by: Jenny Barnes & T.M. Brunson
TIESHA
Back in the mid-90s, I was visiting my girlfriend (who would eventually become my college roommate) at her work-study job. I was dancing to the then-new TLC song, "Creep" and doing the dance when my knee dislocated. My knee went one way, and my body went the other. I jumped up in the air at least three inches, hugging my knee: "Aaaaaah!!!!!"—screaming at the top of my lungs. I landed on the floor and grasped my knee, in immense pain. My girlfriend ran over to me and said: "Is there anything that I can do?" Through clenched teeth, I asked, "Can you pop my knee back in?" There was a slight pause (which seemed like forever) and she responded, "Is there anything else I can do?" LOL Even though I knew it would hurt more, I had to stop the initial pain. With all of my might, I clasped my hands together to make one big fist and I banged my kneecap, with all of my might, back into its rightful position.
My girlfriend and I were just reminiscing about this (after I told her that I fell on some ice this morning and hurt my knee) and we both laughed hysterically! She said had she helped me, she would've thrown up all over me. LOL She shared this story with her daughters and they couldn't believe that their mother reacted that way. That's not surprising because they know their mom to be one of the strongest people that they know—a mom who would do anything and everything for them. Now, she is this "superMama" who feels like she can do anything for her girls because her mama-instincts kick in whenever she needs them. JENNY
When I was younger, on doctor visits, I'd see a needle and start freaking out! I'd weld my eyes shut, clench my teeth and say, okay, I got this. And voila, before I knew it the shot would be done. Every time for years afterward, though. I'd go through the same weld/clench/mantra routine. I still carried a bit of that needlefright to the birth of my first daughter. The nurses dug around so deeply, not once, but twice for my IV, my hand swelled like a ball across the back. Ugh. Then there's the epidural.
My husband and sister were there as my birth coaches. I figured it made sense to have two kinds of folks there for the birth: one person who caused it and one person who had been through it. Thanks to them, I never saw the needle coming. When the nurse came in to administer the much-needed pain relief, they both shuffled me around to face the birthing room window. "Don't worry sweetie. You've got this!" my husband assured me. My sister nodded in agreement. Her wide-eyed worried face said otherwise though.
Starting to feel the freaked-out hackles rising in me, I asked, "Is it big?!?!" My husband, my dear sweet cool cucumber, lied his tail off. "Big? Oh, nooooo. It's nothing. You can do it, sweetie." His words and the otherworldly labor pains seemed to do the trick. I took the shot, and only felt a little "pressure" (as they say in white-lie doctor-speak). It would only be years later when my husband would tell me the actual horror he felt when he saw the size of the needle they inserted into my back. Holding two index fingers roughly four inches apart, he explained, "Yeah, sweetie, that thing was huge!" Now, with two births under my belt, I'm a little more battle tested, having seen my share of cuts, scrapes, diaper blowouts, spastic barfs and the like. Now when my kiddos go for immunizations, I'm as calm as I can be. As my husband and sister did for me, I do my best to play it cool to help keep them calm. Thankfully, their doctors and nurse practitioners are pretty skilled and accurate with their needle skills.
TIESHA Thank God none of my girls haven't had any broken bones! When I was married, there were things I didn't do: pull teeth, take out splinters, or etc. I will pull out a splinter now; but I will gladly drive them over to their dad's house for them to have a tooth removed.
Don't judge.
It just REALLY creeps me out. I really hope that my mama-instincts would kick in if, God-forbid, someone broke or dislocated a bone and that I wouldn't pass out or throw up.
Question of the Day
What kinds of things creep you out?