Pain Response

I have noticed that you have a high tolerance for pain. When we first got home, you were pretty much ok being given shots, being poked and prodded and then getting your teeth pulled all of the pain that goes along with that.

You didn't really say much the first few times. You didn't cry, moan or whine, either. But once, Daddy said that you were not crying out but you had a few tears coming down your cheeks when you were given the shot at the dentist. Maybe the need hit a nerve or a bad spot, or maybe the local didn't take effect as well. Who knows. But we knew that you really felt it because you have a high pain tolerance. But is that still the case?

The last time I went with you to the dentist (I think it was your 6th or 7th teeth to be pulled), you moaned and groaned and tensed your shoulders and gripped the dental assistant's hands so tight that your fingers turned white.

All of the prior times, you were pretty stoic about it. I have read that due to the way pain is managed in China when orphanage kids have surgeries (sometimes no pain medications afterward) and the possible cultural differences in pain management, they have to live through the pain of post surgery. So you get used to it and build up a tolerance.

I also imagine that you don't have these emotion-filled Mama's and Baba's who sit next to you massaging your legs and hands, crying along with you. Not that I would do such a thing to begin with. Anyway, I imagine that the Nannies had too many children to be able to sit and coddle any single individual when so many were probably sick at any given time, while other children ran around in mayhem. Of course, that's controlled mayhem because the institution, from my understanding, is a very strict, regimented and militaristic place.

I remember when I was younger, the only thing I got for a stomach ache was a tummy rubbing to calm down the muscles of the abdomen. Other than that? Nothing.

So it was interesting to me that over time, your pain tolerance seems to be decreasing by a notch. And I mean a hair of a notch because it's still pretty high. But then I wonder because the last time you got a scratch on your elbow from fall down at school, you whined and complained enough that I told you to that it is supposed to hurt, and it's good that you have another elbow. You laughed at that idea.

Could it be that the attention you get from the dentist's office, or the touching and hand squeezing you get from the assistant is something that you crave, so physically, your body adapts to that change and it allows you to feel more pain?

Regardless, it will be interesting to see if your pain tolerance continues to go down. I know it will plateau at some point. Probably won't go too low though due to early training and early expectations.