Hospital Days

Needles Are The Worst

      "Mal it's okay. It's a little poke and then it's all done," Ava told the toddler as she tried her best to stay calm and not let her emotions out again.

"No! I no wan id! I no wan id!" The young girl cried out as she tried to push the doctor away. "Hey kid, it's okay. I know it sucks to get needles in ya, but you'll feel so much better once it's over trust me," Lola told the toddler as she wanted to help.

"Id gonna huw!" Mal cried out as she looked at Lola who just closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down then opened them again. "I know but if you let them poke you I'll get you um... what do you want?" Lola asked the young girl as she felt bad that she wasn't around to help out with her sister now that she knew she had one.

"Baba an owa!" Mal called out. "What?" Lola asked out loud, making Evie roll her eyes as she looked at her new sister. "Ava gives Mal soda in a bottle. It's so unhealthy and bad for her," Evie told Lola who just nodded.

"Yeah but Mal loves it and it makes her feel safe plus it's all she drinks now," Carlos told Lola who just nodded again as she looked at the scared little girl and smiled a little.

"Alright kid if you let them poke you then we'll get you a bottle and fill it with soda. How does that sound?" Lola told the toddler who smiled as she nodded.

"Otay! Bu I wan mama!" Mal called out as she looked up and reached towards Ava who just nodded as she sat down by Mal and placed her in her lap.

"Alright pup you ready to be a brave big girl!" Carlos told his baby sister in his best confident voice, making Mal giggle as she nodded. "Yeah!" Mal exclaimed confidently as she looked up at Ava who just gave her a fake smile.

Ava hated having to fake it, but she knew that Mal needed to see her smile in order to feel safe and to allow the doctor to stick the needle in for the blood transfusion that she needed.

"Mama no we go," Mal told Ava who smiled for real this time as she pulled Mal closer. "I promise Mal I won't let go. Okay now close your eyes and think about dragons, purple, and strawberries," Ava told the toddler who giggled as she did what Ava said.

She stopped giggling though when she felt the needle go in as she immediately opened her eyes and started sobbing.

"Aw Mal it's okay. You did so good. We're all so proud of you. I know that hurts, but it's okay. Now you just have to let it stay in for a little bit and you'll feel so much better," Ava told the toddler as she rocked her little, but made sure to be careful not to accidentally pull the needle out that was in her arm and pumping in the blood.

"Yeah you're such a brave big girl! Good job Mal. High five!" Evie told the toddler as she held her hand up and Mal smiled a little as she high fived her back with her other hand. "Baba!" The small girl cried out as she pointed to Lola who had promised her a bottle if she let them poke her again.

Lola just laughed a little as she looked at the little girl who was now smiling and starting to look better now that she was getting the transfusion. "Alright chill out I got to find a bottle first," Lola playfully told the toddler as she had just joined the family and still didn't know where Mal's stuff was all kept.

"Here this is her bottle, just fill it with coke that's her favorite," Ava told Lola as she pulled out the bottle from Mal's diaper bag. Normally Ava was against the whole bottle thing, but right now Mal was suffering enough that she honestly didn't care anymore. If the bottle provided comfort to Mal then so be it.

Lola just nodded as she took the bottle from Ava and filled it with a can of coke that was in the mini fridge that Ava had brought. "Alright kid, here's your baba," Lola told Mal as she handed her the bottle, making Mal's tiny face light up as she reached for the bottle.