Long time, no update. I decided to try to be consistent and, rather that write these long, drawn out blog posts, I will just write what I can no matte the length. Today, DH leaves work early so we can do our weekly errands. Because Fridays are so short and usually are spent on Shabbat errands, we need Wednesday to take care of the things we just can’t get done on Fridays.
Today, we decided to do the responsible thing, and get everyone flu shots. Our Dr. suggested we get it done at the beginning of the season, especially since last season I was completely out of it because of the pregnancy and didn’t manage to get Baby J. and I flu shots until the season (and my pregnancy) was practically over. Not my finest hour as a Mother.
So, I made sure Baby S. was well fed and cleaned, that I had cookies and as many pacifiers as my diaper bag could hold for Baby J., and tried to psyched the kids up for a shot before we left the house. The girls were happy to be in the car, something they are rarely in now that Baby J.’s gan is conveniently next door to our apartment. Unfortunately, Baby J. fell asleep almost immediately and I knew it was going to be really difficult to keep her happy.
We got to the Wolfson Medical Center and I opted to grab Baby S. out of her car seat and leave the toddler rousing to DH. He picked Baby J. up gently and we headed indoors. I was shocked at how busy they were at 4:30 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon! The poor nurse looked like she was going to lose her mind, there was an actual line of people waiting to speak with her.
A woman with a baby stood in front of me online and started talking to me, claiming that I looked familiar. I smiled and said, could be, but didn’t get into it with her. I didn’t think she looked familiar so I figured she must have somehow Facebook stalked me or just seen me out on the streets of Jerusalem. When our turn came to speak with the nurse at the window, I told her we were there for 4 flu shots.
She was NOT amused.
She took all four of our insurance cards and looked up in the computer to make sure we were on the list to receive flu shots. We were. She then asked who our Dr. was, to make sure that we in fact were patients at the Medical Center.
Verified.
Next, she told us to come around and into the nursing station where she got out four injections. She told us, because Baby S. and Baby J. were so young, that they would need to get injections in two different parts. They couldn’t get the entire shot in one go.
I thought that was really odd but I told her to just go ahead and do it. Baby J.’s gan is a veritable cesspool of germs and bacteria and I want her as prepared as possible for the winter illnesses. Same with Baby S., since Baby J. brings all that crap into the home.
And then I asked her if she thought I was a terrible Mother, because I was willing to give my kids two injections as opposed to one. She just kept asking me, over and over, if I was SURE that I wanted to give them 2 shots. And, I was really sure, that if that meant they would already be slightly covered from infection, that would work in my book.
I tried to psych Baby J. up and told her that after the shot, we were going to get ice cream. Well, she did the cutest little happy dance when she heard that. We all laughed, and then the nurse told us that they kids couldn’t get the shot. They didn’t have injections for children, just adults, and we need to go to our medical providers offices to get the kids innoculated.
Crap.
Now I was on the hook for ice cream, and really for no reason! Gleeful, the nurse really stabbed DH with the needle for his shot. I think she was just so happy that she didn’t have to give the kids shots too. Either way, DH and I walked away with bum shoulders and slightly broken spirits as we were hoping to just get the whole flu shot thing out of the way.
As for Baby J, she got her ice cream (and some cake and some smoked salmon too) and I learned a valuable lesson. Don’t promise a treat until AFTER the kid gets a shot.
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