Another Pin Cushion Kid


Ever since Tater was an infant, we have been visiting dermatologists for her eczema. I think we have seen four different dermatologists. Some of the treatments helped, and some didn't help at all. Nothing cured. The rashes always came back, worse than before.

In the last week, Tater went to the doctor four times. The first time was for an allergic reaction which made her eyes swell terribly. Two of the visits were follow-up to the first visit. Yesterday we went to the allergist for testing.

The allergy test wasn't too bad. She said it hurt, but she didn't cry. Her pulmonary function test went great. She does not have asthma.

The cat and I are very pleased that Tater isn't allergic to him. He was in danger of losing his home, but is safe now.

She isn't allergic to dust mites or mold. The doctor laughed when he told me not to clean my house. We don't have to remove our nasty carpet, or cover the pillows and mattresses. He said not to change anything in the house. The dust mites are happy. They were in danger of losing their home, just as the cat was.

The tests showed that Tater is severely allergic to grass pollen and moderately allergic to tree pollen along with a few other mild allergies.

We have a very long growing season where we live. There are only about two months a year when the grass and trees don't produce pollen. Maybe we should move to the North Pole. Ummm, maybe not.

The allergist thinks that if we don't treat Tater, she will develop more severe allergies and asthma. If family history serves a a predictor, then he is right. My parents, brother, and I all have histories of allergies and asthma. We have all taken allergy shots.

The treatment plan for Tater is a little overwhelming. Last night I left the pharmacy with oral antihistamine, nasal spray, moderate strength steroid cream, antibiotic cream, and lotion for after baths. I already had Elidel, strong strength steroid ointment, oatmeal bath, soap-free cleanser, hypo-allergenic shampoo, sunscreen for sensitive skin, and another antihistamine.

We begin shots next week. Since I am a nurse, the doctor will allow me to administer them at home. Doing the shots in the office would have cost us a $25 co-pay per visit. Thanks, nursing school.

For the first month, I will have to give Tater one shot a day. Eventually, she will only need one shot a month, but it will take a while to get there. We expect her to need shots for a minimum of five years. Tater is not happy about getting shots!

Tater's allergies and Little Man's IGFD aren't major medical problems. Things could be so much worse. My children are otherwise very healthy. They can be treated and we have good insurance to help pay for treatment. However, I can't help feeling bad for them and guilty that I passed these problems on to them. I can't believe that both of my kids need shots. I wonder what the baby's health will be like.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I have allergies too!! Don't leave me out!!!!

All laundry that I use (towels and clothing) have to have an extra rinse. If it does not get that extra rinse, I get these spots around my eyes, my eye lids and area around the eyes itch. That is when I use hydrocortizone cream.

I had allergy shots when I was about 20 - 25, Gave them to myself.

I am really allergic to grass being cut, dust, dogs, cats, etc. But no asthma.

Good luck
Red Hot Mama
Unknown said…
Hello,

I know how difficult it is to watch your sween Tater go through the treatment and process of dealing with eczema. My little man was diagnosed with eczema at the age of 1 month. He is now 4 and is just about free from it. I learned a lot along the way and if you are interested I can share some of what I did to help him. My website is http://www.stopmychildseczema.com

If you opt in you will download a free ebook I put together on 7 effective solutions that I used to support him. Maybe it will help you to figure out a few solutions for your child.

Sandra
Curly said…
A very wise man sent me this in an email. He is right. I hope he doesn't mind me sharing it.

You didn't give Little Man IGFD, and you also didn't give Tater eczema. The world is fallen. We are in it. Thus: our bodies are broken. The joy is that hope is eternal while our bodies are not. If our bodies were, we wouldn't need hope, and I don't know about you, but I dang sure need hope.

Find rest in hope and flee from condemnation. If you would not have willingly given your children problems, then you cannot accept blame for something that you didn't, and certainly wouldn't have had anything to do with. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, and certainly God is just to the extent that He will not condemn us for those things that we cannot control.

Ask God for peace and hope in regards to your children. Remind yourself daily to "bless the Lord o my soul, and all that is within me bless the Lord." And when you do that, remember that all that is within you (including the baby) belongs to Him anyway. Give yourself, your hope, and your children to Him. He will bless you with the power (and I do not use the word lightly) to give them what they need, be it increlex, a clean diaper, or miraculous healing.
Curly said…
Correction: My brother didn't take allergy shots. I don't know how he managed to escape.
Crickett said…
Wow! I agree with the wise man. He said it all verrrrrrrrrrrrrry well!

Popular posts from this blog

Attention Fellow Homeschoolers

Celebrating Recovery on New Year's Eve

How Do I Find a Healthy Balance?