Erythema Multiforme

      Back in July, Hannah and I were playing on the floor when I noticed a few little hives on her arm. We had just finished a breakfast of eggs and strawberries (two very high allergens), but nothing she hadn't had before. Knowing well that an allergic reaction comes after one or several introductions to the allergen itself, I grabbed some Benadryl, kept a close eye on her, and told Justin to hold on eggs and strawberries until we saw the pediatrician. No big deal, I got this right? 

     I waited for the hives to go away, but they didn't. In fact, they continued to get worse. Ten hours later, the Benadryl wasn't working and Hannah's trunk was nearly covered. By 9pm, we were packing her into the car and on our way to the ER. Terrified for Hannah and, admittedly, for the repercussion of taking your daughter to the ED for a "rash"- there we were. Thankfully, one of the doctors I have long worked with in the Adult ED (who is also board certified in pediatric emergency medicine) was there and so was my awesome sister. Almost immediately, Dr. W. diagnosed Hannah with Erythema Multiforme- an autoimmune response to a viral or environmental factor that causes Bullseye-like lesions across the skin.  It is also the preliminary rash to Steven Johnson's syndrome, a disease process that took the life of my aunt and godmother at 36. My heart sunk when the doctor told us this. I glanced over at my sister and without, speaking a word, I could tell she was thinking the same thing. These are the times on my my life I count my blessing to be in healthcare. These are also the times I'm grateful most of my family is in healthcare. My parents and sister all took one for the team. Offering to watch Hannah while I worked, taking turns calling our pediatrician and pediatrician friends for advice. It lasted weeks, and when I wasn't there for Hannah, someone was. The first time Leo, Hannah's 5 year old cousin, saw her he woke up his brothers saying "somethings very very wrong. Hannah's sick, like really sick" and he was right. She was swollen from the steroids, drowsy from the Benadryl, and overall spent. But, We got through it. Hannah still has flare ups occasionally and they said to expect them for a year or so, but you know what I've learned?

1) No matter how seasoned you are in your own field of healthcare, when it comes to your children you lose the ability to reason. 

2) I have a really great family. 

3) I have really great coworkers. 

4) We are incredibly blessed to have a healthy baby. There was a fear in me that this was the beginning of something terrible and all I could think about was how much I took for granted having a healthy child for the first year. Sure, her flare ups are annoying, but they go away. And she's happy, really really happy. And so are we.