Here's Emma at her one year check up this past Wednesday:
At the lab, the phlebotomist couldn't find a vein in Emma's arm. She acted like this was a surprise, but really now, small arm, layers of baby chub, how is this outside the realm of possibility?? She kept tightening a rubber band around Emma's arms, switching from one arm to the other, while Emma just cried and cried. The phlebotomist had to call for back up, and another phlebotomist was requested. It took forever for the second phlebotomist to show up, and Emma did not stop SCREAMING the entire time we waited. At this point, I want to call the whole thing off, but realized that we would only have to do this again if I called it off...Finally, when phlebotomist # 2 showed up, she chose Emma's left arm, and pulled out a regular adult sized needle for the blood draw and stuck Emma. GOOD LORD! The screams that ensued. Emma cried like I have never seen her cry before, and I had to hold her down while phlebotomist #2 JIGGLED the needle around in Emma's tiny arm because it didn't exactly hit a vien. By this time, Emma is almost hyperventilating and struggling so hard that she is slipping out of my arms. Both phlebotomists comment on how strong she is, and if she is going to be ok! The blood finally started flowing, and the process was over. Emma was so bright red, so sweaty and so traumatized, that both phlebotomists were worried and tried to give her some juice. I rushed out of the lab, went into the waiting room to hold Emma until she stopped shaking and hiccuping. I am sure the people in the waiting room thought we were murdering my baby in the back! In any case, so glad THAT is over!!!!
On a separate corporate peon note, work has been almost intolerable of late. I realize I work in a tough profession, where people are generally not very sympathetic about personal lives and schedules. I once had to go to New York for a work related meeting, and I was the youngest in the room, and the only woman. For god's sake, they had to get a receptionist to show me where the women's restroom was because none of the men in the room could tell me where it was in the building. And I have previsouly posted how even when pregnant I had to work 30+ hours straight and how that type of schedule isn't that uncommon in general. So yes, I know what I am dealing with. However, I can't think, that even in this profession, and even knowing that I work with a bunch of assses, that yelling over the phone to someone "This isn't that hard! F**K!!!" is very productive or professional. And this comes from someone I work with all the time. And I had to endure this ridiculous call for over an hour on Thursday. I know we are all under pressure, but honestly, this is a serious WTF moment.
Additionally, I can't stand getting calls or emails all the time at home on my technical "day off" since I am supposedly part time. People don't seem to understand that part time doesn't mean I just pick up my office and move it into my home. I need and want to spend quality time with Emma. So today, while juggling Emma with one hand, and the phone in the other, several co-workers got an earful of Old MacDonald and Do Your Ears Hang Low playing loudly in the background. I don't even care anymore whether THAT is professional or not.
