1st Synagis Shot

We can check the first round of Synagis off our list for this cold/flu season.  The appointment didn't go quite as planned though since we started off by having to hang out in the general waiting room instead of being taken immediately back to the exam room.  Grrr - we've never had any issues on previous visits but for some reason her chart wasn't flagged today.  Next order of business was to get an a current weight because they the nurses draw up the Synagis according to that day's weight.  Olivia weighed in at a svelte 17 1/2 pounds!  No wonder she can wear 12 month clothing without it looking very baggy on her. 

The nurse left and went to prep the meds.  Minutes sort of ticked by and then it was 20 and we were wondering where in the world the nurse was.  Finally there was a knock at the door and she was ready to start the dart practice.  First she wanted to start with the oral Rotavirus vaccine - Olivia has historically had a problem with this one, either the nurses give it to fast or something is up with the taste but she projectile vomited the first time at 2 months old and dry heaved last month until the nurse allowed me to finish administering it.  This time with this particular nurse, she wanted to do everything by the book.  I couldn't give the vaccine because it's a med and against policy in the office.  F-I-N-E...but to her credit, she was really slow and patient about it and everything went just swimmingly.

Next was round 2 of the flu/pneumonia shot...instead of restraining her down at the end of the exam table like last time we asked if we could hold her.  Again, has to be by the book, we compromised and were able to be the ones restraining Livvy while she had to get the shots.  First shot went in and I was expecting them to be like rapid fire - but not so much.  Sigh...she sort of took her time between each which just prolonged the pain.  Then as she moved to the other leg to give the 2nd half of the Synagis shot (oh yes - Olivia weighs enough that the Synagis has to be divided into 2 doses), the nurse withdrew the needle about mid-way through the shot.  WHAT!?!?!

There's Olivia on the table turning purple aghast with the stinging and each site is now bleeding, the nurse tells us we can pick her up to comfort her.  She's going to give her a little break before she comes back to finish up the Synagis in the 2nd leg.  Why you ask?  Well she felt that there was too much Synagis in that 2nd injection to give in one site so she needed to stick her a 4th time to finish off the dose.  Oh my goodness, I almost became unglued.  About five minutes went by and Brian was sitting there holding her when the nurse finally came back to finish up the Synagis.  This time she decided to take pity and give the rest of the dose to Livvy while Brian held her.  Thank goodness.

The moral of the story?  Had the nurse evenly split the Synagis between the two syringes it would have only required two injections instead of the three that Olivia ultimately ended up needing.  Tylenol and Moitrin are going to be our friend tonight.  At least we now know what sort of questions to ask the next month before they start giving the shots.  Sheesh!