Jia entered a four-year growth hormone study last Tuesday. She had to go back to the hospital for a day of testing, and she did great. The day started with a glucose tolerance test and a couple of tries at getting blood out of a vein. It was horrible!! Jia just put her blankie over her face and sobbed. If it had been me, I would’ve been screaming and kicking. They’d have had to hold me down to keep poking me like that! The last blood draw of the day, two hours later, went very well. She had her blankie over her face, and in the middle of the draw, she said, “Mommy, I’m not crying….” Guess who was crying then?

Her wrist x-ray went well, and the nurse ordered her meds from the pharmacy. After watching a video on giving shots with a cartridge pen, I had to jump in with both feet. I gave her the shot, and she didn’t even cry. The needle is tiny, and she has done great the last week. She gets a shot every night before bedtime, and as long as she has her blankie, she doesn’t even whimper.

Tonight, she reminded me as we were getting ready for bed that it was time for her “tall shot.” (She has told me a couple of times that she doesn’t really want to grow any taller - when she’s not wanting her shot!) Since it’s like old habit now, I got the needle out, cleaned the cartridge and her arm with alcohol, placed the needle on the end of the pen, and GAVE MYSELF A SHOT IN THE TIP OF MY FINGER!!!!! I haven’t a clue exactly how I did it, but I screamed, and my finger was bleeding. And I didn’t scream, “Ouch!” I did scream a four-letter word, though. The good news is that I’ve always wished I had long legs like my beautiful sister-in-law Danea. Maybe a little growth hormone….