Brave!

I am so proud of Alex today.  He overcame his fears and persevered to do something that he really didn't want to do.  Let me tell you a little story....

A couple of weeks ago at Alex's doctor's appointment, his doctor told us that Alex needed to have some blood work done.  It's nothing concerning or serious, but she did say that it was important for it to happen.  Joe and I looked at each other, both of us thinking the same thing, can he really do it?  Alex has a major fear of needles and having tests done.  One time when he had to get a flu shot, he literally ran away from the nurse, telling him that he wasn't going to allow the nurse to give him the shot.  That's just one story of many that I could share about his fears.  

In the past we've figured out ways to avoid needles.  One recent test he needed, they were able to do a spit test instead of taking blood and his pediatrician has given him the flu mist instead of a shot .  This time, though, we couldn't avoid it, he had to give blood.  As we rode home from the doctor's appointment, Alex told us that he couldn't and wouldn't do it.  Oh boy. 

Over the next couple of weeks, Joe and I laid a lot of groundwork with Alex, encouraging him and letting him know that he was brave enough to accomplish this feat!  His doctor gave him some numbing creme too, so that we could assure him that it wouldn't hurt when they poked him.  Alex had mostly come around, and said that he thought he could do it, but I really wasn't sure.  We (and when I say we, I mostly mean Joe, who has taken on the bulk of the responsibility of getting these tests done) have seen the melt downs take place when it came down to actually having procedures done, so in a lot of ways I was still skeptical.  But... Alex has also grown up a lot in the last year.  He has been much less scared and has accomplished things we never thought he could, so there was definitely a little bit of hope that he could add this to his list of wins! 

Anyway, about 45 minutes after they had left for the clinic today, I heard the garage door open.  I figured there was about a 50/50 chance that he had done it.  Alex opened the door and gave a little sob, and my heart sank for a moment, and then he sobbed some more and I quickly realized he was faking it!  He said, "I tricked you, Mom!  I really did it!"

I am so proud of my boy!  Joe said Alex told the nurses he was nervous, and they made sure that he was well taken care of.  Joe did his best to distract him and the numbing medicine did the trick!  Alex said the worst part was the tourniquet around his arm (I don't like that either!)  This is a huge victory for Alex (and for us!) and I'm so glad that he overcame this obstacle!  As a little reward for being so brave, Alex got to go to Hub Hobby and pick out a prize.  He said he wanted to build a robot!

 

When I told him that he was brave, he said, "But, I really wasn't brave, because I was still really nervous."  Oh, did he set himself up for a life lesson lecture from Mom and Dad!  This is a story that I know we will look back on, as a time in Alex's life that he really, really, didn't want to do something, but when he faced his fears he was able to do something he never thought he could!