Vaccinations

My office mate took her baby to the doctor today for his six month checkup. He received the standard inoculations for his age. His mommy said that he cried just like the last time he got shots, but this time was better in one way. She didn't cry.

It reminds me of other visits to the doctor for shots. When I went for shots as a kid, they lied to me. "This won't hurt a bit." So I trustingly offered up my tender little arm and the nurse pierced me with a six inch instrument of torture. "Ow! That did too hurt!" I learned never to trust my mom when it came to describing pain. She was a nurse herself and any injury less than a compound fracture required no more treatment than an aspirin. Sympathy was not one of the medicines that she dispensed.

I decided that I would do better than my mom. I would always be honest with my child. The first trip to the doctor for vaccines, I told him "Son, the nurse is going to give you a shot. It is going to hurt, but you will be OK." My wide eyed son took one look at the nurse approaching him with a needle and screamed. "Don't hurt me! I don't want a shot!" And he ran to the corner of the room and curled up into a little ball. I dragged him out and tried to convince him that he would feel the least pain if he would be still and cooperate. He wasn't buying it. I ended up holding him down with his arm twisted behind his back while the nurse gave him the shot. So much for honesty.