Brave Brave Hannah

I have no doubt in my mind that Hannah will grow up to be a very brave and determined young lady.  From the way she carries herself, to the way she puts her foot down (stubborn nonetheless) when she wants something, she’s certainly turning out to be one courageous girl.

A couple of months back, when she had completed her 3-month-long iron therapy, her doctor requested that Hannah had her blood test done again so that we could ensure her Serum Ferritin count was in the acceptable range.  I was worried when I was told that the blood to be tested would be drawn from the inner crook of Hannah’s elbow.  The could be traumatizing for a child as young as Hannah.

But we had to do it anyway.

I took her to the lab in the hospital, and sat her on my lap.  I told Hannah that it would only take a while and then it would all be over.  The lab person came over and strapped Hannah’s arm, and then tried to locate her vein.  After a few seconds, she asked me to switch to the other arm.  And she tried to find the vein again.  Again…nothing.

I was beginning to get irritated, because the delay would cause anxiety in a young child.  But I held my own and patiently waited while the first lab person asked a senior lab person (I think) to look for the vein in the first arm.

Thankfully, they found it!  The senior lab person applied some alcohol on the inner crook of Hannah’s elbow, then inserted a needle to draw the blood.  Hannah winced a little while the needle was inserted, but she didn’t cry AT ALL.  I kissed her head and comforted her.  It certainly helped that I didn’t get weak in the knees or anything, because I am a blood donor and I was used to seeing needles inserted into arms.

Anyway, the whole process was over in about a minute or so, and Hannah did not shed a single tear!  We were all so proud of her!  She was such a brave little girl, and she definitely won the hearts of everyone in the lab that day.

Fast forward to a week later, Hannah fell sick and had to have another blood test done again.  This time she laid down on the bed and they took the blood from the other hand.  She only cried a little when the needle was inserted, and that was it.

Courage: nothing can beat that that is inherent in my little girl.  She might be little, but she’s a mighty brave girl with a heart of a lion 🙂