MMR Jabs and Flip Flops

Jul 21, 2009 by cafebebemama

Today was a day that I was dreading.  MMR jab day.  Not because I have concerns about MMR and Autism, because I don’t but because it’s a jab and I HATE having my daughter hurt, particularly on purpose.  I was also anxious as when a friend had had her daughter’s MMR jab, her daughter came out with measley spots and was a bit miserable.  Little Miss had just had a slight cold and the thought of her breaking out in spots and being poorly was stressing me.  But, I do what’s best for my Little Miss and Hubby and I believe that means having the jab.  In addition to the MMR jab, she also needed a pneumonia booster.  TWO JABS!!!  So much pain! 

 I arrived at the surgery and thankfully, for jabs at my surgery you don’t need an appointment on a Tuesday between 11 and 12:00 (guess that’s an appointment, really, isn’t it?).  You just turn up and a lovely nurse calls you in for the impalement of your child.  Little Miss and I plodded into the Nurse’s Room and I steeled myself to not cry.  I tried to keep a positive voice when taking off Little Miss’ trousers and setting her on my lap for the jabs.  OH HOW SHE CRIED!!!!  And it’s such a heartbroken cry…”How can you be doing this to me???  I was perfectly happy when I came in here!  Momma, why is this lady hurting me so?”  That was just jab one.  When the nurse moved around to the other leg for horrible jab number two, Little Miss straightened out her leg and through the tears, pushed at the nurse.  She is a smart girl…kick that nasty nurse away!  But of course, this only made for a more painful jab as her leg was now tensed thus making the stick hurt far more.  I was a bit disappointed that the nurse proceeded with the jab but what was I going to do?  I was trying to hold and comfort my screaming baby!  Little Miss was horribly upset and it took far longer than any other time to calm and settle her.  For a while afterward she continued to moan and almost say “Hey, what the heck just happened in there?”  She was very offended.  Thankfully, the rest of the day has gone without incident and I am just praying that the spots and other possible side effects stay at bay.  We now are going to be jab free until Little Miss goes to school…THANK GOD! 

But that’s not the end of this post, you see.  If you noticed my title, “MMR Jabs and Flip Flops”, you’ll know I’m not done!  As I was holding my daughter and trying not to look at the little dish of needles that would be entering her flesh, I glanced down at the floor and noticed that our fully qualified NHS Nurse was wearing…FLIP FLOPS!!!  What the heck?  Flip Flops?  Are you kidding me?  How hygenic is that?  Never mind that bodily fluids could drip down onto Nurse Flipflop’s feet?  What about her potentially manky feet being near me and my precious daughter?  Surely there has to be a CODE of some sort?  A dress code at the very least?  I have seen medical personnel wearing Crocs before which seems a bit questionable other than the fact that they are WASH and WEAR but FLIP FLOPS??  Mind you, they weren’t the bargain basement rubber flip flops that you might wear in the gym shower but relatively nice, leather flip flops.  One’s you wouldn’t necessarily want to wear around poorly people, oozing blood or saliva or other fun fluids.  I was a bit aghast really.  How about you?  Has your local NHS professional ever worn flip flops?  And what would you think if they did?  Another one to add to my file of “Can’t Believe this Happened” with the NHS.  Next time you’re in your local surgery, check out your GP or Nurse’s footwear and let me know what you find!