So the last update on Gabby I shared her results from the Endocrinologist. I knew that she was going to have monthly injections. Little did I know that I was going to be giving these injections once every 28 days. Funny how the doctor failed to mention that part. My surprise was when the home health company contacted me about scheduling a delivery date for her new medication. Uh, what?! I was dumbfounded to say the least. They were surprised that I was surprised and after going around in circles they delivered a box the next day that included the syringe with medicine, a hazardous storage red box and alcohol pads for cleaning the area before injection.
Finally a week later a home health nurse came out to help teach me how to administer the injection. I tried to prepare Gabby the best I could. I told her what was going to happen and tried to assure her it would be quick and I would do it, not anyone else. The nurse arrived and it was a male nurse.
He instructed us the injection had to be done in her buttocks. That’s when we lost all of Gabby’s willingness. She did NOT want a man seeing her butt cheek. He was NOT allowed to watch. Of course he had to watch since I had no idea what I was doing and I was a nervous wreck. Did I mention I never wanted to be a nurse?! Never!
The first injection was done February 1st and thankfully Gabby never suffered from any side effects besides some soreness. It seems to have worked because she has not had another menstrual cycle since. Her second shot was administered on Leap Day. By me. Alone. No support from a nurse. Apparently if they tell you once that’s good enough. Thank God they don’t have that same mentality in nursing school.
The second injection went awful. Absolutely awful. I feel like I earned the worst mother of the year award. Seriously. Gabby was prepared and ready. She was laying on her side peacefully with only slight nervousness. She let me clean the area with an alcohol pad and mix the medication in the syringe. That’s when she lost it. She saw the length of the needle and came unglued. She started begging me not to do it which caused me to start shaking.
I was trying to hold her still by myself since T was at youth group and as I went to give the shot she hit my hand the minute it went in causing it to come right back out. One stick down, no medicine administered. The second stick, which by now I’m practically sitting on her yelling be still, went in yet the plunger was stuck and I couldn’t get the medicine to go in. I have no idea if between all the wrestling I twisted the lock on or if I was so weak I just couldn’t push it in.
Yes, it took three pokes to get the medicine in her. And this is why I’m not a nurse. I was so upset and shaking for hours afterward. I felt so bad I wanted to cry. Gabby was crying so we cuddled in bed and read Dr. Seuss books with Noah until she fell asleep. I massaged the area but the next morning she said it still stung.
I’ll leave you with a positive. Gabby has been growing her hair out because she has the desire to mimic the movie Tangled. She wants her hair like Rapunzel. I’m just glad she lets me curl it sometimes.
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Oh I feel awful for both of you. Sometimes – well a lot of the time- I think Wth are they doing transferring nursing and doctor jobs to regular people moms and dads and sons and daughters. It is crazy. Do you have gloves? Like what if that needle had pierced your hand? I am disappointed in health care systems when they do this stuff. It is once a month – I actually think it would probably be easy for a trained nurse to do the job once a month. Right? Makes me mad.
Good luck and I hope this works for gabbie.
Paula
Isn’t it crazy, Paula? I do actually have gloves left over from when I had to pack her wound from her last surgery but they don’t know that and they didn’t supply me with any this time around. I almost pierced myself more than once during the struggle, which I don’t blame her since she had been poked more than once. It was just awful.
I can’t even believe they didn’t give me the option to just bring her into the office once a month for them to do it. I take her to enough appointments as it is, what’s one more trip?
Oh wow 🙁 I can’t believe the Dr didn’t inform you on the most important part, that you would be administering the injections. I hope over time that it becomes easier on both you and Gabby (((())))
And Gabby’s hair looks GORGEOUS!
I know! And the doctor office hasn’t even called to check up on us to see how things are going. It all boggles my mind.
I’ll tell Gabby you complimented her hair. She is so excited about it! Thanks a ton girl.
I hope things get easier for both of you. I couldn’t imagine giving Chevy a shot, it would take me, David and Charity to hold him down. I’m glad to hear they seem to be working and I LOVE her hair.
I bet Chevy would freak out just like Gabby. Our poor kids go through too much as it is. In the end I think I was more upset than her. She bounced back pretty quick and I went through the emotions of feeling awful, being upset and sad to being angry at the doctors for this process.
Gabby, your hair looks BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you! She is proud of her long hair and I’m thankful she is finally able to grow it out after surgery.
That is such a hard post to read because I have such a hard time holding Pumpkin still when she has had to have a few painful procedures. But at least I could close my eyes and try to not be there mentally. Doing it yourself doesn’t leave you that escape at all. I would be shaking too. SO hard. I wonder if you called the doctor and said that you were having trouble (even though you can do it) if he would then offer appts for her to get it done with a nurse?
Hugs that is SO hard. And I agree with posters above- the curls are just precious, and so is Gabby:)