A Blessing for Scarlett & A Blessing for Me

Scarlett in her blessing dress and bracelet that Jami made

Scarlett was given a name and a blessing by her dad on Sunday July 10th (luckily he named her the same name as her birth certificate - whew!)  We waited until she was 4 months old because I really wanted James to be in the circle and he was just ordained last week (see http://ElderSeaver.blogspot.com/2011/07/ordained.html).  She was really fussy right before Jake stood up, but she was quiet the whole prayer.  Afterward Jake held her up and she looked around at everyone with her bright, alert eyes!  So cute!!!

James, Dad S, Nate, Scarlett, Jake, Dad G, Kent, & Grandpa Seaver (Dave was home sick)

Afterwards we got together for a delicious luncheon at my parent's house with the Seaver and Glauser families.  It was fun to have them all together, I think the last time that happened was for our wedding 3.5 yrs ago.  We also got to celebrate Kassidy's 13th bday!

Glauser Family (except Jenny who had to work)

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the Seaver Family (they escaped my efforts.. this time....)

Dad G, Mom G, Jake, Scarlett, Jenni, Mom S, Dad S

Our little family!

That evening when I got home I wasn't feeling too great.  I had to take Benadryl and do my nebulizer - but I just attributed this to being at my parent's house all day with Chumlee hair and the crazy high pollen levels.  I woke up around 12:40 am with a terrible stomach ache.  I went to the bathroom to get some medicine, while I was in there my eyes went from slightly itchy to really swollen.  I started getting hives all over.  I quickly took two more Benadryl then decided to wake Jake to give me a Priesthood Blessing.  He was confused when I turned the lights on, but he quickly snapped into gear and gave me a blessing.  At the end I was starting to look really bad and based on the intensity and speed of the reaction we decided to go the the emergency room.  

We threw on some clothes, grabbed Scarlett, and jumped in the car.  On the way to the Provo ER I shot myself with my Epi-Pen (scary!)  (my CT nurse friend Jennah taught me to use my Epi-Pen when a reaction quickly inhibits my breathing, and my throat was closing up). We rushed in the waiting room and I told the guy at the counter "I think I'm having an allergic reaction", he looked up at me and said "why yes you are!"

Anaphylactic Shock

I quickly got admitted to a room and the doctor came in to talk to me.  He gave me a shot of Vistaril (cousin to Benadryl), a dose of Prednisone, and some Pepcid (apparently there are two types of histamines that the body produces and one is what gives you heart burn - so in really bad reactions they give you Pepcid and Benadryl to stop the both types of histamines).  Then we had to wait and see if my reaction stopped.  By this time my skin was lobster red, emitting fiery heat, and covered in unbearably itchy hives.  I also had some issues in the bathroom which is because the same reaction that happens on the outside of your body happens on the inside.

Eventually my reaction turned the corner and started slowing down (so I didn't need another dose of Epi).  The ER doctor went over things that cause anaphylactic shock, but we couldn't figure it out.  I hadn't eaten any nuts that day - and usually those reactions are immediate, whereas this one came on after hours of sleeping. YIKES!!!

Action shot! (even though I actually used the Epi-Pen 30 min prior to this) - see how red my face is!

Jake took such good care of me - and Scarlett slept through it all!

After a few hours of the medicine kicking in, they let us go home.  Jake and I went to Walgreens at 3:30 am to fill my steroid and Epi-Pen prescriptions, and to stock up on Benadryl and Pepcid. I slept really well with all those antihistamines in my body.  When I woke up I noticed red scratch marks all over my body where I drew blood from the hives - ouch!  My skin's still puffy but a few days on the steroid will help clear everything up.

It made me nervous to not know what caused this reaction, so I called my allergist, Dr. Yeates, and went and saw him this afternoon.  He walked in and immediately asked "did you have any aspirin or Ibuprofen yesterday?"  Yes!  I had taken several doses of 800mg Ibuprofen over the weekend because I went running and really hurt my c-section incision.  "And did you also have a runny nose?"  Yes again!  Within 5 seconds he had figured it out!  I'm so glad he's my allergist (I've been going to him since I was really little).  But man, that's bad news!  I can't have any NSAIDs anymore.  There isn't a conclusive test to verify that this is the correct allergy, but it all fits (including the really painful tummy ache that woke me up).  And these reactions can happen up to 8 hours after taking the medicine (which is why it came on after I went to sleep).  He said it was probably a perfect storm: the dosages of Ibuprofen, the high pollen levels, the dog hair - just enough to push me over the edge.

Dr. Yeates said that I did everything correct in that situation (which made me feel better).  He was even impressed that I shot the Epi-Pen in the right location and held it for the required 10 seconds (apparently people forget both of those steps).  I told him that Jake and I shoot the expired Epi-Pens into rotten fruit.  Practice makes perfect!  I was just thinking a few months ago the Epi-Pens are a waste of money.  I'm so careful with not eating nuts that I haven't had an anaphylactic reaction in over 10 years, so I think the scary factor had warn off.  But it's back!  And I definitely don't think that the Epi-Pens are a waste of money any more!!!

Now that I know I'm allergic to NSAIDs, I think I've had a similar reaction before, but I thought it was the air freshener in my old gym (see http://glauserglovebox.blogspot.com/2009/11/just-call-me-hydrogen.html).  I must have taken Ibuprofen that day too!

I'm so grateful to be married to a faithful Priesthood holder whom I love so very much and who takes such good care of me!!!  Thanks Jake!