A Day I Never Want To Relive

Yes, that would be today. And maybe yesterday, too. It all began with an innocent bowl of blackberries, or maybe a dropper full of amoxicillin. Until an allergist is consulted, we won't know for sure.


I noticed on Thursday afternoon that Maddox was developing what looked like mosquito bites on his legs and on his face, right after he ate a whole big bowl of blackberries. I gave him the berries because he had been so upset about Tyler leaving (went to Napa to study for the Boards). Since I knew we don't have many mosquitoes around here in general, I began to think they might be hives. Afterall, he's had them before so I knew what to expect. The first time he had them they were unexplained. I kept an eye on him and they seemed to be getting worse, some on his face, especially under the berry juice. So I gave him a dose of benadryl and put him down for a nap. Coincidentally, he had also had his last dose of amoxicillin right before the berries, so I wasn't sure what was going on.


A few hours went by, he woke up from his nap and there were more. And he looked sad, although it didn't seem to be bothering him much, except for a giant one on his tummy that he said itched. So I made an appointment to have him seen on Friday morning.

When he woke up Friday morning they were MUCH much worse. They looked like sad red and blue bruises and they were ALL over his body. And he was complaining a lot about them. He kept saying, "boo boos, boo boos mama!!" So off to Dr. Archie's we went. He told us it could be either the berries or the drugs and that we would need to see an allergist, to keep giving him benadryl and ibuprofen and to bring him back on Saturday morning. Needless to say he was miserable all day on Friday and for most of the night. Danielle came to help me out and we tried to go eat at Red Robin and it was a disaster. He just whimpered and clung to me the whole time, which if you know Max at all, you know that is VERY rare except for when he feels REALLY sick.


Now, I failed to mention that I, too, am really sick right now. I have some kind of horrid cough that kept me up all night on Friday night leaving me with little sleep to get me through this day -- maybe three hours, tops. I'm very congested and lethargic which makes it extra hard for me to take care of a sick baby by myself... because did I mention that Tyler is in Napa until Wednesday?


So this morning Max woke up even more miserable. The poor little boy didn't even want to eat his beloved morning waffle. He just laid on my shoulder until it was time to take him to the doctors. We were seen pretty quickly and as soon as the doctor saw him he said he needed to be taken to Children's Hospital immediately because his hives had turned into sores in his mouth and nose and that it could end up being life threatening. He had also spiked a very high fever very quickly. He needed a course of IV steroids. So in the car we went and I drove down the hospital. We were admitted right away (and soon after had to deal with a febrile seizure from the fever; I didn't even notice, Max just kind of spaced out for a minute) because the doctor had called ahead of time and they tried to put an IV into a very sick struggling little boy (who is amazingly strong when he wants to be). So they sedated him with a shot of something and was like a little rag doll, still awake of course, but raggy nonetheless. The IV went in easily and the steroid treatment began. I mostly held him and we watched "Diego" and "Dumbo." He just laid still on the bed or in my arms... poor little lamby.


Well, the drama didn't end. Because of all the rushing and happenings and because Max made me hold him all morning I had forgotten to eat. I was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration and low blood sugar on top of being pregnant -- all this I learned AFTER I passed out on the floor of Max's hospital room (well, except the pregnant part -- I knew that already). I woke up in a bed in the next room. They gave me IV fluids for about an hour and a half and made me eat pudding and then lunch and then let me go back to Max. I finally got to take him home and it's been touch and go since then. I'm totally drained from fainting (SUPER embarrassing by the way) and from taking care of sick baby Max for three days by myself.


The doctors told me that his reaction could pop up again in about a week and recommended that we not travel with him if we don't have to so we don't risk getting stuck somewhere with him. So instead of flying up to meet Tyler after his test like we were supposed to do on Wednesday, Tyler will be flying home to be with us instead. Max was excited to see his Grammie and Papa and his cousins and stuff. Maybe they can come and visit him this summer instead.



I just hope this is the end of the bad part of him feeling sick. I hope he wakes up tomorrow with less hives and more energy. I had Steven Baker give him a blessing last night and I really believe that helped him get through this. Also, I'm not a panicker -- I just wanted to get through this, get him and go to sleep.

I can't wait until Tyler is home with us again. And I can't wait until my sweet little boy is back to himself. I miss them both!!