ER visit #3 for Alexis! or is it #4??

I first want to thank our Heavenly Father, for the miracle He deemed fit to bestow unto our family. Secondly, I am so thankful for all the prayers regarding my daughter. I KNOW without a shadow of doubt, the Lord heard and answered these prayers.

As many of you already know, my daughter has suffered her entire life with severe allergies.  About a year ago after a visit to the Emergency Room followed by an visit with a allergist, she was diagnosed being severely allergic to quite a few foods as well as pet dander. She was also tested for some outside allergens, and those came back negative. However, it is very hard to get  tested for EVERYTHING in this world. From that point; she has been on a daily regimen. I as mom, was given the okay to treat her “as needed” when she got bad she got more meds or different meds. For about a year we have  maintained this. She has had a few episodes but within a day or two, it is under control again.

For the past few days, I have noticed Alexis getting more break outs and becoming more severe. I started watching her very carefully. Avoiding anything that could potentially cause her to go into anaphylactic shock (resulting in tongue and throat swelling, causing her to be unable to breath). Today, her face seemed more irritated then ever before. I started to get concerned and decided to call the allergist to make an appointment. While on the phone with the nurse, Alexis came to me and said “I so scratchy mommy, I want to go to doctor” You know it’s bad when a three year old asks to go to the doctor. As she was telling me this she continued to scratch her face, at this point she started to bleed around her lips and on her chin. I asked the nurse, if we could come in today. She said she would talk to the doctor about just refilling the steroid I had and she would call me back.

As I waited for the nurse to call me back, I took a picture of her face, then watched her play. She was having a fun time, acting like a three year old. But she started to fall a lot and couldn’t keep her bearings. From that point, I told both kids to get their shoes on, and I planned on taking Alexis to the pediatric urgent care up the road. As soon as we were ready to go, the nurse called me back and said the doctor wanted us to go to the ER. I said, Okay. Then I mentioned her face was starting to swell. I knew what was next, as the nurse shouted “give her the epi pen and I will call 911!”

This was our first time giving and receiving the epi pen and we were both scared. I have heard how kids can react and was not looking forward to the effects. I have tried to always prepare my children but not scare them. As soon as I came in with the epi pen, Alexis cried out “I can’t want a shot!” I consoled her enough to trust me. She sat on my lap, even though she cried, she was strong and did not fight as I kept the needle in her leg, while we counted to ten.

The paramedics arrived at our house and Alexis started doing a little better (the epinephrine was working) As we sat there answering questions, her symptoms started to return and one paramedic jumped up and said, “okay lets go to the hospital” They were trying to be energetic and happy around us, but it was written all over their face that this was serious. So off we went.. I was so thankful that Jeremiah was enjoying himself. He can be a bit of a mommy’s boy in strange situations. Today, he was happy and energetic talking to the firemen and becoming their best friend.

On the way to hospital I was able to text a message to a few people to get the prayers going. But everything was going so quick, I couldn’t say much. Even to Justin; I talked to him on the phone for only a couple seconds, just to tell him to go to hospital.

Once at the hospital, Alexis condition got worse. Her face was swollen and red. I was laying in bed with her while several doctors and nurses huddled around us. (Jeremiah playing with the firemen still) It is all still mostly a blur, but it was basically to the point if she got just a tiny bit worse, they would intubate and start an epinephrine drip on her. By this point she was in an almost not responsive state. They were shaking her trying to wake her up. I just closed my eyes and gave my heart to God. No words came to mind. I just sat and humbly gave my will over. Just then Alexis opened her eyes for a moment, and the nurse put a huge shot of steroids in her leg. She cried! It was beautiful. From that point on slowly she looked better and acted better. By the time she was ready to be discharged she was so hyper she made her brother look calm. The doctor informed us that it was from the steroids and that she would be like this for the next few days as she had to remain on steroids. She also mentioned that she could have the munchies and be very emotional, almost bi-polar like. This is no joke!

From this experience you can see the obvious blessing. But there is so much more. The nurse calling 911, took a burden off my shoulder. Going to the ER in an ambulance while someone could take care of my other three year old was a blessing. The toys the PCT gave Alexis was a HUGE blessing – he picked out a little princess doll for her. And if you know Alexis you know she won’t go anywhere without her “girls” I didn’t have time to find her girls, and so she was without. This princess brought her peace. So many other little things, but to us where huge.

I maintained composure the entire time. I didn’t feel overwhelmed, stressed, scared or really anything for that matter. I just took care of business and supported my scared little girl. After we got home and I tucked the kids into bed, we said our prayers. I thanked God for His blessings today. Then I sang “Jesus Loves Me” This made me breakdown.

“Jesus Loves me this I know,

For the Bible tells me so,

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but He is Strong!

Yes, Jesus Loves ME!”

I choked out the last few words, kissed my kids, and sat on the couch and cried. I am just so thankful that she is safe and in her own bed tonight. It got really bad, and if much worse I could have lost her. As we were leaving, the doctor told me “mom, you did everything right today!” I know; what I did was by God’s design. He helped me do what was right. The paramedics were talking about all the many pediatric calls they had today and  I know of  at least   one mom today that had to say goodbye to her child. I have been humbled today.

I give unto men weakness, that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Ether 5;28

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 12;10

I just want to shout from the mountain tops:

THANK YOU DEAR LORD, FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO STOOD BY MY SIDE TODAY AND LIFTED MY DAUGHTER UNTO YOU! THANK YOU LORD FOR KEEPING MY FAMILY IN YOUR TENDER HANDS!!

January 2011

I am amazed it is already 2011… but I truly look forward to this year. In March my twins will be 3 years old. April will mark 10years that Justin and I have been together, while May will be our 9th anniversary of being married. We have a new house, a new budget, and soon a new baby. Things look good, even though it started off pretty rocky.

This month has been tough. All of us have been sick and then sick again Jeremiah had a high fever that would not go away. It would go away for two days and then all of a sudden be back, higher than ever and stay for 4 days. I also had some issues of my own. I ended up getting an infection that I could not beat even with two rounds of antibiotics, so I ended up having a 4 day stay in the hospital. That was not fun! BUT… the last day of January I celebrated my 30th birthday, and the last few hours in January were the best hours of the entire month! I felt so amazingly blessed and happy. Words just can not express.

    

OH I forgot… in December we had SNOW at our house. It snowed on and off all day. whoo hoo. granted it melted just about the same time it hit the ground, but it was snow in Phoenix and that is just plain awesome!

BLESSINGS at the ER

My heart is so full of thanksgiving and praise as I sit to write these words. I have so many emotions, yet can not find the words to interpret them. Please bear with me as I try and explain the circumstances and the great blessings and lessons of the day.

This morning, I lay in bed and hear my husband ask my daughter what is on her shirt, then excitedly he asks if she drank all the Tylenol. I fly out of bed, run into the room and see an empty bottle of children’s liquid Tylenol (lid back on) on the floor. I immediately call poison control. The informed me, what I already knew… she had too much and needs to go to ER. I asked if I should go to the Children’s hospital about 20 minutes away or the ER up the street about 5minutes away. He matter of fact told me “the one five minutes away.” I threw on some shoes and took her.

They saw Alexis immediately, quicker than if I went by ambulance. This was blessing #1 & #2 – it was a blessing because they didn’t waste any time and I didn’t have time to think or worry. On the outside I seemed very collected. On the inside I was a mess. Within a few minutes they had an IV started and blood drawn. It only took them two tries to get the IV going… Blessing #3 !

The doctor then informed me, that this blood test was to check the Tylenol levels. He said it really didn’t matter what the numbers were now, it was just a baseline. He proceeded to tell me “I don’t want to scare you, BUT, Tylenol is the worst medication to overdose on” He explained why and told me that they would check her levels in 4 hours. At that point they will know what step to take. We would either get to go home or stay she would be admitted for at least 3 days to receive the anecdote. He thanked me for coming in, because it is a very serious matter and if gone untreated it would kill her. Her levels now were at 22 – severe toxicity is 150. In four hours it will shoot up.

Once I received all the news I finally had a moment to digest what was happening. I then called Justin and told him, called my parents and then proceeded to send out TEXT messages to ask for prayers. I knew I needed help with this burden. I knew that people here in Phoenix and Independence were meeting together in prayer and I KNEW there is POWER in PRAYER! Immediately I received text messages from various family and friends, I was encouraged and uplifted; my heart was calm. I no longer felt “a mess” however, my outside looked it now… I looked like I just rolled out of bed – because I did!

I started thinking about all the prayers being offered for myself and my daughter, then I realized… I had forgotten to pray. I already felt like a terrible mother because my two year old managed to get into a child proof container of medicine, but now I felt such a burden of sorrow. I was so quick to ask others to pray, but I didn’t do my part. Not only was I now a bad mother but a terrible servant of Christ. I bowed my head, asked for forgiveness and then asked my Lord to bless my child. I remembered my promise to Him… that these children  He blessed me with are not mine but His and I will trust Him with their lives. At that moment I received another text message from a brother telling me “…Feel the Lord wants me to tell you to take courage for we have a mighty God.” This was blessing #4 and lesson #1 – Yes, mistakes happen. Physical and spiritual mistakes, but stay true to God, be strong in Him and He will see you through.

    

While we waited for the time to pass. Alexis was visited by a service dog. She was excited to see the dog but did not want to touch him. Me either, he was a pug and I think they are uuuugggggly! She also had a popsicle, watched cartoons and played  with mommy. During this time, I saw a change in her. She started getting really weird. It was almost funny. She was acting like a drunk toddler. Toddlers are already a little goofy but this was beyond goofy, she was licking the TV monitor, trying to wrap her tongue around my fingers, she was eating her snacks very strangely by sticking her head in the bowl and trying to lick them out. IT was JUST WIERD… I was pretty convinced they were going to come back and tell me she was high as a kite and we would be staying the weekend with them.

Five hours in the ER has passed… my heart was still at ease and even though I was pretty sure we would be staying I was at peace. I knew God would take care of her. The doctor came back in. He informed us that her levels dropped to 12! We get to go home! Once he left the room, Alexis, Jeremiah, Justin and I bowed our heads and thanked the Lord for his blessings. As I said “amen” Alexis shouted “AMEN… go bye bye” I didn’t tell her that we got to go home yet, but she knew.

I feel so humbled to have the opportunity and ability to have people I can go to in a time of trial and tribulation. I can depend on those people to help me carry the burden and ask God to take it away. Again, thank you for all those who offered prayers. And thank you to those who thanked the Lord on our behalf as well. But most of all I thank our wonderful, merciful, and loving Lord who saw our needs and blessed my little girl. He gave me many blessings today, and taught me a few lessons. I am grateful!

On our short drive home, Alexis fell asleep. When she woke up she saw the empty bottle of Tylenol on my counter. She looked up, pointed and yelled “NO! NO!” Let’s hope she never forgets the lesson she learned today!