So the story begins last week on Thursday, Lilly went into the Doctor for what we thought was really bad Croup but it turned out she had a ear infection, wasn't concerned she has had 3 ear infections in the last 5 months and has been on Amoxcillian the 2 previous times, she I wasn't worried. However, Aaron and I are allergic to Amoxcillian, Lilly's Doctor knew this and explained that both parents can be allergic but their children can be perfectly fine. Well here was to hoping. She went the ENTIRE 10 days on Amoxcillian and then Sunday came.
We got up did everything we usually did except this time we went to my parents ward to church thought it would be good since my parents were leaving on Tuesday to go to Florida for Nascar. (the girls adore their grandparents so we were spending some extra time with them before they left) We went to my parents before church the girls played Nanna spoiled them by giving them one of her Sugar free Chocolate chip cookies (by the way DELICIOUS!) and then we were off to church...
Well on Saturday my mom and I noticed on the Back of Lilly's knees it was really red and dry we figured it was just dry skin, so I said I would put lotion on her. I forgot but Sunday I wasn't going to forget! Church got out and we went home to change I had given Lilly her Amoxcillian before church and she seemed fine. I got her undressed and put lotion on her all over no fragrance to make sure it wouldn't irritate her skin. Got her dressed and headed back to my parents.
Well she started getting fussy around 6pm just thought she was tired since my girls are not adjusted to the time change still. So about 8pm we decided to call it a night and head home. When we got home I undressed her and found what I thought was hives, on her lower belly and legs. Not horribly bad but enough to wonder if she was having an allergic reaction. I called my mom she told me to watch them but I should call her Dr. in the morning if it got worse.
Morning came on Monday early, and this is what I found...
Now her back didn't start looking like this until late in the evening but I knew it was not good. I took her into her pediatrician to find out that indeed she was having an allergic reaction and she believed it was due to the Amoxcillian but it is NOT hives she told me. The name: erythema multiforme....To make it worse she explained they are worse then hives. Here is why.
1. she will get a high fever but max 103
2. her rash will triple and more than likely cover her entire body
3. her hands, and feet and knees will all swell to double their size
4. her skin will start to turn purple and bruise b/c of the swelling
5. she may start wheezing if so get her to the ER.
6. This is going to take about 10 days before the rash is gone and longer for the rest of the symptoms...
GREAT! I thought as if I wasn't concerned already...I wish it was hives. Then I got the worse news She can't have anything b/c she is too young however I can give her Liquid Bendryl 1/2 tsp every 6 hours. Ok at least that might help with the itching. So I left the Dr. office and headed to get the Bendryl to find everyone was sold out or so I thought I was looking for the Bendryl brand but when i went to walmart I asked the Pharmacist who was very nice and took me to find the right one. Then he told me that I wouldn't find the name brand b/c Bendryl isn't making the liquid Bendryl right now, he was very nice and made sure I got the right one I was also told they didn't have childrens bendryl and yet they did I was looking for adult the whole time.
Well then Tuesday came. She was even worse on Tuesday then the morning before she woke up with a 102.8 fever but I let it burn since her Dr. said it was the best thing and that it wouldn't go any higher then 103. Well Noon came and her fever had spiked to 103.2 but I still wasnt' too worried however her breathing was very fast and shallow and her heart beat was very fast. I called the Pediatrics office, of course her Dr. doesn't work on Tuesdays so I had to wait for another Dr. Nurse to call me back I waited until 3:30pm then I called again. I told the receptionist "I have to know if I need to take her into the ER or if this is normal please when is a nurse going to call me back." My mom arrived b/c she had a meeting to go to and was wasting time since it was in my subdivision she agreed her breathing was getting scary.
Well the Nurse came on the line and asked me about her breathing, fever and rash and told me to get her right in to the ER, as fast as I could. We got in the Van and headed in with Kairi and of course Lilly. I couldn't get a hold of Aaron and was panicking b/c i was scared that it was serious. We got to the ER about 3:45ish and still couldn't get a hold of Aaron, but I had to get her checked in. At 4:30 Aaron finally called I told him and he said what do you want me to do? I told him I would like him here but it was up to him, he said he was on his way. He was off anyways at 5:30 b/c he had school yesterday at 6pm (yes he missed it but I believe for a good reason)
Well in the ER they hooked her up to an IV which I had to hold her down and Aaron wasn't there yet. That was very hard to not cry, I really wanted to leave and just cry but I was strong. Then they did a stool sample (b/c she has had CDIFF "Clostridium difficile " 3 times) also they did a cathader for a urine sample, an x-ray of her chest, blood work, checked her breathing often, checked her temp and it was 103.8 by this time so they gave her meds in her IV which was very painful for her, and we hardly saw the Dr. at all like normal. Well luckily her breathing became more relaxed the Dr. came in and asked if they could try offering her a drink or Popsicle she had a few licks of the popsicle and a little bit of juice. Then the Dr. came in and said "well it looks like she is having an allergic reaction to some medication she has had" Aaron and I both looked at each other and found out later we were thinking the same thing "WELL NO CRAP SHERLOCK!" of course we didn't say it but we should have.Then the Dr. left and we were released to go home and told to follow up Today (Wednesday) with her Dr. Well we went back to home to pick up Kairi my parents had taken her home with them. My friend had given me some anti itch lotion to try I called the pharmacist to see if it was safe b/c it was like calamine lotion which they told me we could put on Lilly. However there was an ingredient in it that would harm her skin so we couldn't. Aaron went to Walgreens and picked up some calamine lotion we put it on before we left my grandparents but it didn't seem to help she was still itchy. I tried rocking her and I finally got her to sleep. but not for long she kept waking up. Long story short Aaron and I and Lilly only got about 1 hour of sleep last night. We are all very tired.
It seemed like 8 am was not coming fast enough (that was the time her Dr.'s office opened) and I was getting impatient. 6am rolled around and I decided to give her a warm bath but since she just wanted mommy to hold her I had to bath with her. For about 20 mins we saw the Lilly we knew happy and cheerful. Then she started to shiver and I had to get her out, she was miserable again. Well then this tired mommy opened her eyes and found that it was even worse. Her eyes were beginning to swell shut.
I panicked her breathing was still fast and shallow so I called the Dr. on call they got me over to the ER again which they said it's ok just try to hold on a little longer and get a hold of her Dr. right away this morning. 8am came I called right on the dot, and they got her in at 9am, Well getting her there was a challenge all in itself since she doesn't want to be in her car seat right now. On the way to the Pediatrics she fell asleep which was great b/c she hadn't been able to sleep, but once we got there she woke up again. The nurse called us back and about cried when she saw her poor face. luckily her fever was down to 102.6 and she still hadn't lost weight.
When her Dr. came in she told me "Holly I told you it was going to get bad." I said I knew that but I wasn't expecting swelling in her face especially her by her eyes to where they would swell like this. She looked her over and looked at the ER notes everything came back fine so that was a blessing. I explained how we got NO sleep last night and how lilly is just miserable she is itchy really bad and in pain and how there has to be something we can give her. Her Dr. was shocked at how bad she had got. she told me that only 10% of people are severely allergic to amoxcillion well my daughter is one of that 10%. Well, they upped her Bendryl from 1/2 tsp every 6 hours to 4ml (just shy of 1 tsp) every 4 hours and she put her on a steroid. YAY!! finally drugs something that would help. But she told me it was a risk that 50% of children the steroid doesn't help. I just prayed it would. I headed back home to Walgreens and picked up the Prescription gave her the Bendryl the new dose and the steroid. Within 10 mins she was asleep and slept for 2 1/2 hours!
Then I went and got Kairi from preschool and headed into town to get Lilly some gloves so she wouldn't scratch her welts and some more pedialyte. when she woke up I looked at her and I saw this! she was starting to improve only from 3 hours of giving her the steroid and the bendryl.
Well it just got better from there we got to Walmart and I had to change her diaper, what I saw was a miracle. She had gone from COMPLETE RED WELT over her stomach and back to this.
Then later this evening at dinner her welts had gone down so much you could hardly tell, however she is still swollen on her wrists, elbows, knees and feet and of course her face. Also she is purple and bruised, she also was still itchy but not as bad as before.
I have to just say I am so grateful for all of you who have been praying for our little girl Lilly, and for those of you who have put her name in the temple, we appreciate it so much, and I know that b/c of all the prayers and the blessings my Grandfather, dad and my hubby have given her she has been able to make a 180 turn on this allergic reaction. I am so grateful that she is getting better I know that she will still be itchy and she will still have some swelling for awhile however she is getting there and that is all I can ask. Thank you again I love you all and so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family like you.
I must also say I am so grateful for all the family and friends that are close by and far away that have been asking about Lilly and our family and for the concern they have shown but most of all the words of encouragement. I know this may seem like I am blowing this out of proportion but when you have been through all kinds of health issues with your baby in the 15mths she has been in our family it's hard and some times too much for me to handle. Thank you again I can't express that enough.
Here is to hoping tomorrow is a better day. Lots of love ~Holly
