Huge mom fails this week. And they both involve my children being in physical pain that was only exacerbated by me.
Mom Fail #1 - Braden
Braden is one of those kids that is in the nurse's office at school every day. When he gets a minor scratch on his knee, he limps. When he has a mosquito bite, he wails.
The kid cries wolf. A lot.
So when the school nurse called me on Tuesday saying that Braden had been to see her saying his eye was hurting, I assumed it was just overplayed allergies. I had little sympathy, and after all, this was not the first time I had gotten a call from the nurse. I told her that if she thought he was okay, that he should go back to class.
When I picked him up after school later that afternoon, he was clutching his left eye. He immediately got into the car and started crying. His eye was red and puffy, but he does tend to get puffy eyes in allergy season. I tried to calm him down saying it was okay, it was just allergies, and that I'd give him some allegra and eye drops when we got home.
But he kept crying. And for some reason, I decided to go ahead and make an appointment with the ophthalmologist for the next day, thinking all the while that I was wasting my time and the doctor's time, because after all, it's just allergies.
But that mommy gut thing was telling me to do it.
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Thursdays in Baltimore
Every other Thursday, Casey, my four year old, and I head to Baltimore for our 1:30 appointment at Johns Hopkins. I should be be thankful for this - so incredibly thankful- because we travel there for a peanut allergy clinical trial that very few people are able to participate in. If all goes well, at the end of three years, Casey will be, for lack of a better word, "cured." And that's huge.
But going to Baltimore from DC so often has proved to be a pain.
Every other Thursday, I pick Casey up early from school. I take him to the McDonald's drive through and get him a happy meal. And then I battle traffic for the hour drive up 1-95, drive through the swanky and then the mean streets of Baltimore, and arrive at the kingdom that is Johns Hopkins. Casey takes his dose, we sit and watch TV for an hour before we are cleared to go, and then we come home, and battle the traffic once again. And before I know it, two weeks fly by and we are back at it again. Back to Baltimore.
In the midst of everything else going on in my life, I generally grimace when I realize it's another Thursday. Because it's just SO MUCH on top of everything. On top of normal school pick ups and activities and napping babies and other doctor's appointments and diaper rashes and teaching a class and furniture delivery windows and feeding the family 3 meals a day. On our Baltimore Thursdays, I usually leave the house at 11am and get home at 4pm when all is said and done. That's 5 hours out of a day that is extremely hectic as it is.
This morning was a doozy. The babysitter showed up at 11am to watch Colin, my 14 month old, and as soon as I was getting ready to walk out the door, I realized I couldn't find my car keys. ANYWHERE. I ended up having to take the babysitter's car to pick Casey up, have my husband meet me at Casey's school to give me his spare key, go pick up McDonalds, drop the babysitter's car back off, switch cars, and then head to Baltimore 15 minutes past the time I had planned (and I hate being late. HATE). I realized as I was getting on the highway that I had forgotten to call my oldest son's school to let them know he needed to go to aftercare, since I would be in Baltimore when school let out. I then realized that I didn't have blue tooth in the car so I could not make said call. As I glanced at my phone to connect the Bluetooth (which did not ultimately work), I realized I had 6+ emails from students from a class that I am teaching, all of whom wanted immediate answers. Then the babysitter called. The cleaning people had arrived, and they couldn't find the check I had left. And Colin wouldn't go down for his nap and was crying hysterically and what should she do.
I had to exhale.
I had to drive to Baltimore.
Casey slept the whole way. And I thought.
But going to Baltimore from DC so often has proved to be a pain.
Every other Thursday, I pick Casey up early from school. I take him to the McDonald's drive through and get him a happy meal. And then I battle traffic for the hour drive up 1-95, drive through the swanky and then the mean streets of Baltimore, and arrive at the kingdom that is Johns Hopkins. Casey takes his dose, we sit and watch TV for an hour before we are cleared to go, and then we come home, and battle the traffic once again. And before I know it, two weeks fly by and we are back at it again. Back to Baltimore.
In the midst of everything else going on in my life, I generally grimace when I realize it's another Thursday. Because it's just SO MUCH on top of everything. On top of normal school pick ups and activities and napping babies and other doctor's appointments and diaper rashes and teaching a class and furniture delivery windows and feeding the family 3 meals a day. On our Baltimore Thursdays, I usually leave the house at 11am and get home at 4pm when all is said and done. That's 5 hours out of a day that is extremely hectic as it is.
This morning was a doozy. The babysitter showed up at 11am to watch Colin, my 14 month old, and as soon as I was getting ready to walk out the door, I realized I couldn't find my car keys. ANYWHERE. I ended up having to take the babysitter's car to pick Casey up, have my husband meet me at Casey's school to give me his spare key, go pick up McDonalds, drop the babysitter's car back off, switch cars, and then head to Baltimore 15 minutes past the time I had planned (and I hate being late. HATE). I realized as I was getting on the highway that I had forgotten to call my oldest son's school to let them know he needed to go to aftercare, since I would be in Baltimore when school let out. I then realized that I didn't have blue tooth in the car so I could not make said call. As I glanced at my phone to connect the Bluetooth (which did not ultimately work), I realized I had 6+ emails from students from a class that I am teaching, all of whom wanted immediate answers. Then the babysitter called. The cleaning people had arrived, and they couldn't find the check I had left. And Colin wouldn't go down for his nap and was crying hysterically and what should she do.
I had to exhale.
I had to drive to Baltimore.
Casey slept the whole way. And I thought.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Clinical Trials and Emotional Tribulations
For the past two weeks, I have been living, breathing, eating, sleeping, and existing in all things food allergies.
I don't know quite where to start.
I guess the beginning.
A little over a year ago I wrote a post about how my son, Casey had been diagnosed with a peanut allergy. (He has a RAST score of over 100 - the highest you can get.) I haven't really mentioned it since. In part because it's not always on the forefront of my mind, and in part because I didn't think it's the kind of thing that people want to read about.
But it has become part of our daily lives and then some.
We've had meetings with his teachers and his camp counselors about how and when to use the epi-pen. Every time he goes for a playdate, I have to have a discussion with the parents first. Same goes for birthday parties, soccer classes, babysitters, and pretty much any time there is food and kids around. I have written a detailed plan for all family members whose homes we visit, which includes where they need to place their nuts, what they need to do at a restaurant, and what the initial signs of an allergic reaction may be. I have more epi-pens than I can count, stored in all sorts of places - both cars, the kitchen, the school, and in various baby sitters' purses.
Notwithstanding all this, Casey, had an allergic reaction to macaroni and cheese from the Cheesecake Factory back in July. (There had been cross contamination with peanuts). We had to use the epi-pen for the first time, right in the thigh. Then we sat at the ER for four hours to be monitored.
It was at that point that I decided enough was enough.
I don't know quite where to start.
I guess the beginning.
A little over a year ago I wrote a post about how my son, Casey had been diagnosed with a peanut allergy. (He has a RAST score of over 100 - the highest you can get.) I haven't really mentioned it since. In part because it's not always on the forefront of my mind, and in part because I didn't think it's the kind of thing that people want to read about.
But it has become part of our daily lives and then some.
We've had meetings with his teachers and his camp counselors about how and when to use the epi-pen. Every time he goes for a playdate, I have to have a discussion with the parents first. Same goes for birthday parties, soccer classes, babysitters, and pretty much any time there is food and kids around. I have written a detailed plan for all family members whose homes we visit, which includes where they need to place their nuts, what they need to do at a restaurant, and what the initial signs of an allergic reaction may be. I have more epi-pens than I can count, stored in all sorts of places - both cars, the kitchen, the school, and in various baby sitters' purses.
Notwithstanding all this, Casey, had an allergic reaction to macaroni and cheese from the Cheesecake Factory back in July. (There had been cross contamination with peanuts). We had to use the epi-pen for the first time, right in the thigh. Then we sat at the ER for four hours to be monitored.
It was at that point that I decided enough was enough.
Monday, July 28, 2014
A Hangover, An Epipen, and a Parasite, Oh My!
Some days are long. Very long.
Some days are boring.
Some days are fun and free.
Some days are a mixture of all of the above.
And then some days are absolutely killer.
Like yesterday.
The following happened:
1) I woke up with a pounding head ache. This was self inflicted, as I went to the Billy Joel concert the night before and drank one too many beers. (Note to self - when drinking at a concert, always buy a bottle of water. No water = pounding head ache).
2) I also woke up with a sore throat. The family's summer cold has officially hit me.
3) With pounding head ache and summer cold, I had to pry myself out of bed to take Braden to a play date for all incoming kindergartners at his new school. (Translation - kids will play and parents will quietly judge one another). This is normally the kind of thing I really enjoy, but I just wasn't in the mood to put my best foot forward. I put my hair in a pony tail and wore glasses and told myself as long as I got through the event without collapsing, it would be a success. (It was).
4) We got carryout from Cheesecake Factory for dinner, which was supposed to make our lives easier (aka, no cooking). Casey got macaroni and cheese. Let me repeat - MACARONI AND CHEESE. Casey has a severe nut allergy. I am cognizant of that ALL THE TIME. But I figured macaroni and cheese is safe right? Right? Apparently not. Soon after eating it he started complaining about a stomach ache. Then sores in his mouth. Then I noticed a rash developing on his feet. I still couldn't fathom how this could be an actual allergic reaction, but in an abundance of caution I called the doctor, who told I needed to immediately use the epi-pen. WTF. We've never used this before, but I have about a thousand available anywhere and everywhere for this very situation, so we did it. Poor Casey cried and freaked out and then, as per doctor's instructions, he had to go to the ER to be observed for at least 4 hours.
Casey was/is fine. He got a popsicle and got to watch Frozen and then fell asleep peacefully. He's back at camp today. But me? I'm not so fine. I mean, there is something a bit unnerving about STICKING A NEEDLE IN YOUR SON'S THIGH AND INJECTING HIM WITH EPINEPHRINE. Especially when all he did was eat macaroni and cheese. He (completely coincidentally) has an appointment with an allergist tomorrow, so we obviously will discuss it then. I am assuming it was some kind of cross contamination at the restaurant. Good times.
5) As my husband was en route to the hospital with Casey (and I literally mean AS HE WAS EN ROUTE) I received an email from Braden's pediatric GI doctor. For the past several months Braden has been complaining of stomach pain. It is intermittent and at times severe - severe enough that I made an appointment with a pediatric GI. She ordered a series of tests, including a stool sample (which was oh so fun to collect, let me tell you). Well guess what. His stool sample came up POSITIVE for a parasite. I think my literal, out loud reaction was - You've got to be shitting me. (No pun intended). The good news is that this can be cured with a five day course of medicine, a probiotic, and 30 days lactose free. But please. REALLY? REALLY?
Put a fork in me, I am done.
Today is Monday, and God willing, it will be a smooth, uneventful day.
Because it won't take much to put me over the edge.
********************************************
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Some days are boring.
Some days are fun and free.
Some days are a mixture of all of the above.
And then some days are absolutely killer.
Like yesterday.
The following happened:
1) I woke up with a pounding head ache. This was self inflicted, as I went to the Billy Joel concert the night before and drank one too many beers. (Note to self - when drinking at a concert, always buy a bottle of water. No water = pounding head ache).
2) I also woke up with a sore throat. The family's summer cold has officially hit me.
3) With pounding head ache and summer cold, I had to pry myself out of bed to take Braden to a play date for all incoming kindergartners at his new school. (Translation - kids will play and parents will quietly judge one another). This is normally the kind of thing I really enjoy, but I just wasn't in the mood to put my best foot forward. I put my hair in a pony tail and wore glasses and told myself as long as I got through the event without collapsing, it would be a success. (It was).
4) We got carryout from Cheesecake Factory for dinner, which was supposed to make our lives easier (aka, no cooking). Casey got macaroni and cheese. Let me repeat - MACARONI AND CHEESE. Casey has a severe nut allergy. I am cognizant of that ALL THE TIME. But I figured macaroni and cheese is safe right? Right? Apparently not. Soon after eating it he started complaining about a stomach ache. Then sores in his mouth. Then I noticed a rash developing on his feet. I still couldn't fathom how this could be an actual allergic reaction, but in an abundance of caution I called the doctor, who told I needed to immediately use the epi-pen. WTF. We've never used this before, but I have about a thousand available anywhere and everywhere for this very situation, so we did it. Poor Casey cried and freaked out and then, as per doctor's instructions, he had to go to the ER to be observed for at least 4 hours.
Casey was/is fine. He got a popsicle and got to watch Frozen and then fell asleep peacefully. He's back at camp today. But me? I'm not so fine. I mean, there is something a bit unnerving about STICKING A NEEDLE IN YOUR SON'S THIGH AND INJECTING HIM WITH EPINEPHRINE. Especially when all he did was eat macaroni and cheese. He (completely coincidentally) has an appointment with an allergist tomorrow, so we obviously will discuss it then. I am assuming it was some kind of cross contamination at the restaurant. Good times.
5) As my husband was en route to the hospital with Casey (and I literally mean AS HE WAS EN ROUTE) I received an email from Braden's pediatric GI doctor. For the past several months Braden has been complaining of stomach pain. It is intermittent and at times severe - severe enough that I made an appointment with a pediatric GI. She ordered a series of tests, including a stool sample (which was oh so fun to collect, let me tell you). Well guess what. His stool sample came up POSITIVE for a parasite. I think my literal, out loud reaction was - You've got to be shitting me. (No pun intended). The good news is that this can be cured with a five day course of medicine, a probiotic, and 30 days lactose free. But please. REALLY? REALLY?
Put a fork in me, I am done.
Today is Monday, and God willing, it will be a smooth, uneventful day.
Because it won't take much to put me over the edge.
********************************************
Like this post? Like me on Facebook by clicking here!
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