Princess of the CVICU

I'd written this story to show the stupid CSFS people an idea of what could go under a chapter titled 'There's Still Room for Laughter'.




At two years old, Lauren's reputation precedes her. All of her doctors and nurses know exactly what to expect during Lauren's checkups. Crying, pushing away, and the occasional "No!" are all part of the norm, and they eventually lead to complete hysteria. We've even went as far as having to take her to the er during a swallow study. Her sats dropped, and her blood pressure sky-rocketed; only to discover, there was nothing wrong-she was just mad! However, no one can blame her; Lauren has been through more than most adults in her little life.
During her second hospital stay, at fifteen months old, her nurses and techs had nicknamed her "Princess of the CVICU". Whenever a doctor, nurse, or therapist would walk into her room, she would immediately point at the door--letting them know they weren't welcome!
Eventually, we were moved across the hall after a grueling 5 ½ weeks in cv. Our day-shift tech, Shirley, had to come in every four hours and check Lauren's vitals. She would sing and dance, but no matter what she tried, Lauren would become hysterical. We would still manage to get her vitals. At close to seven weeks, we were finally nearing our last few days in the hospital. Lauren had decided that she'd had enough. Even though the doctors had agreed that one blood pressure per day would be enough, Lauren wouldn't even oblige to that. I will never forget Miss Shirley coming in for the last time to check Lauren's vitals. Lauren fought with everything she had. Finally, Miss Shirley walked over to the door and loudly proclaimed to the nurses' station, "Miss Lauren is refusing her vitals!". Needless to say, Lauren got her way!
Lauren's strong will has definitely gotten her through the last two years. Her pediatrician assures me that children eventually learn the difference between the people that are going to hurt them or make them uncomfortable and the ones that aren't. However, I'm having my doubts about Lauren.