The scariest 2 days of my life - Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday continued with my terrible week.

Before I left for work this morning, I received a call from the school nurse. She informed me that B has been stung by a bee on his stomach through his shirt. He had a small flat red circle where he had been stung but otherwise was fine. This was at 8:15AM. She asked me if he had ever been stung before. I said yes, many times, and never had a reaction. She said that was good news but she would just keep an eye on him the next few hours. She circled the red mark on his belly with a pen so she could determine if it was getting bigger.

She checked on him every 20 - 25 minutes. She had him keep an ice pack on it to keep the swelling down. At 12:30 it was his lunch/recess time so she said that he didn't need to check back with her until after recess since there didn't seem to be any progression of the circle on his tummy. At 1:30 when he came to her office she checked his stomach and the circle had progressed about 2 inches around. She called me to inform me of this and asked for permission to administer Benedryl. I, of course, said yes. She insisted that he was just fine otherwise. I told her was going into a training session at 2pm and to call my voice mail just to let me know how things were going in and hour but to call my cell phone if she needed me urgently.

I started my training session at 2pm and at 2:15 my cell phone rang. My heart sank to my knees. It was the school nurse. She said that it was continuing to progress and that he was now breaking out into hives on his trunk, neck, face & arms. I needed to come get him because he was really itchy. She said he was still fine otherwise and that I just needed to get him because he was really uncomfortable. I said ok. I ended my training, went back to my desk, packed up my laptop etc and headed out the door.

Now, right at that moment, we were in the middle of a horrendous thunderstorm. It was pouring out. I got in the car and realized I had NO GAS. Also, I had hit a pot hole the previous week and I was riding around on a donut because I hadn't had time to get to the dealer ship to see if it could be fixed. (that's a story for another day). So, I get on the highway and I can only go 40 mph b/c of the tire and the rain. As I am driving to the rest stop on the highway (about 5 miles) I call the pediatrician office to see if the want me to bring him in. I speak to the nurse who says she'll need to consult with the dr and call me back.

I pull into the gas station and get out. I am going back and forth with myself...should I just put in $10 worth or should I fill it. I decide to fill it because I don't know where I am going to have to go today. I drive a mini-van with a 20 gallon tank and I am at the worlds slowest gas pump. It too 10 minutes to fill it. Why I didn't just stop half way through is beyond me....but I didn't'. I get back in the car and see I missed the Dr. calling back. So, I call them again. They tell me that they want me to take him to the ER for precaution. OK, I can do that.

I hang up and call my husband to tell him that they want me to take him to the ER. He says, "OK, don't panic. He's ok. They had to give him an EPIpen shot because his throat was starting to close up and he couldn't breath. When they do that they have to call the ambulance. They are on their way to the ER." I felt the blood drain from my face. I was driving so I had to stay calm. I started taking deep breaths and I just kept saying "yep", "ok", "I understand". I had to get off the highway and take the main road into the city because my tire was still wobbling all over the place. What normally would take 15 minutes to drive took me 45 minutes. It was the longest drive of my life. I kept thinking of all the terrible out comes. Then I started praying. I just wanted to be there and make sure he was ok. I was feeling parazlized to do anything because of the stupid traffic. It was just the worse feeling I have ever had....THE WORSE.

I finally get to the ER. I run in and the behavior specialist from the school (who rode in the ambulance with him) meets me at the door. She tells me that everything is ok...that he is fine. That they are giving him steroids and he's been given oxygen and using some humidifier thing. (I forget the name). She brings me back. I walk into the room and he's chatting up a storm with the nurses. I wanted to run and hug him and break down crying but I was afraid to 1. scare him and 2. embarrass him (he is 10 afterall). He smiles up at me. It's at this moment I know that he is going to be just fine.

P joins us about 20 minutes later. Then we spend the next 4 hours there because they need to observe him to make sure he doesn't have a rebound reaction. We head home after the 4 hours goes by with a RX for 2 epipens and 4 days worth of prednisone. We stop to eat on the way home and B seem like himself. What a day!

The next morning his doctor's office calls to say they want to see him. I make an appointment for 12:40. At 8:15 I take the neighbor's kids over to the school and B comes with us so he can pick up his book bag and papers. I go into the nurses office to tell her he's doing well and to thank her. He come into the office 5 minutes later and his face is covered in hives. We go into her office and she pulls up his shirt. He has hives all over his belly. She calls his dr and tells them what is happening. They say if the hives continue to administer the epipen again. We give him Benedryl first and wait. Hives continue to progress. So, we give him the epipen which means we need to call for the ambulance again. Now, I am still in my PJ's with just my jacket on. I don't even have my purse with me but before the ambulance takes him I run over to the house and grab it. I come back to the school and jump in the ambulance. Back to the ER we go.

To make a long story short. He is fine. We stay the 4 hours again and then head to his Dr. office. The Dr says we need to see an allergist. He says the 2nd epipen was probably overkill but you do always need to err on the side of caution.

I guess this type of delayed reaction and then secondary reaction is not completely unheard of, but it is very rare. He's just going to have to have an Epipen with him at all times now. Should make for a fun summer! I called the allergist and they can't see him until Aug 10th! Gotta love the medical system.

So, needless to say, it was an interesting 2 days. I am so grateful he is ok. I have never been so scared in my life. Of course, my body is paying the price today, but I can handle it. I am just glad he's ok.