the return...

well, last week---Wednesday to be exact, I notice:

a rash.

On Claire.

Not a huge deal, rashes happen, right? I watch it. It's different from last time. In her diaper area...again. But it made her poor butt bleed. eesh! Well, Nick reminds me to mention this to the doc for her post hospital check up which is the next day: Thursday.

Thursday:

2am: Claire wakes up screaming. Comfort and put back to bed.

8am: Claire wakes up, feed her, put her in bath.........................................AGGHHHH!
Rash has spread. All over torso. Different still from last time (huge red sheet). This is more splotchy. Fever, low but there. Well, we're already going to doc. Good.

10:30am: Doc says looks like viral rash. Probably from being on steroids. Wrecks havoc on immune system. Became weaker and allowed whatever virus that was not touching her to rear ugly head. Watch it and call with questions or concerns.

Friday:

8am: Claire is up and practicing getting in and out of big girl bed, so she won't fall out again. I'm on the phone with Krista (MIL) and we're talking about how big Claire is getting. She mentions that she's concerned about the rash...am I? Nah. It'll be okay. But I look just to be sure.

"uhhh...it's back, Krista." that's right. Rash has mutated into smaller version of last time. Spots aren't as huge, but still big red sheet sizes of hand and smaller instead of whole body. "Go park on the doc's doorstep, deb", Krista tells me. Obviously very concerned. I call Nick and we decide to call doc, because he said we could.

Doc tells me to go to dermatologist.

10:10am: Dermatologist fit me in because doc made them. Ohhh...she probably just got off steroids too soon. Here is a dose. Use for three weeks (horrible for kids, by the way. They NEED their immune systems, which steriods weaken).

Bed time: Claire is exhausted, she has a small fever. Give her IB Proffen and put to bed (after brushing teeth, of course).

Sat:
2:30am: Claire wakes up screaming. She's is BURNING up. I swear it was like she had a temp of 107 F or something. Pass her screaming off to Nick, grab IB Proffen and thermometer. Took it like fourteen times, said different things each time: 103+ Rash all over body.

Call Doc. Use Tylenol and IB Proffen in rotation every three hours.

Fever calms down to 102 F

Drug her up all day Sat, didn't want to walk or crawl several times all day. Wouldn't eat much, drank some. Way fussy. Grampa Matt and Uncle Greg were here with us to help with fence raising. Not a whole lot of fun to be around Claire, poor guys.

This is following WAY too close to two weeks ago. Exact pattern, same symptoms, scaring me to death. AGH!

8pm: Claire is fussier and has higher fever. We forgot to give her her 6pm dose---which does not make me feel better. She's not getting better, we're just masking her symptoms.

8:30pm: Put Claire down, drugged up and delirious.

11:30pm: Dose, fever check 103 F

Sunday:

2:00isham: Dose, fever check 102 F

5:00isham: Dose, fever check 101 F

8:00isham: Dose, fever check 101 F, not walking, drinking or eating.

Call Doc: not sure what to do besides admit her and look more closely. Call us back in a bit.

Give Claire a bath, try and feed her, pack for hospital. She eats ENTIRE BOWL of cereal, starts to crawl a bit, drinks, happy.

Doc calls back:

me: she's doing okay now...?
Doc: if she gets worse, take her to this clinic that's open Sundays and ask to see a guy named Doc Shcnider.

10am: Claire and Dad are exhausted. Put Dad down for a nap and Claire decides she wants to stay with Daddy. In bed with Dad (she's NEVER done this, not even as an infant---cutest thing I've ever seen) for a THREEPOINTFIVE HOUR NAP!

1:30pm: Claire starts to talk, so I know she's awake. I go in to grab her and Nick is ready to get up too. Claire won't drink, feels hot and won't walk. Decide to give her another bath, because we think that's what made the difference this morning. Nope, screamed the whole bath long. Still won't walk, drink, eat.

2:30pm with Doc Schnider:
Take her to Primary Children's Hospital. Doc Bohnsac will be paged, he's a rhumatoidist (or whatever). Could possibly be JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) or something in that family. Uhhhh...did you just say an autoimmune disease????!

6:00pm with three docs at Primary Children's:

All agree it is pseudo serum sickness.

Her blood levels were checked:
37.3 CPR
96 ESR (is that right)
35 White Blood Count

All higher than the first hospital visit.

Treat with steroids (3x the dose that Logan prescribed)

Monday: Went back to specialist, still thinks the same thing.

Hate this diagnosis. Don't agree. How on EARTH could she have contracted it?