at her 18 mos. appt. because she was sick), so I decided that we would all go together and get all our shots. It couldn't be that bad, could it??
We enter the little room in the office where you go if you have just a nurse appointment, and everyone was happy enough. The older 2 knew we were going to get shots and were unhappy, but I told them we'd get milkshakes after, so that was keeping them from whining at the moment. The baby was happy since the Dr. office has been like a second home recently. The nurse was not our regular nurse, and seemed like she came from the family care side, not the pediatrics side of the office.
I volunteered to go first to get my flu shot so they would see that it didn't hurt all that bad. Well, she did it, and it was the worst flu shot I've ever gotten! I don't know if the nurse wasn't that great, or if I was sensitive because I'm fighting a cold, but it HURT and I forced a smile that the kids seemed to believe and said "Oh, this doesn't hurt" hoping she would do a better job with the kids. So my son volunteered to go next. She gave it to him, and he immediately started crying which caused my middle daughter to start crying.
I comforted my son who didn't stop, which caused my older daughter to cower in the corner and cry harder and yell that she didn't want a shot. I tried to get her, but she just screamed that she didn't want it. I then found myself blurting out, against my better judgement, that we would get a small barbie afterwards as a treat. She did not stop crying, but now we were going to have to get a barbie. What in the world was I thinking?? At that point I had to actually pick her up her as she kicked and screamed and get her on the table so the nurse could grab her legs, pull her little pants down and put the shot in her thigh. That caused her to scream even louder and by now the baby was totally scared so she was crying. Now that she was done, she did not stop crying and we had to move to the baby.
I picked her up and put her on the table. The nurse grabbed her legs, pulled her pants down and shot her in the leg and said 'all done'. So I picked her up, but I asked about her vaccinations. At that moment our regular pedi nurse came in to see what all the commotion was because all 3 kids were scream-crying at this point. Nurse 1 didn't know what was going on and I said she needed her 18 mos vaccinations. Luckily Nurse 2 said she knew the baby and would go check. So, we waited, and every started calming down. Nurse 2 came back with the shots and as soon as I put the baby on the table she immediately started screaming, so I had to hold down her arms, Nurse 2 held her legs and did the shots quickly. Finally it was over. The other 2 stopped crying, and the baby cried a bit more.
Nurse 1 had taken the older kids to get stickers and they returned with another little girl, who turned out to be our doctor's daughter. Then the doctor strolled over as her 4 yr old daughter chatted up my 4 and 5 yr olds. Dr. E was dressed in a really cute dress and looked like someone I would totally hang out with. She's young and we have kids the same age, and she just seems really cool. Then I thought how every time I'm at the doctor I'm tired, disheveled and totally frazzled. And probably sweaty because it's always like 97 degrees here and I have to carry around a 30 lb baby plus her blankie, sippy cup, a couple books and all the rest of my crap filling my huge purse.
Oh Lord. At that moment I realized how lame I am for worrying what my doctor thinks about me. But she seems so cool and I'm at the office so often it's like I should just be inviting her over for a play date. I'm losing my mind and clearly need to get out with the girls a little more often. But, I guess three kids will do that to you. Next time I don't think I will be bringing everyone at the same time for their shots. Lesson learned.
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