Friday, December 3, 2010

Sick, Sicker, Sickest

What a week it's been!  The sick mobile pulled up to our house Monday morning and began unloading its goods.  First, John Fletcher broke out in this horrible, all-over, bright-red, raised, patchy, Mama-scaring rash.  Next, Andrew launched into a slimy nose, barking cough, tears, and raspy breath attack that looked and sounded just like what landed him in the ER a few weeks ago.  Then, John Fletcher's rash got better and subsequently worse. 

So, after...
-two loooooong trips to the pediatrician
-one trip to the ER (are they ever anything but long?)
-examinations of John Fletcher by four pediatricians and two allergists (not fun and kind of scary: all of them hovering over my poor baby and murmuring questions to each other, like some scene out of House)
-examination of Andrew by just one, measly (albeit lovely and most helpful) doctor
-co-pays totaling $90
-parking fees totaling $38.50
-waiting-room consumption of roughly 8200 Goldfish
-and two candy canes
-prescriptions for multitudes of steroids and antihistamines
-and a new, but all-too-familiar Epi-Pen Jr. prescription

...we have diagnoses of a second round of croup for big brother and a peanut allergy (passed through breastmilk) for little brother.

I'll obviously be cutting peanuts from my diet (which makes Jacob the only household peanut-consumer left standing), and once we can get John Fletcher's reaction cleared up, we'll have him tested at the pediatric allergist for confirmation.  But it looks like Andrew and John Fletcher may be two peanut-allergics in a pod.  :(

8 comments:

Anika said...

oh my goodness, so sorry to hear that! Is it something they can grow out of?

Holland said...

i cannot believe that they are both allergic to peanuts! i am so sorry you've had such a rough week. but looking on the bright side... i'm glad you caught his allergy so early?? is it common for sibs to have same allergies?

Family Snodgrass said...

Thanks, y'all!

Anika, when Andrew was diagnosed, the allergist said that about 20% of children outgrow a peanut allergy. I'm guessing that the allergy lessens in severity for more people than that (but I could be totally wrong).

Holland, you're right...it's good to catch it early. Especially since JF's allergy seems to be more severe than Andrew's. I ate peanuts while nursing Andrew and he never had any reaction, and all the doctors agreed that JF's reaction was severe, considering that only a tiny bit of the peanut protein is passed through the milk. We'll have to be hyper-vigilant with him, so it's good to know early. As far as the sibling thing goes, I don't know. My aunt has two children with peanut allergies, but the allergist acted like it was kind of strange to see that. So who knows!

Jamie Helms said...

Oh, you poor, poor Mama! I am glad that things are getting sorted out with your two little lads. I hope that you aren't FOR A MOMENT considering a bout of mama guilt for consuming peanuts. You are the best mama I know, E! Sending all my love to you today!

Rhonda Hennessy said...

SO sorry to hear your week has been so rough! Aside from the things that cause the doctor's visits (don't get me started on the ER), the visit itself is quite stressful...waiting, waiting, germs and more waiting. Add $40 (!!!!!) in parking fees...to wait...poor thing!! I'm glad you have a diagnosis and things are on the upswing. I hope y'all have a good weekend!

P.S. Can I just state that I am TERRIFIED of croup?! No reason other than fear of the unknown...but I'd like to keep it that way :)

Kelly said...

Oh girl, that is one rough and stressful week! So sorry! Happy everything is getting back to normal! We all woke up two weeks ago sick too! Including baby Stella (at 3 weeks old). They had to run some tests on her to make sure it wasn't RSV. Thank the good lord above it was not. Hope your Christmas is magical :)

Unknown said...

UGH. I am so sorry that 1/2 of the Snodgrasses have taken ill!

Wanting What I Have said...

Oh Elizabeth! Hang in there dear friend! I am praying for you.