You're Allergic to Your Kids

Eye Can See Clearly Now

Jake had his 3 month LASEK follow up this week.  His right eye is 20/20 and his left eye is 20/15.  The doctor said the right eye will probably catch up to the left.  When he examined Jake's eyes he said "wow, it doesn't even look like we've done surgery on your eyes!"  Jake's loving the crystal clear vision.  He hasn't had any issues with dry eyes and his night vision is great (no halos!)  YAY!

You're Allergic to Your Kids

So I don't know if you remember, around Halloween my eye freaked out and had hives/itchiness/infection galore.  Well ever since then I've had hive attack after hive attack.  My whole body is one big itchy mess.  Jake and I tried to figure out the cause.  Pollen?  Nothing's pollinating right now.  Mold in our shower head? He soaked it in bleach just to make sure (we were trying everything).  Dryer sheets too fragrant?  Something I'm eating?  Dust?  We tried everything.  We replaced all the filters in our house, aired out the place (super cold this time of year), took things out of my diet, etc.... it's been so frustrating.  Even the last time I face-timed with Kandy she was like "do you have hives all over your arms?!?"  yes, yes I do.  Finally, after two straight weeks of being in a Benadryl induced coma and waking up with bloody scratch marks all over my skin (gross!), I made an appointment with my allergist (yes, the pediatric one...).

Side story: One morning I went in the twins's room and they had both spun 180deg in their cribs!  I was so impressed that they decided to turn at the EXACT same time!  They are so identical!  But the more I thought about it, the more I was unsure about the whole thing.  What is more likely - since they haven't turned like that since - is that in my Benadryl stupor I just put them in their cribs with their heads on the opposite ends of the cribs.  I've done a few crazy things in my zombie state - like putting them in the wrong cribs.  Doesn't seem like a big deal, but it really confuses me the next time I go in their room.

Anyways....... I dragged my girls to the allergist during an awful winter day.  It was 2pm and my car said it was -2degF!  The roads were sheets of ice.  Just pushing my stroller into the building was a full body workout.  But I love going to their office.  They seriously treat my girls like little celebrities.  This is one of the major differences between Canton and Orem - the baby factor.  Out here in MI there just aren't that many young, married moms with several little kids.  Even before they realize there are two babies in the stroller, the girls attract attention.  I think it's lots of fun - especially since it's so much work to get out of the house, it's like a little celebration for getting everyone out the door.  Silly, I know...

Anyways, anyways..... the allergist came in and told me "well, you're allergic to your kids."  !?!?!?!  "ok, maybe not literally, but kinda sorta."  Basically what's happening is my immune system is turning back on and trying to reset after being pregnant with the twins and that's what's been causing my crazy hives!  Basically has nothing to do with my allergies (which is why my asthma hasn't been affected).  In order to get rid of them he put me on a week long blast of Prednisone.  Ugh.  And I'm supposed to take 2 Claritin a day for the next 6 months til I see him next.  Ironically, my mom had to go on Prednisone this week too!  Twinners!

I have such a love/hate relationship with Prednisone.  On the one hand it has literally saved my life several times.  But on the other the long-term side effects have caused me lots of grief over the years.  Almost all my pictures as a kids feature an embarrassing (and very typical) Prednisone-induced Moon Face (see photo below).  I always like to believe that somehow I will magical skip the side effects and just be able to enjoy my clear skin.  I have not been that lucky this week.  Although my skin is starting to finally clear and I'm not scratching myself to death, the side effects are evident (at least to Jake).  I told him I wasn't feeling grumpy/depressed from the medication, but that everyone was just annoying me.  haha!  I baked myself a cake and ate almost half of it that night.  It takes forever to fall back asleep after feeding the twins.  My face is looking puffy.  My legs hurt.  I want to cry.  and yell.  and eat.

Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug. It is used to treat certain inflammatory diseases (such as moderate allergic reactions) and (at higher doses) some types of cancer, but has significant adverse effects. Because it suppresses the immune system, it leaves patients more susceptible to infections. 

Yes, yes, that's a Tamagotchi around my Moon-faced neck.  Awesome, I know.

Some of the Side Effects...

• Difficulty controlling emotion

• Difficulty in maintaining train of thought

• Immunosuppression

• Weight gain

• Facial swelling. Severe. (aka Moon Face - see picture)

• Depression, mania, psychosis, or other psychiatric symptoms

• Unusual fatigue or weakness

• Mental confusion / indecisiveness

• Insomnia

• Severe joint pain

• Anxiety

• Stomach pain or bloating

• Severe swelling

• Appetite gain

• Increased thirst

• Leg pain/cramps

During this course of treatment, I've been thinking a lot about Jami.  These side effects are a bummer, but after a week they will taper off and eventually (mostly) go away.  But not for Jami.  With Cushing's Disease her body is over-producing cortisol (a natural corticosteroid) among many other symptoms.  This is just a minuscule taste of the hell that she's having to live through.  It's times like these that I am reminded of her strength of character and her ability to find joy among so much physical trauma.  I'm proud to be a member of Team Jami!