Ripples of Panic

This morning, I reminded Curtis that next Monday Timothy needs to get his booster for the flu shot. At the words "flu shot", Elizabeth, Micah and Benjamin went into full panic mode.

"Do I have to get a shot?!?!"

"Are you going to make me go too?!?!"

"Why do we have to get more shots?!?!?"

"I HATE THE FLU SHOT!!!!!!!"

And being the loving, encouraging, and sometimes provoking mother that I am I calmed their fears by saying, "Yep. Everyone has to get two more shots!"

There was crying (literally, tears!), wailing, whining, and eye rolling from Curtis.

I chuckled, and got to work calming them down, and assuring them that they weren't getting any shots right now.

Why such a strong reaction? Let me feel you in on what this year's flu shots were like for the Krajcas.

We went during lunch time on a Friday afternoon. The plan was for the four boys to get the shot, and Elizabeth and I to get the flu mist. The boys can't get the mist because of their asthma, and the baby's too little, and Curtis took one for the team. Unfortunately, I found myself in the middle of a nasty upper sinus infection, complete with fever. No flu mist for me!

Our brilliant plan was that Curtis would go back, get the shot, while assuring the older two boys that they would live. Then the nurses would give Micah and Benjamin their shots.

Benjamin went right after Curtis. Benjamin was sitting in a chair, and the nurse knelt down by him, slid his shorts up a tad, and gave him a stick. I think her plan was to just quickly get the job done before Benjamin could freak. However, she clearly wasn't ready for Benjamin's lightning fast reflexes! Benjamin proceeded to arch his back, and straighted his legs, which made the needle slip out before the the injection was done. Benjamin received a total of six sticks, screaming every second of the time.

Curtis is attempting to help hold Benjamin down, and Micah is under the chairs. Elizabeth is crying in the waiting room, and I was shaking my head since my kid was one of those kids.

After all that, Benjamin happily went and got his sticker and lollipop. And Curtis set to work on pulling Micah out from under the chairs. Thankfully, the nurse was a little more deliberate, and got some back up, and had Curtis hold Micah. LOTS of screaming, more from anticipation than anything else.

Finally, the boys and Curtis are done, and I head back with the baby. Elizabeth was NOT convinced that the flu mist wouldn't hurt, despite what I had told her, and what the nurses had told her. She was in for a pleasant surprise. And of course Timothy was unaware, mad, then easily calmed.

I'm already dreading next year's flu shots, since all three kids will probably have clear memories of what happened. Lovely!