To say last night did not go according to plan would be an understatement. Anytime you end up in the ER with a crying two year old who is fighting off nurses and doctors, you know your evening has gone off the rails.
The night started simple enough. We would walk about a mile over to Brookdale Park where the U.S. Military Academy Band was performing followed by a fireworks display. We were to meet up with friends, relax and enjoy the show while the kids played then head home with two tired children who would promptly go to bed.
Well, that was the plan. Before the night ended though, I was in the ER with Caleb as he experienced an allergic reaction and Caelyn was on her first sleepover, with a boy no less. Definitely not how I expected the evening to go.
When we arrived at Brookdale for the show, I got word from our friend Amy that she and her son Matthew who is Caelyn's age were there and they made their way to where we were setting up our spot on the lawn. Interesting enough, we were at the same park last year for a concert and fireworks display with Amy when Caelyn got lost in the crowd. Perhaps we should stay away from fireworks displays at Brookdale in the future.
Caelyn had been eyeing the ice cream truck at the back of the crowd since we arrived so we took the kids to get ice cream. Kerry got ice cream as well. It was an ice cream bar with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups mixed in.
While we had never given Caleb peanuts before, we were not concerned about him having an allergic reaction to them. We had them in the house and didn't hesitate to give him foods that warned they had been processed on equipment that handled nuts. So when Caleb begged a bite of ice cream from is mom, it didn't even cross our minds that there could be a problem.
Caleb ate a few bites of ice cream then started running around again. About 1/2 hour later his nose was running, his eyes were red and watering, his face was getting puffy and he started scratching himself all over.
Having had eczema problems periodically for most if his life, Caleb's itching didn't raise any alarm bells at first. He was over tired and out in a field. We just thought something in the grass was bothering him.
As things started to get worse, Kerry remembered the peanut butter in the ice cream. Amy remembered the EMTs at the park and volunteered to watch Caelyn while Kerry and I took Caleb to be checked out.
The EMTs took all of two minutes to decide the best and safest course of action was to take Caleb to the ER. I took him and headed to the ambulance while Kerry went back to look after Caelyn.
It was my first time in an ambulance. The EMTs were wonderful. They kept close tabs on Caleb and didn't leave us until the triage nurse called us in shortly after we arrived.
The triage nurse and the ER doctor provided quick care and determined that while Caleb was definitely having an allergic reaction, there was no immediate danger. His oxygen and pulse rate were fine and he had no trouble breathing.
For his part, Caleb was pissed. He did not want people messing with him. So when it came time to administer the shot of Benadryl, it took me, the doctor and the triage nurse to hold him still.
The Benadryl kicked in and Caleb quickly fell asleep with me lying next to him. Oddly enough, the ER room we were placed in was the same room I was placed in when I had to be hospitalized for high blood pressure years earlier. We spent the next couple of hours keeping tabs on Caleb before it was fully determined the Benadryl was doing the job and Caleb could be discharged.
While all this was going on at the ER, Kerry and Caelyn were still in Brookdale Park. Kerry was worrying about Caleb while I would periodically send her updates. Caelyn was caught up in the excitement of the fireworks. According to Kerry, it was hard to tell whether our daughter or the fireworks were louder.
When the fireworks were over, Amy asked if Kerry wanted Caelyn to come home with them since Kerry would be heading to the ER soon. Caelyn heard the question and that sealed the deal. Her first sleepover was to begin and Caelyn went home with Amy and Matthew.
Caelyn had never spent the night away from both Kerry and I before so we fully expected to get a call in the middle of the night. That call never came. Caelyn had a blast. She and Matthew watched a show then went to sleep on the futon in the play room and didn't wake until morning though according to Matthew, Caelyn snores which is something Kerry and I already knew.
Caleb spent the night in bed with Kerry and I. Neither of us slept that well. We had to give Caleb a 3 a.m. dose of Benadryl and our minds had a tough time winding down from the days events.
When morning came, I went to pick Caelyn up. When we got home and she saw her brother, her relief was evident as she exclaimed, "He looks OK."
Now I am getting used to the idea of having a child with a food allergy. I will be picking up epi-pens later on today. They will now go everywhere we go. I threw out the peanuts I had in the cabinet and will now need to read every label to look for things processed on equipment that handles nuts. I also have to watch out for things cooked in peanut oil. All things I never thought about less than 24 hours before.
Life is funny that way. Just when you think you know what's what, the world shifts. So now we shift with it and thank God that Caleb is home safe and sound.
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