High threshold for pain, Low threshold for discomfort

This morning my son had a meltdown.  We're talking Chernobyl.  The reason?  There was only one Nutrigrain Bar left and I was forcing him to choose between sharing it with his sister or having none at all. 


Me:  There's only one left.  You'll have to share it.
Henry (through immediate uncontrollable sobs)  But I want to eat all of it!
Me:  Do you think Gracie likes Nutrigrain bars?
Henry:  (gasping for breath) Yes.
Me:  Do you think it would make her sad to see you eating the bar if she couldn't have any of it?
Henry:  (literally falling out of his chair onto the floor he is so distraught)  Yes.
Me:  (choking back laughter) And do you want to make her sad?
Henry:  (Attempting to climb back into his chair while writhing in agony) No, I don't want to make her sad.  BUT I WANT TO EAT ALL OF IT!  I DON'T WANT TO SHARE IT!
Me: (Putting offending nutrigrain bar back in the pantry and making a mental note to get more at the store.)  Ahhh, and there's the rub, Henry.  You being selfish makes her sad.  And that's not loving her very well, is it?
Henry:  (Head on kitchen island, covered with crossed arms) I WANT TO LOVE HER BUT I WANT IT FOR MYSELF!
Me:  (convicted for hearing my own sin in my son's words, suddenly NOT so funny).  Loving well is hard.  It IS.  But you CAN do it.   Jesus gave us everything he had in order to love us, so I think you can give Gracie half of your Nutrigrain bar.
Henry:  (Pops his head up, face splotchy, not crying, but still gasping for breath.)  How 'bout we just give her a little bit of it?  Is that loving her enough?
Me:  (laughing, once again hearing my own voice in my son's.) You want to share the Nutrigain bar?
Henry:  Yes.  But not all of it.  Not all of it, Mommy.


This transaction ended much better than the Banana splitting episode of yesterday (because he just can't eat an entire banana), the turn off the TV showdown of pretty much everyday (because why would you be okay with one show if you think you should be able to watch two?), or the uber-earth shattering meltdown of going to a new Sunday School class from Mother's Day. 

So, could someone please explain to me why it is that this very same boy does NOT freak out at his 4 year well visit when it was time for his shots?  He was sitting all cuddled up in my lap so the nurse could stab his thigh once and his arm twice.  I told him the nurse was going to give him some medicine in his arm and leg.

Upon the shot in his thigh...
Henry:  (deadpan) Ooh.  That hurts.  That medicine is giving me a boo boo.

Upon the first shot in his arm....
Henry:  That pinches.

And the second...
Henry:  I'm sorry, Nurse, I don't think I like this.

And as she donned his superhero band-aids...
Henry:  Thank you for the medicine, Nurse Johnston.  Sorry I not like it.


I'm sorry?  I don't think I like this?  Thank you? 

And yet at the prospect of only getting half of a Nutrigrain bar he melts down.  I suppose my son is more like me than I realized...high threshold for pain, low threshold for discomfort. 

Heaven help us all...