I checked Juma out of school to take him to the doctor for a follow-up visit. When I announced he'd need to get some "needle shots," he freaked out. The prospect of skipping nap time and hanging out with Mom all afternoon was ruined by the fear of the immunizations. I tried to explain what shots are for (he already knows about germs, killer T-cells and white blood cells), but a health science lesson doesn't really help when you know a nurse is going to stick you with needles.
He calmed down in the doctor's office, and we happily read a story until the nurse came in with 3 syringes (flu, DTaP, polio). Juma started bawling in anticipation. He's hated the doctor since he was tiny, crying as soon as he recognizes a white coat or a doctor's office. I held his wrist in the shot arm, and he asked to squeeze my hand to deal with the pain.
As he cried and struggled, the nurse poked the first one in.
And Juma started laughing. It was one of those strange laugh-cries, where I couldn't tell which it was. By the time the nurse poked him with the third one, he was definitely laughing.
He thought it was so hilarious that he was so worried about the shots hurting, but then they barely hurt at all. All the build up of fear was for just 3 tiny little pricks, and he laughed all the way out of the door.
1 comment:
That was such a cool story and shows what kind of little man Juma is becoming. WE'RE SO PROUD OF HIM IN HOW HE FACED AND OVERCAME HIS FEARS.
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