Today we experienced yet another first in our home. After a long needed doctors appointment a while back, we made a plan to test some blood and ask for answers. Today was that day. Requisitions in hand, we nervously brought our Rowan in to get blood taken.
But first, emla cream! More people should know about this stuff.
Emla cream is a topical freezing cream. Its expensive, and its behind the counter, though not a prescription. We put a thick dollop of cream in each elbow pit and put the special clear bandage overtop. Dr. Guselle advised me that I had to use that bandage. A regular bandage would absorb all the cream, and wrapping him in saran wrap would just move it all around. It HAD to be this way. Felt high stakes, hahaha!
We told Rowan what was happening all along the way so he’d feel well informed. He was very understanding, and very brave. He seemed to have a good handle on the fact that it might hurt, it might be uncomfortable, but that sometimes we have to go through stuff, and that he would be ok. He wasn’t afraid.
When we got to the clinic, I checked Rowan in, and we sat to wait. It was surprisingly busy. There was one poor kid waiting in a cubicle, and I’ve got to say, I felt for them in there. He hadn’t even been seen yet, and he was positively beside himself, crying, screaming, in complete panic. When he did finally have his turn, it took multiple people to get the job done. He screamed the whole time. That poor, traumatized little guy 💔 We talked quietly with Rowan, making sure he wasn’t even more afraid now, but he wasn’t. He was more concerned that someone would take that little boy out for a treat or something after. He was not afraid.
We decided to just not even ask, and Brady and I both went into the cubicle with Ro. Brady wheeled past the patient chair, tucked off to the side, and I sat Rowan on my lap.
Two staff members came in to meet Rowan, and to help make sure things would be smooth. We talked in that moment about holding very still, which he said he understood. He was very cooperative. As soon as it started, he looked away. He held Brady’s hand, and I was asked to wrap an arm around his chest, over his arms. One staff member held his arm still, and the other began cleaning the spot on his arm. Good veins ✅
Aaaaand we were going. No flinch. No issue. Nothing. The whole group of us praised him up constantly, about how he was doing better than we even would. He loved that. Three whole vials of blood. When it was done, they warned him there would be a little click, which there was, and then the cotton ball was pressed in place, and I held it. Done and done!
Rowan was ALL smiles! He had NO issues, which was a HUGE victory!
As soon as he put his hoodie on, the cotton came off. He giggled, and we threw it away. It was just so easy. What a HUGE win!
We took the boy out for some well-deserved lunch and treats. We hit the food court, and let him choose. Which is how we ended up with pizza, fries, and smoothies.
He and Brady got pizza, I got a big thing of New York Fries and cheese for everyone to share with me, and we each got a little booster juice, I think only because he was curious.
Someone even came and offered to take a picture of us 🙂 It was nice.
I am SO immensely proud of Rowan. He was incredibly brave, pain or not. Sometimes the fear of the unknown can really overtake a person, and Rowan was completely strong in spite of the nerves of the unknown. Thank you Lord for covering him this way!
This kid is almost seven. I can’t believe it. He is SO grown up.