I don’t know who deserves more pity – me for my pain and suffering, or Lee because he had to listen to me whine and complain.
I have never liked needles. Wait, that’s an understatement. I don’t even want to be in the same room with a needle. I can look at a syringe and get clammy and weak.
While I was pregnant, I was subjected to many needles – but I could calm myself down by focusing on Camille and reminding myself that the momentary pains were for such a wonderful cause. But now that she’s here, my old needle-phobia is back in a big way.
Tuesday, I got 2 shots. One was my annual flu shot, and the other was a TDaP. I got both mostly for Camille, to keep myself from getting an illness that I could spread to her. I was able to settle my nerves somewhat by focusing on Camille like I did when I was pregnant. The shots themselves weren’t so bad, but after the tetanus shot, the nurse warned, “Be sure to move that arm around a lot so it doesn’t get sore.”
Okay, no problem!
It turned out to be such a big problem. Before I’d even gotten a mile down the road, my arm started aching. All the way home I tried lifting it and rotating it, probably alarming other drivers who surely thought I was having an arm seizure. But despite my calisthenics, I felt my arm growing sorer and sorer.
By the time I crawled under the covers that night, I could no longer lift my arm past my shoulder. Even when I held it still, it ached.
Me: SIGH.
Lee: What’s wrong? (concerned look on his face)
Me: My arm hurts.
He probably felt sympathy for me the first 963 times I told him this. I knew he must be growing tired of hearing it. I tried to lie down and get comfortable, but my arms hurt. Lee tried to drape his arm over me, but I gasped and reminded him, “My arm hurts!”
I was shocked the next morning when I woke up and it hurt even worse. I was beginning to wonder if lockjaw might be preferable. So I moaned and groaned all day, again.
Then yesterday, I had to add major insult to injury. I had a dentist appointment. For a FILLING. I hate needles anyway, but I despise needles aimed at my mouth. As I sat in the chair, waiting for the dentist to come in, I thought, “Run! Nothing is stopping you from running! Just run out that door and never look back!”
But then I reasoned, “Get a filling now, or a root canal later.” That shut me up. The filling was no fun, but I like my dentist and I think he tries to make me as comfortable as possible.
So yesterday, I really felt like a dog with my tail tucked between my legs. I called Lee.
Lee: Hello?
Me: Hi baby.
Lee: You okay?
Me: I think tho. My mouth ith sthill numb.
It took hours for the anesthesia to wear off, so I walked around with two hurt arms and a puffy face. When I went home for lunch, I tried to smile at Camille but the left side of my mouth wasn’t working properly.
Today, my mouth feels better and my arms are feeling much less painful (although the tetanus arm is still a tad sore). I was also supposed to have blood drawn for a test this week, but I put it off until next week. I can only take so much at one time. And most of all, I don’t think Lee could’ve heard me whine about any more needles this week.