Waiting for the Unknown

Compassion, sympathy, thoughts, kinds words and prayers offered are just a few of the things that have brought me to tears today.  These things have been the good parts of my day.

On Monday morning, Daniel broke out in hives.  They disappeared before school started and broke out again before his scheduled well check with the pediatrician.  Our pediatrician examined him and said the hives are normal with viral infections- he's getting over a cough and cold.

Tuesday afternoon, Daniel began complaining of foot pain.  By dinner, he was limping around the house and crying.  His feet were swollen along with his hands and he cried whenever I touched his feet.  In the middle of the night, he woke up to go to the bathroom and didn't quite make it.  I laid him back in bed and tried to change his pajamas, but he screamed every time I touched his feet and just lay there curled up in the fetal position.  The way he held his hands made it look like they were deformed and crippled.

By the morning time, he wasn't looking much better and we'd already given him a few doses of Benadryl.  It was time for the emergency room. 

I love the Summerlin Pediatric ER.  We were in right away and only had to wait for the doctor to see a few other patients before us.  He came in and wanted Daniel in a gown so he could check his whole body.  Well, while putting Daniel in the gown, I noticed his feet and hands had started bruising.

The doctor came in and looked at the bruising and immediately started whispering (so Daniel couldn't hear) that he needed to take blood to run a clot test along with some other tests, a urine sample and he needed an IV put in.  At this point, I was scared.  But I had to put on a brave face for Daniel

This was the first time he had an IV and his blood drawn.  He was a champ.  I joked with him about being a vampiire and now he had blood to drink.  All the while I had my arm around his head and held down his arm so he wouldn't jump.  He was so brave and it helped me to be calm.  I felt like crying so many times.

The doctor and nurse were amazed with him and claimed he was the easiest patient, so they showered him with popsicles, toys and stickers.  That was nice for him to get pampered.

After awhile and lots of medication pushed through his IV, Daniel finally started looking better.  The doctor came back with the labs and said everything looked good, but I needed to follow up with his doctor in two days.  We also need to wait for a few days to see what the urine and blood culture show up.  The hives are from a viral infection causing angioedema, but we don't know what is causing the bruising and swelling in his feet.  Hopefully, we will get some answers when we meet with his pediatrician on Friday.

I am frightened out of my mind to be honest.  I tend to overreact, but I'd just like to know what is causing this.  He's my baby.

He was fine the rest of the day, but this evening he started breaking out in hives again and his feet are bruising again.  I can hardly wait until Friday.  I hope and pray we get some answers then.

This is how it looked when it started.

 

This is what he looked like tonight right when he started breaking out again.  And if anything touches him more than a soft touch, it leaves a mark for almost 30 minutes.

 (I really wish I had taken my camera to the E.R.  He looked so horrible while we were there.  And I just kept thinking, "Why didn't I think to bring my camera?"  I'm such a great mom!)