Second that -- if whatever was done really dud hurt, of course she shouldn't have denied his pain, but I know some of my biggest childhood doctor's-office meltdowns were from fear, and before anything had been done at all. The most memorable to me was the year he had a finger-stick gadget that looked rather like a stapler; I'd accidentally stapled my finger once and knew how much that hurt, and so the sight of that device sent me into hysterics. I'm sure my mother has more tales.