Carmella's Hang Out

Update on my attack {allergy}
So as it turns out, the swelling in my arms yesterday was not all fine and good. As the day continued, the lumps only got bigger, more painful, and more problematic. Wrapping them in ace bandages helped take care of some of the pain, and let the size come down, but my night was far from normal.

I was unable to get to sleep for a much needed pregame nap, due to the breathing problems I was having, and a feeling that is really very hard to describe. It was kind of a mix of anxiety, pain, suffocation, and nerves. I could just not lay still, and sleep was not coming. I got up early and went to watch the game as planned.

The game was a very important one for my favourite team, so it was an exciting one to be watching. It is for this reason that I would get very agitated, annoyed {at the refs for stupid calls and such} jumpy, excited, and just over all animated. I soon saw, however, that this was not the best thing to be in my ‘condition’.

Part way into the third I think it was, I could no longer sit and do nothing about my labored breathing. I had been trying to ignore it, but it was become less forgettable. However, movement only made things worse, and the very act of getting out of my chair and walking up the stairs in search of one of my inhalers, proved to be nearly too much for me.

Once again, Praise the Lord for the sister I have!! Knowing I was not doing well, she quietly followed me up after a few moments, and found me crouched down in the living room trying to get a deep breath through the tears that would no longer stay at bay. She retrieved my inhaler, and I suggested we return to the game while I tried to calm down and feel better. {wow am I glad we did! YAY for a play off spot clinched! huzzah!} For the rest of the game, I had to be careful not to cheer or get too animated at all, since movement still proved to be inconclusive to proper breathing.

After the game, I went to bed in hopes that I could sleep it all off and still be able to go to work in the morning. Sleep did not come any easier than before, and in fact was harder than it had been during my try at a nap. There was just no laying down flat, no staying still but no moving! I told Kade when she came to bed a bit later, that had it been last year, and I was still on insurance, I would be asking to be taken to the ER.

I finally took a Benadryl {The entire time I had hopes to be well enough in the morning to go to work, and that medication makes me so sleepy and loopy that it can be hard for me to function as I would need to. It is for that reason I did not take it right away…seeing if I could just get through it myself without meds, and be awake in the morning.} and Kade says I drifted to sleep with a bit better breathing, sometime around 2 in the morning.

At 5, Mum woke me up for work and I did in fact go in. I really REALLY hate calling in, and if there was any way I was able to complete my shift, I wanted to try. I have gone to work before after a night spent in the ER hooked up to oxygen and getting shots for anaphylaxis, with my IFC strapped on to deaden the pain of my back, and after staying up most of the night throwing up from a flax seed reaction. I know I can work after a rough night!

However, it seems my arch enemy is shortness of breath. I was not able to stay more than two hours at work. The rash that is a big time indicator of my allergy attack, began to creep up over my arms, onto my chest, and up my neck onto my face.

Wow…all of that to say, I had a horrid night, came home sick from work, slept from 9 to 3, am feeling better now and have no rash!! My lungs are still very sore and I am really worn out from fighting it all, but I am doing so much better than before.

Praise the Lord for my awesome sister who helped me stay calm through it all, a great boss who let me go home no questions asked, understanding co-workers who didn’t act upset with me for coppin out on them today, and amazing parents who are continuing to help me pay for all the medical ’stuff’ that continues to plague me!!

My check up with the allergist, an appointment I have had since last year, is tomorrow morning. I will be taking in the photos of my arms, along with the long list of symptoms which I wrote down last night as they came, and will be talking to him about this all!! I have to believe that it had something to do with the way my shot was administered yesterday. It was in a different spot than normal {the nurses all inject into the top of my arm, but more to the side, while the doc put it almost UNDER the top of my arm} and did not act the same in any way. I know I am going to get scolded for not calling them, and not going into the ER…..but they were closed by the time I was having the real difficulty, and I can’t afford the ER!! I am hoping he will give me more answers….answers that do not include more shots, since they were suppose to be down to once a month or so a LONG time ago, and answers that are money saving not money draining!

Oh, and I did take photos of the reaction on my arm, as I said yesterday, but upon looking at them on the computer…..I really don’t think anyone wants me posting them here!! It really looks gross!!

“May I hold you, may I help you breath?” -Trading Yesterday’s “May I”-