4.21.2011

What We Did Last Night-Urgent Care Visit

Vaccines.  I don't love them.  I don't hate them.  I research them.  I avoid them when we are sick in the slightest.  I spread them out.  I avoid ones I think are silly (chicken pox and Hep B)-they can always get them when they are older if necessary.  But never has my child had the slightest reaction to one.  Until now :( 

Charlie got his shots at 3:15pm appt on Tuesday.  Wednesday morning dad changed his diaper and noticed nothing.  I got a text later on that morning to say Charlie had a red rash on his thigh.  He's never had one before, but I know folks where that is the norm after vaccines so she just continued to watch it.  She changed his diaper when I picked him up at 5:15pm and it had grown considerably, was hot to the touch, and his leg was HUGE from the knee up.  The picture makes it look like it was the angle of the camera.  I wish.

I went home and immediately called the on call doc.  A triage nurse called back and, mostly due to my hesitation because it was just so large, she had the on call doc call me.  By time the doc called back, dh had gotten home unexpectedly early for a busy week at work.  I was grateful!  I had just finished nursing the baby when the doc called back too.  The doc said yes, probably shot reaction (hot, red, swollen, and rash up to three days were listed side effects); however she thought it was a good idea to have it checked out just in case it was infection or something.  She listed two kid friendly places, one with a longer wait than the other (but is better).  We'd been there before without too much of an issue so I went there.  Dh stayed home with the baby.  I was only a little concerned b/c AJ is not a fan of bottles unless at daycare where he has adjusted to them and dh has not been able to successfully give him one in months :(  But he keeps trying, bless him!

Charlie and took off and he was in great spirits.  The leg didn't seem to hurt him at all and he played in the waiting room, which was moderately busy.  He got a wild hair for a half an hour and practically lapped the waiting room repeatedly, playing an imaginary game of basketball as his favorite player, which seemed to put smiles on most faces.  You would have never known he was there for his leg.

Getting called back took forever and it was only to be seen by triage nurse.  She agreed it was alarmingly large, but sent us back to the waiting room for a room to open up.  This took several hours. 

Once in the room, at least an hour and a half later, we were seen.  There was a phone there, so I was able to call dh and check on things.  I was so glad to hear the baby took the bottle from him.  You could tell he was relieved and surprised.  It really took some stress out of the night for him.

We had fun getting creative in the room. It was a children's hospital so we had a tv and a dvd in there, but it skipped and my boy was much more interested in being active. We passed the time by reading, playing with the few cars and disney characters we brought, etc. Our favorite way to pass the time (highly recommend this) was taking silly pictures of ourselves. And Charlie is very fond of being recorded and watching it over and over. We actually had a great time, and created some good memories.




Once seen, we found out all was well.  I was pretty sure, but definitely wanted it seen anyway.  There was no infection and we learned if there was it would be harder, tender to the touch, etc if that was the case.  Good to know in the future.  Very glad we have no shots remaining with him until Kindergarten.



7 comments:

Amazing Life said...

So glad everything turned out well! Shots make me unhappy :(

Second Chances said...

I know, I hate the shots too. But you weigh everything and make those tough decisions. So glad he's ok! He's such a sweetheart!!!

Simone said...

glad to hear that he is okay! Wow that was some reaction.

Lauren @ Magnify the Lord with Me said...

I'm with you on vaccines- though I think we're skipping a little more- but oh my goodness how scary!!!!! Yikes, yikes, yikes. What an ordeal! Glad y'all were able to have fun despite it. Which vaccine did that?

Julie said...

we skip most of the vaccines because Bella reacted at 4 and 6 months.
glad Charlie is doing better

Jill said...

Poor baby!!! That evil vaccine! Is it the one I think it was??

I say "poor baby" but it sure does look like he is having a hoot hollerin' good time at the hospital!

Manda said...

My daughter got very sick about 10 days after the mmr...extremely high fever, unresponsive..turned into pneumonia. Turns out, it's a side-effect. I don't get vaccines for my babies anymore, and wait til they are about to enter kindergarten---only the necessary ones, and that way many of them are moot by that point.http://www.thinktwice.com/mmr.htm