The Phlebotomist from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

Yesterday was Allyson's one year well visit. Well...she is very well indeed. Our sweet girl didn't gain any weight but she did, however grow over two inches in three months. Yay Allyson!

Our beautiful one year old also got two vaccinations and handled them well. Me...not so much! It makes my heart ache when she looks at me with those big blue eyes wondering how I could let this strange lady do this to her? It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase... "This hurts me more than it hurts you."

At the conclusion of the visit, the doctor and I discussed Allyson's milk allergy. Since lots of times children outgrow this type of food allergy we both agreed that we would proceed to do a radioallergosorbent test...also called a RAST. Honestly, I really didn't want to put Ally through this. The mere thought of watching her get blood drawn sent shivers up my spine.

But, it has been a long couple of months trying to keep my angel safe. Do you know how many times I have actually "cried over spilled milk" since she started moving around on her own? Or how stressful it is because she is... oh so very talented at picking up tiny pieces of anything from the ground?

Do you know how many things have dairy in them? One time when Allyson was about five months old (many of you know this already) she mouthed a toy that our neighbor's baby had mouthed as well. She instantly got hives, her eyes and nose watered and her eyes got swollen as well. So needless to say, our family needs to know once and for all just how dangerous it currently is if she is exposed to dairy products. Plus being a completely dairy free nursing mom for a whole year...I really miss cheese! LOL!

So off we cautiously sauntered to the blood lab down the hallway. It is a separate office all together from our pediatrician and I was a bit apprehensive because of Allyson being so young. We signed in and waited and waited and waited... As we lingered Ally roamed the hallway charming everyone who came in and out of the building.

After what seemed to be a really long time of chasing Ally everywhere, the receptionist called our name and she came out from behind the desk. This woman was dressed in scrubs so I am assuming she was a nurse of some kind but I really didn't put much thought into it. "You can sit her on your lap in this chair," she kindly directed.

Ally and I were both very quiet. As I nervously sat down, wondering to myself how this was going to work, an extremely tall dark woman (the phlebotomist) dressed in all white sternly entered our cubical. The room got even more quiet and to break the tension I quickly blurt out,
"I am probably going to cry harder than the baby...just to warn you."
Neither of the two ladies responded at all, and the conversation quickly got ugly.

Phlebotomist..."What are you doing?"

Desk Lady..."I am helping."

Phlebotomist...shakes her head as she snaps her glove. "Well then you can take the blood then if you are going to have them sitting. I put babies on the table over there."

Me...Gulping, this isn't happening. Surely this is some kind of joke. Where is the camera. This isn't funny.

Phlebotomist..."You go right ahead Miss Comeoutfrombehindthedesk, take the blood."

Desk Lady..."I am concerned for the patient, I am trying to help. I don't feel comfortable." She then looks at me and says, "I am so sorry." Next,she says to the tall lady, "I can help hold the patient so that she doesn't get injured."

Me...gulp

Phlebotomist..."I will instruct the mother how to hold her."

At this point I am burning up. I don't want to be here to begin with and now this?!!! The desk lady walks away and the Phlebotomist huffs. She then turns to Allyson and I. Ally trustingly looks up at me and inside I am debating what I should do.

I am then instructed sternly to lay the baby down I continue debating with myself. She then gets the elastic thingy out to tie it onto Allyson's arm.

Meanwhile I am thinking...

A good mom would have taken the baby out of this place. Hail Mary full of grace... Please help me do the right thing.

The Phlebotomist searches for a vein and can't find one. She then goes to the second arm and does the same.

At this point I take a deep breath and pipe up, "If you can't find a vein, or you aren't comfortable doing this, please stop. I can take her to a pediatric place." (Frap that really didn't sound very intelligent did it?) "Please don't try anything if you aren't confident."

Now, if you know me, I am extra super polite most of the time, but holy macaroni...do not mess with my baby! And thank you Blessed Mother for helping me find the right words.

Immediately the Phlebotomist softens. She explains that she does babies all of the time and that she usually feels for the vein but not necessarily sees it. She then takes my hand and kindly shows me. Thank goodness I felt it plain as day.

Pinning Allyson as tightly as I could and listening to her yelp wasn't anything compared to feeling completely frightened that she was going to be hurt by this large woman in all white.

When it was over I held my sweet baby close and apologized to her tenderly. As we entered the waiting room on our way out,everyone shook their heads sympathetically. The desk lady apologized again and I nodded. I also vowed to myself (and Mary) that I would NEVER to go back there again!