Understanding Simi/Being Four

When Simi was in the hospital for his open heart surgery, after the surgery, every small procedure was a really big deal. For example, each time the nurse took out a line, I rejoiced because it meant that he was improving and was one step closer to going home.

Simi didn't see it the same way I did. To him, getting a line out meant pain. It was a BIG DEAL. He fought and cried and did everything he could to prevent the nurse from removing lines, band-aids, etc.

On the day he was released from the hospital, the nurse removed the last IV line from the back of his hand. I explained to Simi what the nurse was about to do and he cried in sheer terror. He told me that he didn't want them to remove the line and preferred that it stay in forever.

When I (Liz) was in the hospital yesterday for the version, the first thing the nurses did was take blood and insert an IV line. I'm terrified of needles, so this is a big deal to me. When the version was cancelled, my first thought was that I had a needle for no reason at all. That's a BIG DEAL.

When it came time for me to leave, the nurse moved to remove the IV line. I wanted to cry. Instead, I asked her if we could keep it in because sometime soon I'd be back to have the baby, and I'd need it then. Wouldn't it save them time, I reasoned, if the line was already in? I would rather that line stay in forever than have the nurse remove it. Nothing doing; the line came out.

I now know how Simi felt...