To let DD have half a day off for a blood test?

[oopslateagain]

DD is 13 and has a heart condition which means she has been poked, prodded and generally messed about with by doctors all her life.

We had a disastrous scan at GOSH where the doc hit an artery instead of a vein and blood went everywhere, it really hurt too. DD is now saying she hates needles.

I took her to the doctor yesterday, I think she might be anaemic, and he agrees and has booked DD in for a blood test next week, it's at 9:00am. DD is really not happy about it, but will be good and will go and have it done, she's resigned to just letting the docs have their way when things need doing. But she's said several times she wishes she doesn't have to have the blood test.

I told her we will go and buy some cakes and have a nice morning at home, and we'll tell the school she felt woozy after the needle, she can go in halfway through the day. That made her much happier, though she's still a bit scared.

But I mentioned it to my friend and she is shocked that I would let DD miss 3 school lessons when she could actually be there 15 minutes after school starts.

AIBU to try and cheer DD up with a 'bribe' of a nice morning at home? She really doesn't miss any school usually, I don't think it will matter but my friend thinks I'm setting a dangerous example and that DD will 'try it on' in the future.

I haven't read the whole thread, but my DS (4) has had a few blood tests recently. Every time we get prescribed emla cream which is an anaesthetic that you put on the arm under a wrapper for an hour prior to the blood test and then you don't feel the blood test. I think it's the same stuff they use for operations, DS had an operation about 2 years ago and he had the stuff put onto his hand an hour before they put the canula (?) thing in. I think it is known as magic cream Not sure what age they prescribe it up to but if you ask for it, I'm sure the doc would do it for her. My DS has been fine each time with this stuff. He didn't feel pain at all and he isn't scared when I tell him he has to have blood taken now.

Kokodan she won't take syrup, much prefers tablets. I didn't know about the constipation will have to make sure she has loads of fibre!

She had the emla cream at GOSH, it made her itch and her skin sort of went puffy, it made it much harder for them to find the vein. So that's a nono .

YANBU

I would do the same in the circumstances. Don't listen to your friend, what's it got to do with her.

Hope it goes well and your dd is ok. Hopefully the test will be done by a phlebotomist not a doctor so experienced in taking blood! Explain the situation, they will be understanding. And you can ask for a paediactric needle - that's what I do (needle phobic!).