The first thing you do is enter the procedure room where you can listen to music. A Child Life specialist can go with you and talk while you're undergoing your procedure, and your parents can stay in the room also. The nurses will help you get in a certain position for the procedure. Next, if you have an IV port, it is accessed and you are given morphine, a kind of medicine that makes you feel warm, relaxed, and carefree. You may also receive Versed, which slurs your speech and makes everything go in slow motion. Your emotions intensify and you might feel like crying or laughing unintentionally or be confused, but this is okay. You will feel some pain as the numbing medicine goes in, but after that, you will feel little or nothing. Take deep breaths and concentrate on the music to keep your mind on something else until the pain subsides. After the procedure is over, you will lay flat for an hour, and will likely fall asleep since the medicine makes you so relaxed. If you feel scared or nervous before the procedure, just remember that after you get the morphine and Versed you will feel okay.

Title Page