What's with the Cream?

So today we went to Hematology.


1st of all the Hematology Nurse was awesome as most probably saw on my facebook status today.  She gave us her card and told us her direct number was on there and to call anytime with questions.  And once I was talking about the situation today I did had a questions.  When I called the number she gave me she actually answered...I didn't have to press 1 for anything or leave a message she just picked up the phone.  I almost didn't know what to say because I wasn't expecting an actual person to answer the phone.  Just another example of the great care you get and the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, between Reese and Carson we could probably film a commercial for how great they are!


2nd today wasn't all roses.  I haven't fully digested all the information that was tossed at us today, but it really wasn't a fun appointment.  The Doctor talked a lot about the risks of future clotting vs the risks of bleed and what they can to do about it, pros & cons and all that stuff.  Basically they need somehow attempt to figure out if Carson has a bigger risk of bleeding out or have a complication from a future blood clot (ie things like stroke) and what to treat or not to treat.  There is nothing they can do for the blood clot that Carson has (besides the shut procedure) and it's not going anywhere, but because he has this blood clot Carson is at a much increased risk of developing future blood clots and that's where things get tricky.  "Normally" they would probably recommend Carosn being on an anticoagulant but because of everything else she wasn't sure.  With the location of Carson's blood clot he is at an increased risk level for internal bleeding and being on blood thinners can increase your risk for internal bleeding (this all sounds like lots of risks).  So who knows really!!!  It makes sense that he'd be at greater risk for clotting in the future, but in the 12 months since we found out Carson had this clot no doctor has ever told us this.  She went over all the warning signs and symptoms and thing he should do and shouldn't do...he shouldn't sit for long periods of time, like my 22 month old son ever sits!  There were just some things that were hard to hear, risk factors for stroke in your two year old is never a fun topic.  


They also did more tests like always.  Good news White Blood Count was up to 3.0 from 2.8...Bad News Platelets were down even lower again.  If it's not one thing it's another.


As far as the title for this post goes...What's with the cream they put on the kids arms before they take blood.  They do it at the end of the appointment and then we have to wait around for 30 minutes so it to take affect before the blood draw and Carson cries more from the sticky stuff they put the cream on with then he does from the blood draw...I feel like they'd think I'm a terrible mom if I say just to poke him, but really does it help that much???  Would it make me a bad mom?