Ok, first of all, I posted pictures below on the previous post, so don't forget to scroll down after reading this! But I have to update on Reagan's week and hopefully get some helpful hints from you all in blogworld.
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Yesterday: went to the grocery store with R. The bakery there always has "yummies" for samples that she will eat while we shop. They have out cookies and croissants, so I get her a half of each, one for each hand. (That is how she likes it!) About 2 minutes later, in the cereal aisle while I am chatting with Susan on my cell, she starts coughing like crazy. I hang up, thinking what the heck?, and am patting her in the back repeatedly. Then... she projectile pukes. Seriously. All over her, all over me, all over my cart, in both my hands (you know the Mommy instinct is to catch it), and all over the floor. So now with two handfuls of it and a crying child, what do you do?! I flag down this guy and ask him to find someone to help me. They bring me paper towels and a trash can, and I try cleaning up as much as possible. It was awful. Mom got onto me for cleaning up the floor, said it wasn't my job and I should have just left it!! But I did, didn't know what else to do. We proceed to the bathroom at the front to clean up better. I leave my cart outside and go in to wash both of us as much as possible. I strip off her yucky shirt while she is STILL crying (I have no idea at this point what is going on and my blood pressure is probably through the roof!) and am washing my hands, and I glance over at my crying child who is clawing her face off! Her entire chest, neck, and face is COVERED in hives. Just like Hitch. I of course TOTALLY freak and think think think what has just happened. Then, I remember the yummies. I grab her and run out to my cart and take a bite out of the cookie.... the peanut butter cookie.
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Now, up until this point I have for some reason shielded Reagan from all things peanut. Now I find it a God thing, but before I just thought I would wait until she was bigger just in case. This was the first taste of anything peanut, and I had no idea it was that kind of cookie. Picture this with me... I proceed to RUN through the store, pushing my cart with my mostly naked crying child and myself still covered in puke and race to the pharmacist. Psycho mom who grabs a bottle of kids' benadryl and runs to the pharmacy counter frantically yelling "I NEED THE PHARMACIST NOW PLEASE!!!" She comes and I am dialing my pedi while telling her I need to know the dosage for my 22-month-old and a syringe. She was so helpful and got both. I finally get the receptionist at our pedi and she says to give her the Benadryl and "watch her" to see if things get better or worse. If worse, then "probably should take her to an urgent care place for an epi shot." That sounds fine at the time, I hang up, then I think, "watch her for what? Watch her until she chokes and dies?!" So as we leave and she is still itching like crazy and all swollen up with hives but thankfully breathing fine, I get on the phone. I call David, I call Jeremy (thank God for paramedic friends with a calm voice!), I call Julie, anyone I can think of to help me calm down. About 30 minutes after taking the meds they started working.
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We went in this morning to the pedi to "confirm" that I have that kid who is allergic to peanuts. They won't do official allergy testing until she is over 2, but for now, that is where we are. We are now carrying epi-pens everywhere we go, got all the instructions on that, and I have been online reading info on this all day. I am SO thankful for God's watchcare yesterday... I mean, how awesome that this happened while I was at a store with the right medicine and a pharmacist on hand! It will be a new prayer everyday for me that God protects her from this. It's literally deadly, and it literally scares the crap out of me. So we will appreciate your prayers as we start to really pay attention to food labels and stuff. If you have kids, nieces, nephews, best friends, whatever that have dealt with this allergy, PLEASE give any helpful advice. I think I am still in kinda freak-out mode, but we will get through it. Poor baby will never have a PB&J sandwich! And the rest of us here probably will have to give them up to.... yucky.
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So, that is my story. We started out the week with what we thought was a broken leg. We go back for a major allergic reaction. What a Week!!! Ugh....
Now, on a lighter note, go look at her fun pics below if you haven't already! :)
16 comments:
God was good to provide you with great resources AND to give you good instincts, gives new meaning to the phrase, "Nice catch!"
I'm not an expert on peanuts but depending on the strength of her allergy...you can request a peanut free flight on Southwest. (If she responds to peanut dust.) We would only give out pretzels on that flight. However...the flight before would have served peanuts so there would still be peanuts on the carpet and such. We typically suggest you fly early in the morning as the planes are cleaned each evening.
I so cried while reading your post! I have so been right there but with anther allergy! I am so sorry I missed your e mail! Please talk to a pedi allergist cause they can do a blood test telling you if that was it was and the severity of the allergy. I am so sorry girl... Thank goodness you where are the store!
Okay, my heart really goes out to you and little R. I was reading this and in the middle of the story I am biting my tongue from screaming at the screen for you to go back to the pharmacy, but then I read that you did. Hope she is doing better.
I did not see the allergy thing coming. I thought it was just going to be a funny puke story! I got so scared when you started writing about the hives!! I'm so glad you were where you were at and that she is okay now.
I remember you having a violent reaction to some peanut butter a while back, but not for this. Bummer, but I guess its good you know now. Scary stuff.
Goodness!!! I wonder if this allergy is something that kids eventually grow out of ???? I bet you were so scared at that store..but like you said, thank goodness you were at the store and could easily grab meds! Poor baby!
What a scary thing - I'm glad you were with her and at the store. The best thing is that now you know. Now you will be prepared and hopefully that will prevent it. I'm glad she is okay. It really is a scary feeling when your child is hurt or upset and the control is out of your hands.
Hi Jodi. I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Feydra and I go to church with your parents (AFCOC). Anyway, I jut wanted to tell you what a great job you did handling such and intense situation. My oldest son, Fisher, is allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts, and almonds. His egg and peanut allergy are level 4's and he can't even touch them without breaking out and wheezing. If you have ANY questions, please feel free to e-mail me (pfgorsline@yahoo.com). Food allergies can be so overwhelming, and they can be accompanied by a host of other illness (ie: eczema, asthma, etc. Fisher has both of these as well.) Keep up the good Mom work, and we'll keep Reagan in our prayers.
That is sooo scary. I'm so glad you were able to get the help you needed right when you needed it.
Part of my extended family is allergic to gluten and dairy, so when the youngest was in pre-school my Aunt had special shirts made that he wore to school that had "food allergy" on the back. I think they were just ironed on. It seemed a bit over the top to me at first but after I thought about it, I now think it was ingenious. It was just a little reminder to those taking care of him when his parents were not there and it gave them some peace of mind when he was away from their watchful eyes.
We'll be praying for you.
Oh my goodness! So scary. This is why you are a mommy and I am not yet. I would have been SCREAMING like a crazy woman!
Praise God that you were able to handle everything so well!
At first I'm laughing, totally relating to you....Noah puked in a grocery store once, luckily in the paper towel aisle. I opened up a pack and already had a box of ziploc bags in my cart and stuffed the nasty towels in ziploc bags. I was humiliated.
Then I feel guilty for laughing when getting to the hives. It's good that her mommy is a quick thinker!
Oh Jodi! Your first "puke" story had me laughing because I have been the catcher of puke before. Not fun! Then as your story changed to a peanut allergy, my heart broke for you. My sister Meredith is severely allergic to peanuts, ever since I can remember. I'll send you an email about that....it might be long!
God is amazing, isn't He? Can you imagine if this happened at home and you had to drive her somewhere?
Ok, my first instinct too would have been to clean up the puke. I know almost everyone would tell you to let someone else do it, but I just couldn't. I don't think your crazy. And God has very good timing. We are blessed.
What a story! UGH I am sorry to hear she is allergic to peanuts. That totally sucks. Maybe she will grow out of it.... I have a cheerleader who is highly allergic. I can ask her mom some stuff if you want. Hang in there.
So sorry to hear about that, but you're right, God was definitely involved in your grocery shopping itinerary. And congratulations on your new little one on the way! One more to add to the list of sweet babies (and parents) to pray for!
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