Flu Shots

We've been waiting for flu shots around here. Now that Jake and Ben most likely had H1N1 last week (they weren't actually tested, but the doctors were pretty sure) we were really wanting to get the shots so that we weren't out of commission for another 2 weeks in the future.

After this experience, I'm not sure which is worse: getting the flu or getting flu shots.

Eastgate Christian Church was the place chosen by the powers that be to give the community flu shots on Friday, Oct. 30. The church opened at 8am. We were there at 7:45 and waited outside (it just happened to be barely 45 degrees and windy) in line until 9am. Jake had to abandon Ben and me to teach his 9:00 class. So, it was Ben and me to tackle the trauma. As we get in the church I have to fill out paperwork and Ben is barely hanging on after waiting so long. We are both hungry, getting impatient, and then we heard the crying. Ben looks up at me with big eyes and asks why all the kids are crying. As we get closer to the shot room, I am getting tense and Ben is starting to get comfortable in the warmth of the indoors. We get to "the room" and it's chaotic. ---Really--- Kids crying, parents crying, oh geez. So, we first get in line for the H1N1 shot. Because Ben is under 4 and I'm pregnant, we qualifiy for this one. Ben doesn't really get what's going on. He hasn't had a shot since he was an infant, so he's aloof. He gets the first shot and cries hard. He moves around just enough during the shot that he bleeds some and the cotton and blood and band-aid freak him out. As he's crying, I get mine. The best part, we get in line again for the seasonal flu shot. That really made him go wild. I seriously thought I was going to go into labor. I could barely hold him in my arms or by my side. His 35+ pound body is strong! So, I have to force him on my lap, hold his head to my chest, cover his eyes, try to breath calmly, as the nurse pulls his sleeve down from the neck of his shirt and gets him again. He's crying so hard he's barely breathing. Again, he has to have cotton and because he was so upset the shot actually bruised him. I get mine, we sit for just a moment to calm down. I pick him up and walk to the car. By the time we get home at 9:45, our H1N1 arms are really sore. We sit down on the couch, I turn on the TV, and we both proceed to eat many bite size snickers to help our emotions. Ben is eating, watching, and crying with his head on my shoulder. Me too