Vaccinations

We finally got the children’s last vaccinations yesterday. I knew it was going to be a trauma after the last time, so I took the mature route and didn’t tell them until we arrived at the doctors. When I told them what we were there for all three immediately went into total meltdown. Luke finally pulled it together and said he was going to be brave. Emma and Susie had to be physically moved out of the car and in through the door!

By the time we arrived at the reception desk, the poor receptionist was convinced that we were a dire emergency who should really have been heading for A&E based on the amount of noise coming out of them. We finally managed to explain that we’d just come to visit the travel clinic.

The nurse had gathered reinforcements (probably based on hearing the noise in the waiting room of Susie screaming at the top of her voice and trying to escape) so we had two nurses and myself to hold them down and jab the needles in. I felt like the worlds worst parent.

All over very quickly, if deafeningly! Plasters, stickers and lollipops afterwards and suddenly everyone was feeling much better. On the way home in the car the children competed over who had been the most “brave”! Susie thought she was braver than last time because apparently she “didn’t try to get away and didn’t even cry”, Emma and Luke both thought they were braver and they all agreed that it didn’t hurt at all. Unbelievable!!!! But I have decided that if they believe this fiction it is probably for the best as it will lower the likelihood of lasting phobia of needles.

I’m very glad to have it over and done with!