Brave Girl!

Allie's band aid even loves her!

So, last time my daughter needed shots it was a few months ago for her 11 year old vaccines.  That means 2 injections and she HATES needles.  I even tried bribing her before that appointment and the result ended with 3 nurses holding her in place (because she kept walking towards the door), her brother leaving the room (because he couldn't take her screaming), me holding her face trying to get her to calm down and breathe, with one of the nurses finally deciding to shoot her in the leg because it was easier to keep still.

I've known we would need to get flu shots and start the HPV vaccines soon.  Not looking forward to this at all, I decided to have us get the flu ones while my sister was visiting.  My kids LOVE her.  It was her job for a while to vaccine kids, so she had strategies for doing it with scared kids.  My plan was in place.

Yesterday was the day.  We had talked about it for weeks now.  We would go to the Walgreens on the corner, so we wouldn't have to scare our new doctors YET.  We would do it early in the morning, so we could lessen the amount of anxiety time before getting them.  Plus, we planned to take Jen downtown for some site seeing and shopping after we got them.

Sounds like the PERFECT plan...of course, I'm always surprised.  When the pharm tech called us back I walked in first to ask if they could give her's in the leg.  She was already wearing shorts to make it easier.  He informs me that they can't do that.  UH-OH!  Then the crew walked in and I let Allie know of this change.

We are all standing in front of a single chair by 3 single shots laid out on the counter.  Allie blows me away by announcing she will go first.  So Jen sits in the chair first for Allie to sit on her lap.  Allie is very hesitant to sit still and the whole time the guy is telling us he is VERY good at this and will be VERY quick.

When he grabs the alcohol swab, Allie bolts to standing and won't look away from him.  He explains it's just the cleaner and asks her to hold her tee shirt sleeve up.  Staring at him intently, she pulls the sleeve up and lets him wipe her arm.  Then she turns the arm away from him.

I'm standing in front of her trying to calm her down and letting her know that she needs to just get it done so that we can get ours and go on with our day.  She is standing there not budging for about 2 minutes.  It's quiet in the room.  Then she turns her arm to the guy and says, "OK, do it!"

He paused for just a second to look at Jen, who is still sitting in the chair and quickly shakes her head YES!  Then he gives her the shot.

NO crying.  NO screaming.  NO holding her down.  NO sound at all.  It has been done.

The room is in AWE of her.  Even Owen was so surprised!  He told her how proud he was of her and she smiled.  Owen and I got our's, I think I may have been the one to wince the most.  And then we went on with our AMAZING day!!!

Sometimes she surprises me, but today I think she even surprised herself.