Normally, when a baby turns one in Israel, they are sent for standard blood tests, to measure iron levels mostly but also to get a general picture of their health. I put off those tests for almost five months, because it was clear to me that Raphaela was neither malnourished nor under-developed, and because I have needle issues.
This morning my clinic schedule for the morning was lighter than usual, and so I took Raphaela to the hospital, resigned to the fact that it had to be done at some point. They draw blood through the finger rather than the adult stick-a-needle-in-your-vein method, and yet Raphaela started crying as soon as the nurse applied sterilizing alcohol. Not because it hurt, but because she thought they were going to cut her nails, and she hates that.
Raphaela got through the procedure, though I felt myself tearing up as she was squirming and crying, no parent likes to imagine their child in pain. Once we arrived at Gan, it was all but forgotten, and she had a band-aid to show off to the rest of the kids.
As I was walking out the door of Gan to start my work day, they handed me a poem that Raphaela had colored, in honor the recent "Family Day" celebrations in Israel. The poem read (in Hebrew), " Dear Mommy, I give you my heart and all of my love, in honor of Family Day. I love you because you are the sweetest Mommy. Love, Raphaela" Started crying again, this time for the best of reasons.
2 comments:
here's something I've often wondered but could never test because I don't have a child:
If I were to bring my child in for a blood test, and asked the nurse to please "test" me first so I could demonstrate to my child what would happen and that it's bad-but-not-too-bad, would the nurse do it? or do they not have time or not want to use more of their equipment for a non-patient?
Don't think they would allow for "frivolous" blood testing, especially within a system that goes according to limited HMO standards. Waste time comforting a child? Please, that is not economical...
Post a Comment