Well…yes, no, and sort-of 🙂

I will say this, Autumn out does all her brothers – and her dad, when it come to getting poked with a needle!

When Autumn was first hospitalized trying to get her seizures under control, there were lots – and I mean LOTS – of blood draws. There were IVs that would not stay put and veins that exploded. 

Last week, Autumn went in for her usual 6-month lab workup.  There are a great deal  of tests to run, which means MANY viles of blood to be taken.  Autumn has never been able to make it through the blood draws without fear and crying.

As we entered the lab room, she just looked at all the tubes and her “hurting eyes” then looked up at me.  I just looked at her and said, as I always do, “Hey, you are going to do great, it will be all over in just a few minutes.” There are usually about three nurses in the room to help, and once again the great staff at Dekalb Memorial Hospital did all they could to get her through.

We settled in the chair, they put the tourniquet band tightly around her arm, she buried her head into my side and the needle went in.

Autumn was silent. Not one tear! She even smiled at the end instead of being in her usual heap of tears!  The whole room was filled with smiles!

I really wished I had had a camera – it would be felt so much more if the pile of blood viles next to Autumn’s smiling face could be seen.

Yesterday, as I was reviewing the results of those tests, I realized some were missed – ug, I had to tell Autumn we needed to go back again in the morning.

So, this morning at around 7:00 am off we went in the -14 degree, bone-chilling winds and ice-covered roads to the hospital lab.

We went in as usual, settled in the familiar chair and Autumn nestled in next to me. The nurse found the vein she was going to poke and then put the needle in – except this time she was having some trouble getting the blood to come out – even though the needle was already in Autumn’s vein- so she was having to move the needle around in the vein.  Autumn did not move. The nurse called for help, but then, thankfully, the blood started flowing into the tube – whew, I could breathe – and so could Autumn.

And you know what?  Again, not one tear from Autumn. And yes, she even smiled, again! To the prize drawer she went where she picked out a pencil covered with hearts and an eraser.

My prize was in my heart. 🙂  We are coming up on almost 2 years on the diet and she keeps persevering through it all. 

I know I have mentioned it before but, “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be perfect (mature and complete), not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

Time…it changes things…keep pressing on!

“Those who sow in tears, reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5)

“Keto-Joy!”