Yesterday, my "day off" began with a long anticipated appointment at UNC Orthopedics to address a growth on Justin's leg. It is an osteochondroma- bony growth. Usually, these things are benign, but after following this one for two years and Justin swearing it's growing, we wanted to discuss getting it removed. That is now on the docket for August, though no date has been set. It will be outpatient surgery and will lay him up for a couple of weeks, but he wants to pursue the removal due to it's bothersome nature.
Unexpectedly, we had an appointment at the pediatrician immediately following our return from Chapel Hill. Kendall had texted me complaining of a very itchy rash that she woke up with "all over her body". I was thinking poison ivy, but didn't want to treat until it was confirmed. I have a paranoia about rubbing ointments on something and having it be more detrimental than helpful. When I saw how widespread this "rash" was, it was a little alarming, so I was glad we were going in. She began to hive up pretty significantly as well. The doctor called it one of the worst cases of poison ivy/oak she has seen. Kendall became increasingly more uncomfortable throughout the day, Keith left town and I headed to my follow up appointment for my recent blood work.
I found out that I have a significant sensitivity to gluten. The doctor felt strongly that this was at least part of the reason I have been having such GI issues in the past two years and wants me to do a gluten free diet for the next three months and report back. I'm happy to have a possible answer and will try my best to work toward gluten free. It's going to take some time and study, but I see it as an adventure.
Upon returning home, the dishwasher guy says he's going to come and finish fixing the dishwasher that he began to repair over two weeks ago. I became very frustrated with him last week and did not want to have to make conversation with him, and with Keith gone, it was going to be awkward. So, I offered my friend Alana a glass of wine and visit and she happily came over and we chatted in the dining room while he FINALLY fixed the dishwasher.
Once that was done and everyone gone, we were discussing dinner possibilities when the door bell rang during a thunderstorm. At the door was a young man I didn't recognize. I was freaked out a little because he saw me and I just about yelled through the door, "we don't want any", when it occurred to me that he was the Pepsi guy from last summer. We met him at the lake. He and Keith, of course, hit it off. He came by the house later that day (it was July 4th) and we took pictures with his car, which was wrapped in Pepsi advertisement pulling a pepsi can cooler. He was a very nice guy and he actually stopped by again at the end of summer. This year he is selling AMP, which apparently is a type of energy drink. He had called Keith because he was going to be at a baseball game at the USA Fields right behind our neighborhood, so Keith told him to stop by. Keith told me this, but in the hoopla of the day, I forgot. So...he came in and visited for a bit. When he left, it was 8:30 and we had not eaten yet.
Kendall was beside herself miserable and said she was unable to concentrate to eat. Her hives were getting worse, so I made a last minute, follow-my-gut-decision to fill the steroid RX the doctor suggested but left to our call whether to use. While there, I asked the pharmacist for a recommendation for something topical that would help with the severe itching. She game me something that you use in the shower and then an ointment for afterward. Kendall wouldn't eat due to itching but had to eat to get the steroid in her system, so we went to do the topical treatments. She was in my shower and I was helping her when she started crying and saying everything was moving and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her face turned gray and her lips blue and she said she could not stand there any more. I began immediately to think there was too mush histamine in her body from the hives (there wasn't hardly any skin on her that wasn't part of a hive)...and being the only adult in the house, made the follow-your-gut-instinct decision to take her to the ER.
The ER doc did NOT think it was poison ivy/oak. He said she's having a severe reaction to an allergen, but that we may never know what it is. He said the steroid was a MUST to get this under control and to watch for any signs of the throat swelling or difficulty breathing. Isn't that what any parent wants to hear at 11:30pm when you are exhausted. Talk about sleeping with one eye open. We also found out we were giving her about 1/3 of the benadryl she should be taking.
So, we ate a little something at midnight. We slept very little. She is miserable. This morning, her face is swollen and basically one big hive. And, we don't know what's causing it. Worst of all, there isn't much we can do that is helpful, which is a horrible feeling. I told her last night that I was going to put her in a bubble, as she's had a unique summer thus far.
So...all in all, my day off was anything but.
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