Monday, March 30, 2009

Itchy Scratchy Itchy Scratchy

That's pretty much been my routine since last friday.

What I thought was an infected c-section (thought this because my dr. told me she thought it was....) turned out to not be an infection after all.

It all started around 3:30 pm friday afternoon. After a c-section your incision gets rather itchy once it starts healing (a 7 on a scale of 1-10). So, I thought this was routine. But it itched like crazy (a 10 out of 10), and seemed to be swelling so I took Benadryl all weekend, tried a few topical creams (that would help about 45 min) and decided to wait till tuesday to see the Dr. (I waited till tuesday so I wouldn't have to drive the 60 min to Kailua).

I'm telling you, if someone wanted to get any kind of info out of me, all they would have had to do was dangle some non-itch cream guaranteed to work in front of my face, and I would tell them anything they wanted.

So, TUESDAY when I went in and the dr./nurse checked the incision she said..."Wow Matti, that is definitely infected, "but it kind of looks like an allergic reaction too. Let's start you on some anti-biotics and come to the clinic in Kailua thursday so we can see if it's getting better."

Headed for home, and grabbed drugs on the way back. Got home...took drugs. I was feeling good, and excited to get this whole itchiness over-with. I had renewed hope~ As the evening wore on I began feeling dizzy and sleepy so I went to bed earlier than usual.

I woke up feeling better than I had in days. But around noon I began some CRAZY itching on my palms, and the itch spread to my belly. Called Dr. "Sounds like an allergy to Penicillin...stop taking it. Take some Benadryl, and I'll call in a new prescription"

Jonathon gets new prescription on the way home....non-penicillin. I take pill, rash spreads more. Now on hands, belly, back, and arms. Don't think too much of it.

Take another non-penicillin pill in the morning, rash gets worse on stomach and begins to show up on wrists, elbow pits, ankles, and lower back, across my chest, up my neck and left ear!

Pretty sure I am allergic to this new pill too.

Head back down to Kailua to see Dr. Chapman. She looks at "infected incision"... Tells me it actually is probably just an allergic reaction to the steri-strips and glue they put on my stomach after the surgery.

So, she prescribes to stop taking the anti-biotics that I seem to be allergic to....since all I have is an ALLERGIC REACTION in the 1ST PLACE!!!

4 more days later...skin seems to be just about back to normal. Thank goodness for Benadryl. Poor Texton slept pretty much the week through since the medicine gets passed through breast milk. And it feels like I missed a whole week too, since my head was in the clouds for the most part. I couldn't believe a whole week and 3 days has started since this whole itchy-ness came about. But I am sooooooooooooo glad that the itchiness it just about over...I hope.

But I tell ya... these babies are worth every moment and every scratch or pain! Just looking at his sweet little face and holding him was the best anti-itch medicine God could have made specifically for me.


10 comments:

Stephanie said...

oh man- such an ordeal!!! so glad you are feeling better!

Ashley C said...

I'm so sorry. I can TOTALLY relate because I had a horrible allergic reaction to the iodine the anesthesiologist used for my epidural. It was a huge, itchy rash for weeks.
Texton is so cute. He looks so much like Eden did.

Karen said...

I'm glad you are feeling less itchy! :) I cant believe how chubby Tex is already getting. I LOVE it!

stef j. said...

so super annoying ... yay for benadryl and, well, i guess just benadryl

stef j. said...

so super annoying ... yay for benadryl and, well, i guess just benadryl

liko said...

i'm just glad it wasn't anything too crazy, know what i mean? i bet that itch drove you nuts...good to know that you're allergic to that, for future reference.

Sarah Frantz said...

ahhhh! The same thing happened to me this time, allergic to the steri-strips. I had just asked the nurse for some anti-itch before I left the hospital, but it took about 2+ weeks to go away! Terrible!!! I can sympathize with you!

Tara said...

gosh. that sounds horrible! i hope you feel better. i have NOT been impressed with the doctors here in hawaii!

wood0306 said...

AHHH... What a mess. I am glad that is it over to. He is such a cutie Matti. I am so proud of you!!!

Stephanie said...

we will be going to turtle bay for april's aloha friday beach day @ 9:30am til whenever you need to leave! i figure we can relax under their handy umbrellas if it rains while we are there and then keep playing when it stops! invite anyone and everyone and hope to see you there!

2 peas from my pod

2 peas from my pod