Christmas Vacations, Severe Allergic Reactions, and Trips to the ER

So we are in Bremerton now visiting family and despite the buckets of snow it has been a really good trip. Yesterday I decided to take a bath with baby Jesse. Mom had this chamomille & lavender bath Night time ease stuff that I used. I have some at home I just hadn't used it yet. After some pictures of the two boys had at the mall (a herendous feat yesterday!) we got lunch and came home to watch movies and play games.

Some where around 7pm I noticed I was breaking out in a rash. Jesse went up the hill and asked our neighbors for Benadryl which I promptly took. We went to bed and I woke up at 3am feeling like I had a pill stuck in my throat and itching like crazy. Jesse got me some water which I chugged down trying to dislodge the annoying pill. And it was time for more benadryl. At 6am I woke up to my face swollen. Lips, eyes and everything. I walked to the bathroom to take a look and got insanely dizzy. Before I had a chance to get to Jesse I went crashing through the bedroom door to the floor. Jesse asked if I was ok. I said, "Get dad. I think I am having some trouble breathing."

Now I should tell you it snowed buckets here yesterday. At least 6 inches and its still snowing. So dad and Jesse go out to put chains on the tires to take me to the ER. I tried calling all the prompt care places around and all of them didnt open until 9am- and thats if they did considering the weather. I also tried calling my insurance company but that inevitably ended in, "if you'd like to make a call please hang up and try again." Grrrrr...

So we (Big Jesse, me, and dad) went to the hospital and luckily the lady at the counter was a sweet heart! When she asked why I was there I said, "Im having a severe allergic reaction to something." And she responded, "Clearly." And the triage nurse came and got me back to a room within seconds. They asked a lot of questions but ultimately gave me a ton of medications. I got epinephrine (which made me talk REALLY fast- and made Jesse laugh at me A LOT), benadryl (which makes you sick feeling, hecka sleepy, and impeded my short-term memory), and steroids. I was not having difficulty breathing if I was not moving. But when I'd exercise it was harder. Plus, me passing out was a special level of awesome.

After a couple hours they sent us home. It was pretty difficult trying to get home but unfortunately Jesse and mom have been going all over trying to find an open pharmacy. They called recently and just found one in the next town. I have been mostly sleeping all day so I was sleeping off some of the swelling, I'm told my lips looked awesome. Angeline Jolie like. Not as cute when the eyelids did it too. But now I am half as swollen and waiting for my wonderful husband to bring me drugs. I was so glad we went though because since it was progessing despite the benadryl and who knows what would have happened if I didn't go in. Jesse pretty much made me go. He says I am often not a good patient because I will wait until something is REALLY bad. I wish he were lying but he knows me pretty well.

The doctor thinks the baby bubble bath is what I was severely allergic too (Kimmie is allergic too). So no more lavender and chamomille bath for Baby Jesse. Luckily he hasn't reacted or anything. I still feel like I have a pill stuck in my throat and hopefully that will go down as the swelling decreases. I will be on benadryl and steroids the next few days and now I get to have epi-pens with me forever and always!

Our vacation has been good though. I'm bummed because I want to meet old friends and show off baby Jesse but can't because we are snowed in. I have gotten to see my nephew a lot and he is a kick in the pants. I have also gotten to spend a lot of time with family and friends.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I'd be great if this didnt happen again. But we feel good knowing we have stuff in case it gets bad again. And we've thrown out the baby bath stuff.