Around 3:00 pm I got out of the shower and heard Hendrix wake up from his nap a few minutes later. I gave him a bottle and then set him on the floor to play with his toys because I was on the phone. The oven timer went off and I patted the top of my Almond Poppyseed bread I was baking to see if it was done. I pulled it out of the oven and went to check on Hendrix because he had started to get a bit fussy. I rubbed my fingers along him gums to see if any new teeth were breaking through, but I felt nothing. I changed his diaper and noticed a red ring around his lips AND that his lips were starting to swell, so I gave him some water and then noticed welts starting to appear all over his face. He was itching and rubbing his face at this point and I knew he was allergic to something. I undressed him to see if he had been bitten by anything but I found nothing. I called my Mom who told me to call the pediatrician immediately. The nurse told me to take him to the E.R and to call 911 if he had problems breathing on the way. I grabbed what I could and ran out of the house with wet hair. Hendrix now has blood shot eyes that are starting to swell shut, HUGE red rings around his eyes and mouth, welts covering his entire face and a bad rash all over his whole body. WHAT THE CRAP IS HE HAVING A REACTION TO? I rushed (in traffic) to Alta View Hospital, shaking, crying and yelling at Jordan because we don't live closer to a hospital. As I ran into the E.R, this is the conversation I had with the nurse at the front desk.
Me: My son is having a bad allergic reaction
Nurse: Yes, he is. Let me find a doctor.
Nurse: (Looks at Hendrix again) Nevermind, just follow me.
How awesome is that? We were in a room and 3 nurses were there to hold him down while they gave him a shot of anti-allergic stuff and place an IV. My cute Mom dropped all of her violin students and met me in the E.R. She was the only thing that calmed Hendrix down, he loves her so much! They start to pump steroids through his I.V to calm the swelling down and then left the room. We needed to stay for 3 hours to watch for any more reactions. Well, 30 seconds later Hendrix starts coughing uncontrollably. I'm yelling for someone to come help my poor baby who is gagging and coughing for about 2 minutes straight now. FINALLY the freakin nurse and doctor run in and stop the I.V. It takes him about 1 minute or so to calm down and catch his breath. Exhausted, he falls asleep on my Mom's while they put monitors all over his chest to monitor his breathing. Thank goodness they didn't have to give him a breathing tube.
Things start to calm down now and we patiently waited for 3 hours to pass before we could leave. Hendrix was such a trooper! It was 1 hour past his bedtime when we finally got to leave the hospital. And where is Jordan you ask? STUPID CLASS!!!!! Why can't he be done with school already. He was so worried and kept calling and texting to make sure we were okay though.
So... this is why I'm only having 1 baby. I can't handle the stress and heartbreak of watching my sick baby suffer. 2 surgeries, 1 E.R visit and 3 I.V's is enough stress in 9 months for the both of us. And now I get to take Hendrix to an allergist to find out what he is so allergic to. They only thing we could come up with at the hospital is maybe something in the poppyseed bread. Maybe the almond extract or the actual poppyseeds? We don't know. I also carry an anti-allergic shot with me at all times now, just in case something like this happens again.
Today is a better day, just a few tired bodies around here but that's about it. Thank goodness for hospitals and for family who care so much about us. I love you all.
The pictures below were taken from my phone so you can't really see much. But if any of you have see the movie HITCH and the allergic reaction Will Smith has, that was pretty dang close to what Hendrix looked like by the time I got to the hospital. Scary freakin stuff!
Before the shot and I.V
The much improved "after" picture
9 comments:
That is so scary! Guess what though- you just learn that it comes with the territory and you love your kid so much you want them not to be the only child! He is so freakin' cute!
So scary!! Oh man. I'm so glad he's ok! Keep us updated.
HOLY CRAP! I'm only having one baby too! That poor little guy. I sat hear reading that with my jaw dropped. I'm so sorry, Amy. I don't know how people do it. Parley had his first cold this week and I hated it! So sad.
We're glad Hendrix is feeling better.
Oh, Ame. That is awful. You poor thing...you have gone through so much since becoming a mom. Little Hendrix is lucky to have someone who loves him so much. I would have been a wreck. Good job for holding it together. I'm so impressed. Hope you get the allergy thing figured out and stop making hospital visits. Best of luck, friend.
Okay seriously! It's a good thing you're so calm. Wow. Poor little guy. Do we know what it was yet?
Oh Amy. I am so sorry this happened. It is so scary taking kids to the ER. When Everett has those 12 stitches i thought i was going to die of a broken heart. They had him in a straight jacket and everything. I know how you feel. Hey- Just remember that it makes you stronger and when he falls outside and there is just a little scuff mark left- it's like "eh." nothing unless it's ER worthy. I'm so glad he is ok! I guess you can't know about allergic reactions till he has one...
There is nothing worse than seeing a helpless sick baby. I am so sorry that you had to go through this. I am glad that he is doing better:)
BUT you have got to have more kids, look how cute he is:)
We are all so glad that Hendrix is okay now and Amy you handled it all perfectly. I know it has not been easy but you and Jordan have handled all of the surgeries beautifully. Hendrix is lucky to have a great mom and dad. Keep up the good work. Hendrix is a champ.
Amy! I was seriously tearing up just reading this blog...how scary.
But you are amazing! Hendrix...and Jordan, are lucky to have you in their life!
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