Lea_Ontario
Well-known member
This is a post I made on another board last week (Monday, February 27th). I'm just copying and pasting it here instead of trying to retell it.
The background is that my son - Boo - is allergic to dairy. His reaction is anaphylactic shock.
I'm sorry if this is somewhat disjointed - I'm feeling exhausted as the adrenaline rush wears off.
At one point this morning, Boo was sitting on the couch - I noticed that he was eating something, and asked him what it was. I was expecting it to be a cracker (as the kids had had crackers not long prior to this), or maybe a cheerio or something.
He held out his hands, and his fingers are smeared with CHOCOLATE !
Now, the only chocolate we have in the house is semi-sweet chocolate chips that have no dairy listed on the ingredients, and which I've called the manufacturer about - no dairy in them, but they are produced on a shared line. We do NOT give these to Boo, but Brad and I sometimes mix them in with some cereal for a snack for ourselves.
Not wanting to take the chance - I grab my emergency bag from the kitchen and give Boo a dose of Benedryl. Then I sit him in my computer chair and watch him - I'm watching for redness and hives on his face, trouble breathing, stuff like that.
Within a minute or two, Boo starts scratching at his lips and mouth. A little confused, I asked him what's wrong. He sticks out his tongue, points at it and starts digging at it with his fingers, scratching it hard.
Itching tongue and lips are one of the signs of anaphylactic shock, so I grab one of the EpiPens we have and lay Boo down on the couch. I pulled his pants off (in retrospect, I didn't have to do that ) and give him his EpiPen.
Oh my - did that make him MAD !!! HUGE tears start immediately - and cries of "MAMA YOU HURT ME". My heart just about breaks - it hurts so much knowing that I hurt my baby. But the alternative is worlds of difference in worse.
I made sure he was laying down and called 911. They dispatch an ambulance to us, and after I get off the phone with them, I call DH's work and tell his supervisor that she needs to send Brad to meet us at the hospital because I'd just given Boo his EpiPen (she sent him home), then I called my mom and left a message saying we were waiting for an ambulance to take Boo to the hospital.
The ambulance shows up - Boo likes the "doctors" and all thier gadgets. He's looking okay - no swelling or redness or hives or breathing difficulty - his oxygen is in the low 90s, and his blood pressure is okay. They calm me down with thier own calmness, and thier ease with Boo. Brad shows up a few minutes later.
The paramedics are still keeping track of Boo's heart rate and breathing - but since he's not showing any signs of shock, aren't in a hurry to take us to a hospital. Until they see a rash starting on his chest, then they suggest it would be in our better interest to get him checked out.
So - pants on to Boo, and getting Bug ready to go, and Boo and I ride in the back of the ambulance (just on the seats - Boo sitting in just a lap belt !) and Brad follows us with Heather in the car. Boo loved the ride in the "truck".
We spent about 2 1/2 hours at the hospital, for a 3-minute check up with the doctor.
Boo's oxygen levels were 100% at triage, and again when we saw the doctor. His lungs are clear, and his throat isn't swollen, and no hives either. Just the rash on his chest. The doctor says that that will be okay - I got the Epinephrine into him fast enough to stave off a full reaction.
We weren't in the car more than 3 or 4 minutes when Boo fell asleep - he's in his bed now, totally crashing out from the Benedryl, adrenaline, and the epinephrine.
Brad's gone out to cash out a lotto ticket his aunt gave us ($50) and bring back subs - I so do NOT feel like doing anything right now. I'd go hold Boo, but that would wake him up I'm sure.
Well - that's my morning in a nutshell. Hope you all had better ones.
The background is that my son - Boo - is allergic to dairy. His reaction is anaphylactic shock.
I'm sorry if this is somewhat disjointed - I'm feeling exhausted as the adrenaline rush wears off.
At one point this morning, Boo was sitting on the couch - I noticed that he was eating something, and asked him what it was. I was expecting it to be a cracker (as the kids had had crackers not long prior to this), or maybe a cheerio or something.
He held out his hands, and his fingers are smeared with CHOCOLATE !
Now, the only chocolate we have in the house is semi-sweet chocolate chips that have no dairy listed on the ingredients, and which I've called the manufacturer about - no dairy in them, but they are produced on a shared line. We do NOT give these to Boo, but Brad and I sometimes mix them in with some cereal for a snack for ourselves.
Not wanting to take the chance - I grab my emergency bag from the kitchen and give Boo a dose of Benedryl. Then I sit him in my computer chair and watch him - I'm watching for redness and hives on his face, trouble breathing, stuff like that.
Within a minute or two, Boo starts scratching at his lips and mouth. A little confused, I asked him what's wrong. He sticks out his tongue, points at it and starts digging at it with his fingers, scratching it hard.
Itching tongue and lips are one of the signs of anaphylactic shock, so I grab one of the EpiPens we have and lay Boo down on the couch. I pulled his pants off (in retrospect, I didn't have to do that ) and give him his EpiPen.
Oh my - did that make him MAD !!! HUGE tears start immediately - and cries of "MAMA YOU HURT ME". My heart just about breaks - it hurts so much knowing that I hurt my baby. But the alternative is worlds of difference in worse.
I made sure he was laying down and called 911. They dispatch an ambulance to us, and after I get off the phone with them, I call DH's work and tell his supervisor that she needs to send Brad to meet us at the hospital because I'd just given Boo his EpiPen (she sent him home), then I called my mom and left a message saying we were waiting for an ambulance to take Boo to the hospital.
The ambulance shows up - Boo likes the "doctors" and all thier gadgets. He's looking okay - no swelling or redness or hives or breathing difficulty - his oxygen is in the low 90s, and his blood pressure is okay. They calm me down with thier own calmness, and thier ease with Boo. Brad shows up a few minutes later.
The paramedics are still keeping track of Boo's heart rate and breathing - but since he's not showing any signs of shock, aren't in a hurry to take us to a hospital. Until they see a rash starting on his chest, then they suggest it would be in our better interest to get him checked out.
So - pants on to Boo, and getting Bug ready to go, and Boo and I ride in the back of the ambulance (just on the seats - Boo sitting in just a lap belt !) and Brad follows us with Heather in the car. Boo loved the ride in the "truck".
We spent about 2 1/2 hours at the hospital, for a 3-minute check up with the doctor.
Boo's oxygen levels were 100% at triage, and again when we saw the doctor. His lungs are clear, and his throat isn't swollen, and no hives either. Just the rash on his chest. The doctor says that that will be okay - I got the Epinephrine into him fast enough to stave off a full reaction.
We weren't in the car more than 3 or 4 minutes when Boo fell asleep - he's in his bed now, totally crashing out from the Benedryl, adrenaline, and the epinephrine.
Brad's gone out to cash out a lotto ticket his aunt gave us ($50) and bring back subs - I so do NOT feel like doing anything right now. I'd go hold Boo, but that would wake him up I'm sure.
Well - that's my morning in a nutshell. Hope you all had better ones.
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