Blood work!

Over the past 20 years I have given many shots, started a number of IVs, and drawn tons of blood work. I have been conditioned that these things just need to get done for an important reason so I do them. Now when I say that I know it sounds very matter of fact and cold but this is a part of the professional me that keeps my mind safe from the not so nice things that I have seen over the years.

I often think about how the caregivers may be haunted by caring for the children in the orphanage. There is little they can do besides going and meeting the superficial needs of these children. In the past I have felt burned out and the conditions I work under are light years better then the conditions the caregivers in the orphanages work under.

Back to the blood work, when Anna came home from Russia I insisted that she not be vaccinated twice and instead that she has the titers drawn to see what diseases she was having an immune response towards. I remember that day very vividly, 17 tubes of blood were drawn. This afternoon I will take Anna for more blood work. My guess after looking at the orders is about 5-6 tubes of blood, please I pray it is not more than that this time.

This fall Anna was bitten by a tick. I marked it on the calendar and counted out 8 weeks which brought us close to the end of October. The night before Thanksgiving Anna had a crying episode and started to complain about her knees. Anna does not complain so I held her, gave her Tylenol and watched her. The pains went away until this Monday night. Tuesday I took her to the doctor's office to discuss three issues, the leg pain being one of them. I fear she may have Lyme's disease. I will post more about the other two issues after I have processed the discussion between Anna's pediatrician and I first.

I will say that I will have a couple of more doctor appointments in the near future. I am a little worried but I am doing my best to put it in God's hands. I want what is best for my baby. I will do what is necessary and right.

So today I will pick Anna up from school and drive her to he hospital where I work so I can hand select who will draw her blood. Yes, I am that bossy. I will pray that she will not cry for long after the blood draw.