So, the other day I was sitting at work when two of the nurses came in (I work at a home health agency- we basically send out nurses to people who need them at home...etc...) These two nurses were taking over for someone who was on vacation. Well they had to get a blood draw from a five year old... now I know people who are 23 and still afraid of needles... let alone a five year old. The two nurses were complaining how hard it was to get him to sit down and to sit still so that they could get the blood out. And from their complaints... childhood memories begin to emerge

My Story:
NEVER TRUST EYEDROPS WITH RED CAPS
Now, depending on how long you have been reading my blog... there was a post a few months ago on basically phyical things that are wrong with me (tear-jerker for both me and you)... and since I am html deficient right now... I really can't remember how to link to that archive. But anyways
Ever since I was young, I spent most of my time in a hospital. I was born six weeks early and not breathing, so the doctors kept me in the NICU for at least a week. I had the little baby incubator and only one person at a time was allowed to see me. By the age of two, it became clear that i needed glasses. And not just any glasses, bi-focals, so think that they always slid down my nose.
Also, I had to go through allergy tests. Now when you are below the age of 6 allergy tests are a horrible. You have to go in several times to get shots in your arms and back. Most visits consist of about 6 or 8 shots in the arm. Well, the one I actually still remember after 14 years is when I got 64 shots in my back at the same visit. We were in the back office, and a nurse came running to help becuase they could hear my screams on the street.
therefore, I developed a dislike for going to the doctor's office by myself. Doctor's I don't have too much of a problem with... just being alone with them. But so the real stuff comes in.
I was your typical little kid, hated hospitals simply becuase I spent so much time in them... the only cool thing about the Long Beach Navy Hospital was that there was movie theatre that you could sit in while waiting for your prescriptions (but, my mom never let us sit in it- I used to sneak in when I said I was going to the bathroom) Well, I also came here for my eye doctor appointments. I had a lazy eye at the time, I went through eye patches, glasses after glasses, doctor after doctor- from San Diego to LA. But I learned my way around stuff. Becuase of all the tests they had to do to me, I learned this.
1) if you memorize the eye chart- you can get that restriction taken off your licence (thanks Uncle Allen!)
2) what they really do to you in eye surgery to correct a lazy eye is really nasty
3) most eye doctors wear glasses
4) most eye doctors don't know what to do with little kids
5) little kids learn quick
a) white capped eye-drops are almost always something to dialate your pupils
b) blue-capped eye-drops are usually saline, just to add moisture (like contact solution)
c) clear-capped eye-drops are usually stuff like clear eyes or stuff like that
d) RED-CAPPED eyedrops- don't know what they do, but they hurt

I would wonder what the point of the red-capped eyedrops did if you cried them out the moment they touch your eye. God, I can almost feel them in my eyes again. I now warn every doctor that I have that I do not trust any eyedrops with red caps, and I can tell. They are never getting past me again. In that Long Beach hospital one doctor tried to get me to get a red-capped eyedrop in my eye. I squirmed, and kicked, and then relaxed. Well relaxed enough for the doctor to let go of me, and then shot down the halls like a silver bullet. My mom is screaming at me to come back, and they promise that I don't have to get the eyedrops (liars) I come back and sit on the bed when I see the dropper in his hand again, Now I'm really mad... and those violent tendencies of mine existed back then, so i kicked and screamed (VERY loudly again) the doctor has to call an intern to help hold me down... eventually there are five interns and a doctor holding a tiny six year old down just to get a stupid eyedrop in my eye. My mom is trying to get me to open my eyes, but I refuse to... eventually they force my eyes open- get the horrid drops in, after several tries- and i start to cry becuase they hurt so bad. I could tell that the interns were starting to feel bad for me, I couldn't see them- the drops basically made everything a dull shade of red to me for the next hour, and they all walked out of the room leaving this tiny-like 3-foot, 40 pound six year old shaking becuase I am sobbing so much. I found out a week later that the doctor really could find anything with the tests from the eye drops, and he would try something else later...

I made sure I never got another red-capped eye drop again