I also learned at what point during an allergic reaction to use Ethan's Epi-pen. Well, it's sooner rather than later.
Long story short-I put said culprit in Ethan's feed about 9am.
Around noon Parker is holding Ethan and hollers at me that he just threw up. I check him out, and it's all mucous.
Clean bald kid up, sit him back with Parker.
Brian leaves for work around 12:25 and on his way out mentions to me Ethan looks like crap.
Parker hollers at me again-Ethan threw up again.
I hurry and dress thinking I'm about to take a puking kid to Urgent Care to find out he has the flu, strep or some other germ making its way around this time of year.
While packing a bag for the bald kid, Parker hollers for me to come look at E. Now.
He has clawed his button bloody, is scratching at his neck, which is now swollen and has hives on it the size of golf balls.
Freak out. Now.
Give Benadryl.
Find Epi-pen.
Did I mention his face is purple and lips are gray?
He is still breathing.
Mentally debate for 37 seconds to call 911 and wait for ambulance or pack him up and drive the 1.7 miles to Children's Urgent Care?
Grab and run.
Almost at Mercy and he begins to wheeze and suck air in his car seat.
As I'm yelling to him that it will all be ok, I'm also screaming some choice obscenities at the Sunday driver in front of me talking on her phone, looking at herself in the mirror and driving 12 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Not my finest moment.
Not my calmest either.
Cut to front of line at UC and show Ethan to Triage RN.
She calls back that a kiddo has to come back now.
Tech comes to get me and asks if we can weigh him first.
I suppress my urge to punch her. Probably only because I'm carrying Ethan and don't currently have a free hand with which to do so.
In treatment room with 3 nurses, 2 Resp Therapists, UC Dr and ER Fellow and once hooked up to a monitor and see his sats are 72 and his heart rate is 44, hives are covering his face, neck, chest, groin, head, eyelids, and out comes the order for the Epi-pen.
A plunge into his thigh, scream, cry and hold for 10 seconds, during which time I'm not sure anyone in that room took a breath.
Bring on the oxygen, steroid and Zantac. Oh, and get another Epi-pen ready. Just in case.
Fortunately in the 5 hours we got to be observed, he did not relapse. Which can sometimes happen with an anaphylactic reaction when the Epi wears off.
I also learned that the mango plant is botanically similar to poison ivy, and pollen producing plants. Thus if you have a pollen/ragweed allergy, there is a huge list of fruits and veggies you could also be allergic to. Since we already know he is allergic to bananas, he probably has a significant ragweed allergy, thus the reaction from the mango. Oh, and if you are nut allergic-like E is to peanut, cashew, etc., Nuts have a huge cross-reacting tendency with pollen allergies.
Sorry I didn't get a great pic of the hives and fabulousness of his first ever Epi-pen incident.
I will try to be more calm next time and snap a decent pic.
Wait, there won't be a next time.
No more mangoes for Ethan.
Or bananas, or cherries, or oranges.......
Who would ever think a fruit could cause such a severe reaction? Wow! Graham has always gotten a rash from mango, but it has not shown up on a skin test. We avoid it anyway. Interestingly, he is allergic to all nuts.
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