Caleb had his third blood draw since being diagnosed.
He knew it was coming, but I didn’t tell him until that morning exactly when we were going. It didn’t make his day, but he pulled it together and stayed strong.
Caleb usually wants silence, no talking and no distractions. This year he asked for me to talk to him. As we were walking out of the house, I grabbed a joke book and big brother Colin’s job was to read him some funny lines.
Caleb totally rocked it!
I should take some tips from Lila – yes, she’s there too, but you wouldn’t know it because she’s doing a superb job of keeping quiet.
Here’s Caleb two years ago at his first blood draw. The bruises on his arms, which are now finally gone, jump out at me. They are the marks of alternate site testing.
I’ll never forget this phlebotomist. He was so kind and friendly. He still brings a smile to my face.
After this year’s draw, I told Caleb how proud I was of him because even though he didn’t want to, he did it without any trouble or complaining.
He told me, “Mom, I wanted to cry, but I didn’t.”
This is Caleb... 
Just him saying that he wanted to cry but he didn’t, made me cry! I don’t think he could be any sweeter.
Send Caleb a high five from us! he did an awesome job! My husband doesn’t sit that still for a blood draw! I can’t believe how grown up he looks…
I know! It was a hoot to watch and listen to that little lispy kid. Yet in may ways, he hasn’t changed at all.
OK, seriously…how cute is he???!!!! OMG.
So, first off – a big Kudos to Caleb – he is a “Blood Letting ROCK STAR”.
Secondly, I love your voice – it is so cool to hear the DOCs verbally and not just in text.
And… was Caleb in your living room for the “interview” – the color is beautiful.
Thanks for sharing!!! I’ll have to show Joe.
omygosh…next time i go to get MY blood drawn, i want Colin to go with me (and bring the joke book!) Great job, Caleb!!
Bravo for Caleb! So very proud of him.
G goes for her 2nd one in December. She was such a brave soul for the 1st one last year.
Our kids are amazing.
They really are amazing.
Awesome!
Awwwww – what a smile when he’s done.
AWESOME!! Caleb is adorable! : )
That is one brave boy you’ve got there!! I loves Colin rattling of the jokes in the background. I was laughing at his jokes!! 🙂
Awesome job CaleB! And second…can I please have the guy from 2008 DRAW MY blood every time! He was awesome!
He really is. We haven’t seen him there since. 😦
It’s been almost 20 years, and I STILL can’t look!
These videos were great, Lorraine – thank you for sharing them. Caleb is one brave (and absolutely adorable) little man.
Sending your boy a big high five!
I got a tad emotional watching your brave boy in this video! Wish I could hug him. Give him a big squeeze for me, okay? Sure wish our precious kids didn’t have to be so brave.
I know Sherry. Me too.
Great job, Caleb! Thanks for sharing these videos.
I will say, though, that it sort of broke my heart to watch them. I’m still rather new at this and I haven’t had any direct interaction with smaller Type 1s. It hurts to see someone so small have to deal with this. And I thought I had it tough as an adult! Thanks for the perspective 🙂
I understand what you mean by perspective. Now that Caleb is getting a little older, I feel the same way about kids younger than him.
Yay Caleb. Blood draws are scary, but he is the bravest boy I’ve seen!! Awesome job!
Good for Caleb! He’s a real trooper as I think all young diabetics are when we have to do the vampire thing. I used to watch the nurse taking it from my arm (at one time they had to use my hand – now that REALLY hurts), and I would chat away like to them. I think sometimes they were more nervous about it then I was, since taking blood from a child can’t be easy. I guess also, because the Children’s Hospital was too far away to go to where we lived (we went by bus and eventually at 9 I was going alone) – so always surrounded by older folks (Type 2’s) – so I guess I wanted to show them that I wasn’t afraid (we’d all have to line up for our turn – just like in school – but there would be older folks in line with me – funny – this memory just came to me now).
Thanks for sharing that memory Anna. It’s amazing what kids with T1D do and have done for so many years.
He’s so freakin’ cute and brave 🙂
Aw thanks Brenda.
I always get choked up by all the kind, thoughful and caring posts. Thank you all.
What a tough cookie! No pun intended. I remember being a little kid and blood draws. I made life hard for my mother, I fought her getting into and out of the car and she and a nurse had to hold me down. I had them every three months when I was 6 and 7. I wish I’d behaved better, because now that I have a kid of my own, and he cries when he gets his shots, I want to cry too. I can’t believe I put her through that. Kudos to Caleb for being so grown up!
He did such a great job!!!! Seriously… I’m such a baby… I couldn’t even look at the needle. I was concentrating on Caleb! 🙂