Hepatitis, typhoid, malaria... oh, my!

Today has been a day that I have dreaded for weeks. Referral day - wonderful! Paperwork - tolerable. Vaccinations for Sierra and Laurel - shoot me now!

Thanks to the amazing individual that came up with the flu-mist Sierra has been able to avoid shots for a few years. Laurel still talks about how she screamed through her kindergarten shots from last year. There is a wonderful nurse practitioner in our pediatrician's office who specializes in international travel. After telling her where we are going she informed me that the girls would need Hepatitis A vaccine and they recommended typhoid vaccine. There are pills for typhoid but we found out that they are big horse pills that cannot be crushed up and I knew the girls wouldn't be able to swallow them. So, it looked like they were lined up for 2 shots.

I decided not to tell them until we were on our way to the doctor's office. I knew they would be very worked up and stressed about it, so why prolong that?! As we were pulling away from Sam's Club I tried to break it gently - both for their sake and mine.

Me: Girls, we have a stop to make. Sometimes in other countries there are diseases that we
don't have here. We have to take medicine to make sure that we don't get catch these
diseases and get sick.
Sierra: What kind of diseases? Wait... we have to get a shot?!!!

Dang, she's quick!! Cue, immediate sobbing from both girls!

Me: (Deep breath) Yes, you have to get a shot. You can't take a pill for it, it has to be a shot.
Sierra: What kind of diseases? I want to stay in America!
Me: We can't stay in America. We have to go to China to get Cadence.
Sierra: What about Canada? Do you need to get shots to go to Canada?
(Laurel still sobbing in background)
Me: No, I don't think there are any shots you have to get to go to Canada.
Sierra: Well, let's just meet Cadence in Canada.

She tried so hard to find a way out of this! Poor kid! But their fate was sealed as we continued down the road. They had stopped crying by the time we arrived and actually had fun playing at the magnetic insect table. Finally their names were called. Laurel had already volunteered to go first. They brought in the tray with the shots and we set Laurel on the table. Two nurses were there and said they were going to give the 2 shots at the same time. Sierra was sobbing & Laurel screamed as I held her hands and they gave her a shot in both thighs. Now it was Sierra's turn and she decided to utilize her stalling tactics.

Sierra: Mom, you said it was only one shot. Only one shot!! There's two! You said only one!
(I don't think I specified two, but I never said just one!)
Me: Sierra, let's just get this done quickly. Laurel's done. Let's go get ice cream afterwards.
Sierra: I need to sit down. Let me sit down first.
(Sierra sits in the chair. I spot Laurel huddled in a corner behind another chair, sobbing).
Sierra: Wait, I need a drink of water. Just give me a drink of water first!

Needless to say, I quickly held her arms while the nurses gave her a shot in each arm while she hollered too. It was AWFUL!!! I think everyone in the whole office heard them - maybe even you did too! The tears continued and we made our way out the front door and promptly to Ben & Jerry's... because ice cream makes everything better! Right?! I'll have to remember that when I get my vaccines too!