Sunday night the 4th of October, after Alin's parents left we took the kids to Mooney's Bay to play in the sand. I had a long maxi dress and hoodie on and laid in the sand for a few minutes than kept sitting while they played. It was a beautiful night and the kids were excited to be playing. We also dragged Alin along. After a while we went home, put kids to bed and while I was lying in Abbie's bed I could feel my leg getting itchy. After everyone was asleep I got up and went to have a shower, as I hoped out of the shower I noticed I had hives all over my lower right calf, up to my thigh and all across my tummy. Showed Alin and decided I would call our Dr. in the morning.
Monday morning instead of waiting for the office to open I just drove there and waited to see her by this time there were more and covering more territory. When she examined me she concluded that it was an allergic reaction and sent me home telling me to get some Benedryl and Reactine. I started on them right away and noticed the itching got a little better but the hives were now traveling up my arms, other legs, back.
Monday night Josh Dugan and Brother Healge came over to give me a blessing ( In Josh's blessing he said that I would return to health but the doctor and doctors would be able to figure out, I remember thinking Dr.s? I just want to go to one and be fixed) Wednesday I went back in, it was taking on a different look and was starting to turn purple in the middle of the areas, she thought it was a little different and sent me for a ton of blood tests and then I came home.
Thursday my legs started swelling, saw her again and had her colleague give a second opinion. Friday I went again and she took pictures and referred me to Monfort Hospital to see a dermatologist. Saturday was Abbie's birthday party and I didn't want to cancel it for her so we had a great time and I will post in a separate post about it. Alin's parents were back again this weekend for Thanksgiving and Abbie's Birthday party. Saturday evening I developed a fever and Dr. Rodrigue had told me if that happened to go to the emergency room. So Sunday morning found me in the emergency room and a waste of time as they gave me a Rx for steroids but I wasn't supposed to take them till after my biopsy on Tuesday. Thanksgiving was a right off for us, Alin's parents made it but I just couldn't get into the holiday and I was feeling super stressed and sick. Alin's parents left on Monday and on Tuesday Alin took off work so I could go to the hospital for the biopsy. I stopped first at Dr. Rodrigue for her to take another look and collect some info and blood work results to take to Dr. Julie Lacroix. By this time it's been 9 days since everything started, my body is covered everywhere, except for my face. So people talk to me and have no idea how awful the rest of me feels because I don't look unwell in my face. I sat down at the hospital waiting for my visit and laid on the couch, I was exhausted, worried and feeling horrible, my legs are so swollen, red and hot in the thighs and hives have shown up on the palms of my hands, feet and everywhere. She pulled me into the room, talked to me for a bit and then was thinking they would do a quick biopsy, she then asked me to take off my clothes, put on a robe and then she would come back in. When she came back in she took one look at me and said "we are admitting you" Words like Steven Johnsons disease, EM major, Em minor, and a plethora of other things were thrown around. I was shocked I never expected them to admit me right then. I hadn't even properly kissed the kids and Alin good bye or packed anything. In fact I had a half eaten apple in Alin's car because I was going to finish it when I got out. I started to cry, this is not where I was wanting to be. Called Alin and explained and then waited for a room. That night they did a chest xray, started me on drugs to shut my immune system down, put a sign over my bed that said Cytoxin and I was overwhelmed, scared, missing my family and worried. It seems no one knows what it is but are starting at the worse case scenerio's.
Dan McAteer and Josh Dugan came over to the hospital again to give me another blessing. When Bishop Dan asked me how I was I burst into tears, it's the not knowing that's driving me crazy and being away from my family. Part of the blessing was that I would be calm and return to health that I would trust in the doctors that they would do the best in their expertise. Everyone left soon after that and I could feel myself fall apart. I dislike immensely being alone. I have never liked it. The lady next door called out for a nurse every 5 minutes and I lay there and watched the clock tick by moment by moment. Alin handles stress by doing things and not going to bed. Some of the text messages that night...
Then the next day we were visiting and when I looked up he had a few tears in his eyes and just said he hated seeing me like this. I felt bad it's hard for me being sick but it's also super draining for the loved one to watch as well. I had an ultrasound because my liver enzymes were high and they came back saying my spleen was enlarged. Started on prednisone iv and have since graduated to pills. Alins parents ended coming back to watch kids and then left again Friday when I was home. It's still a bit of a guessing game with no one really giving us definite answers.
Frustrating part is some of the blood tests are sent to public health and can take up to 56 days?!? This morning I had another appt with Dr Julie Lacroix she was pleased with the healing but I need to take it easy and follow up with the spleen. I have prayed a milion prayers for answers and a return to health. I was never so grateful to make lunches, breakfast and laundry in my life. A wake up call. So lots more tests and appts and hopefully soon we can get to the bottom of this.
