I hear a lot of complainin’ about social media. I’ve done some complainin’, myself. The truth is, watching people offer support, prayers, helpful words, or warm thoughts because someone else is asking (or not) is one of the reasons I’m glad these things are around for us. I get a heaping reminder that people are generally kind.
Which is helpful for times like yesterday, when I asked the nurse taking Everly’s blood while Everly sat still and quiet, if my daughter could have a sucker or juice box because she was being so good and not making a peep and holding her arm in place while they took 6 vials of blood.
She looked at me and said:
“No. If I gave her a juice box, I’d have to give every kid a juice box.”
I didn’t say anything at all after that. I was so mad and when I’m that kinda mad, I’m irrational. My daughter sat there, eyes lit up, thinking she was going to get a treat because she was behaving so well. I thought about how much money that hospital makes and how it’s too expensive to give kids juice boxes or suckers. It’s too much of a hassle and contributes to obesity, of course. Too intimate a gesture, I suppose. We don’t want every kid to have a juice box, Heaven forbid! What would happen then?
If we continually follow protocol we become less human and more robotic.
I thought of my mom and what kind of nurse she is. She always helps her patients above and beyond, taking time to get to know them and trying to understand their pains. I’m glad there are nurses like her out there.
And coming full circle – I’m glad social media exists. As angry as I was, when I got home, I saw this:
What a wonderful thing to see! People reaching out to us, letting us know they’re praying for us with a click of a button, reminding me how precious Everly is… just showing our little girl tons of love. Thank you so much, everyone – and for the texts and Tweets, too!
And as for that nurse…
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Dear “Nurse”,
That was a hateful thing to do. Read up on your profession. It’s more than drawing blood or cleaning wounds, and I don’t care if you were tired or having a bad day because sometimes, there just aren’t any excuses for being an idiot. You owe my daughter an apology. And a juice box.
-Mad Mama
How rude. I would’ve been dumbfounded and unable to say anything because of my anger. Did she at least get a sticker? I would have totally taken her out for a big ice cream treat. Bless her.
Even if they didn’t have a juice box or sucker I know they have some sort of sticker… heck even if it were a price tag sticker off something… To Truman a sticker is a sticker… You did good mama!! and Miss E is a STRONG STRONG lil girl things she has already learned from her parents!!! and to be real honest I know Everly just wanted you to be proud and to give her something not that ol nurse who means nothing to her.. so all your love and praise and whatever you did when you got out of there was more than enough!!! :)
Wow, shame on that nurse! How much is a bag of cheap lollipops? Like $3? Lady needs to get real and reconsider what brought her to her profession especially if she is going to be dealing with small children. At least we know Everly and Beckett will be brought up to be kind and caring. I’d give your brave girl a juice box any day! Hope everything comes back normal!
Not to mention that when considering the tiny size of Everly or any young child, 6 vials of blood is a sizable amount to take at one time. Don’t they give adults who are donatiing blood a juice and cookies to replenish their energy by replenishing their fluids? Think of the ratio of blood to body size. God love our little Everly.