Needles... ouch

The daycare has been bugging me to get his yearly physical form filled out so they can have an up to date one on file. Now everything has been done in terms of immunizations but there is a hermaticrit (sp??) listed on the form for iron levels. Our Dr. had not done this yet so we got an order from him to go to the local draw station. After talking to some parents of slightly older children, I was under the impression that this was usually a heel stick given at the Dr.'s office. So I called the Dr and said how come we have to go to a draw station. They gave me some line about them not having a lab at their office.. i don't know how these things work so I don't make a fuss. Then i ask if it's goign to be a heel stick or a vein draw. She says heel stick. I say are you sure... she says let me ask the phlebotomist (the draw station is right next to the Dr's office). She comes back and says heel stick.

The draw station opens at 7AM. I get there at 7:05 and there are already 2 people in front of me. Finally it's our turn and I say to the woman...heel stick right? She says no, vein draw. AHHHHH!!!!! Remembering that my friend had told me that her son had had a heel stick as well as vein draw and that the vein draw actually hurt less, I let her go ahead with the vein draw. Nathan and this woman were wonderful. I held him in my lap and held his arm straight under the elbow. I also cradled him to my body so that he wouldn't squirm away. The woman held his arm pretty tight. He didn't even flinch when the needle went in. About 20 seconds into he started to squirm a bit but I think that was more from us holding him so tightly than from any pain. Then it was over and he got some tape with a smiley face on it. No tears or anything. I was soo relieved I almost cried. I had scared myself into thinking there would be hysterics and he was just fine. What a big boy!!!

I think that's enough stress for one day. :)