528th Friday Blog Roundup
The twins had to have their first real blood draw this week. I put it off for a while because they were nervous, but I finally told them that it had to come off my to-do list. It went better than expected, but I should probably add that my expectations were that we (1) would not actually get blood drawn because (2) they would flip out and (3) the phlebotomist would end up with a needlestick or bruised shins.
Blood was drawn. The screaming (only one child flipped out) was over in about 30 seconds. The phlebotomist was unharmed. They got doughnuts afterward.
I asked them if it was as bad as they worried it would be. The non-screaming child said it was pretty much what they expected. The screaming child said it was so much worse than they thought it would be. But all lived through the experience, and I got to check the box on my to-do list to boot.
But I’m really grateful that we don’t have to do this again (I hope) for a while. It is really awful to see your kid that upset and worried. It makes me feel like crap leading them in there, even though I know it’s something that they need to suck up and do.
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Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.
Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.
As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.
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And now the blogs…
But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:
- “Our Community” (Stirrup Queens) — thank you, Northern Star!
- “Stop Waiting” (Ali on the Run)
- “Nail Salons Proven to be the Pit of Hell for Infertiles” (InfertilityHonesty)
- “Perspective: Perfect Woman” (Dreaming of Diapers)
- “Dharana, The Practice of Focus, and Food for Thought: Candied Pecans” (A Half-Baked Life)
- “A Tale of Two Playgroups” (Invincible Spring)
Okay, now my choices this week.
Looking for a Little has a story about a spoon that has traveled great distance and time. She explains how she feels when she sees this spoon in her drawer, which once belonged to her husband and is now waiting for her future child. She has tucked the spoon away for the time being, but it’s a poignant post about how a tangible object can become the receptacle for a lot of emotion.
Unpregnant Chicken has a post questioning intuition after an exchange with a stranger makes her wonder if the child somehow knows something that she doesn’t know yet. She admits: “I’ve had that sense before. That our child is waiting in the wings. Almost close enough to touch. Willing us to keep going. I allow myself to linger in that thought for a moment. Allowing myself to imagine that this child’s intuition is right.” It’s a post about finding hope exactly when she needs it most.
Earth & Ink has a hold-your-breath type post about becoming a blank slate. Or, really, that her life has become a blank slate though she still carries her memories and personality over to this blank slate. It’s a sobering question: what would you do with a start-over?
Lastly, My Path to Mommyhood catches a moment where she can see what her future child may look like as her husband yawns. They have one more chance coming up but she writes: “somehow, seeing a little apparition of that baby-that-could-be in the middle of Home Depot really brought home the incredible loss that we are most likely facing, and how much mourning is buried inside me.” It is a moving post in its rawness.
The roundup to the Roundup: We survived our first blood draw. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between January 9th and 16th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week? Read the original open thread post here.
12 comments
My girl’s blood draw would have been much better if the kid in the room opposite hadn’t been screaming bloody murder. But, in the end, she just cried a little…more from fear than anything else. The second one went much better.
I’m having horrid flashbacks.
I’m glad everyone survived.
This made me laugh b/c I procrastinate on getting needles for myself and my child… And yes, it sucks as it’s happening but it happens and then it’s over. I laughed when I read about your one child saying it was much worse than expected… Poor thing!
I thoroughly enjoyed Torthuil’s post about her blogging, infertility, the “new world,” and why she continues to keep writing: http://torthuiljourney.blogspot.com/2015/01/blogoversary-from-bobbing-at-wharf-to.html . It’s a question that so many of us face when we reach turning points in the journey, and I hope she’s around for a long time to come.
BTW, I hate having my blood drawn. They can never find my vein. My daughter is MUCH braver than I am, and I’m glad that the twins (and you) survived intact.
Is this dream turning into another nightmare? If you have some good thoughts or prayers to spare: http://midlifemomasita.blogspot.nl/2015/01/a-call-for-prayers-or-good-thoughts-for.html
Glad you survived the blood draw. Good call on offering doughnuts! 🙂
I think Justine Froelker’s Huffington Post piece on Acceptance in Infertility was spot on. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justine-brooks-froelker/acceptance-in-infertility_b_6413924.html
I also wrote a piece this week I was proud of: 10 Practical Ways to Prep for IVF http://www.amateurnester.com/2015/01/prepare-for-ivf.html
Tough on both twins and mom. Glad all is well and you made it through.
I think this is the piece I like this week: a writer and librarian talking about her weekly column being cut from the paper she worked for. Says a great deal about how writing and writers are valued, I think. https://bookconscious.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/on-being-discontinued/
Thank you for the shout out. Much appreciated!
Aw, thanks Justine for the referral. Going to go “right back at ya” since her post on cancer was very timely for me this week. http://ahalfbakedlife.blogspot.ca/2015/01/secrets.html
Funny, I’ve never stressed much over having blood drawn. The only time I can recall having it done as a child, I cried silent tears and stared in horror (and awe) but did not scream. But then I’ve never been much of a screamer. The only screaming I think I’ve ever done was when I bled red at 5 weeks pregnant, and then I made myself scream because I couldn’t cry. Anyway. If I’d known what a common (and frequently harmless) experience that was at the time I would have retained my stoic nature and saved myself the emotional shredding. My breakdown had far more long term consequences than the blood, in hindsight.
AJ had first vaccines this week. She screamed (of course) when the needles went in but recovered quickly. Who knows, maybe she will be a stoic for blood draws?
All I can think is how lucky your two are. 🙂 My boy has has many blood draws and he’s just barely over 2 years. He doesn’t like them, but with the numbing gel on the spot and some toys/stickers to distract him, he does pretty well these days.
I’m glad you all survived! And donuts sound amazing!
I’m glad that it got done now. I have a friend that passes out when she gets blood drawn.
I personally hate blood draws, so I can’t imagine knowing how much I hate them and then having to watch two small people endure that… I am so glad there were no bruised shins or needle sticks and the twins and the phlebotomist came out the other side relatively unharmed. (Although the phlebotomist didn’t get doughnuts, so he/she lost out.) Glad it wasn’t as bad for at least one!
Thanks for including me in the roundup! Ironically we had ANOTHER interesting experience in Home Depot this week, more Hope Fairy type than Crush My Soul type. For another dose of hopefulness if you are in a tricky place and need a reminder to stop and breathe and that tomorrow could actually bring something BETTER than today, I loved My Perfect Breakdown’s Post “Tomorrow’s Hope” this week: http://myperfectbreakdown.com/2015/01/16/tomorrows-hope/
It was short but sweet, encouraging without being treacly, and real.