Friday, April 3, 2009

Need Some Good Lovin' Here

Okay, so here I am, Becky from Mommy Wants Vodka hijacking my good friends blog with some news and a plea for some help, oh wise Internet (why yes, I am buttering you up).

Yesterday k@lakly took Cason into his 4 month well-baby visit and part of that visit is the ever-dreaded shots (Amelia got hers this week and it about broke my cold, shriveled heart). Today, he got diphtheria/tetanus/(and)pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, polio, and prevnar.

Yesterday, he also ended up in anaphylaxis and stopped breathing. His momma (thank GOD) got him to the hospital in time and he’s stable now (thank GOD).

But this has stumped the doctors who have never seen anything like this before so his poor momma, k@lakly, asked me to post to the Internet to ask if anyone had seen this before.

So, wise Internet, rather than ask you to evaluate the size of my ever-widening ass, I beg your help. Has anyone, ANYONE heard of anything like this? Send her an email at kalakly (at) yahoo (dot) com or leave a comment here. Repost this, whatever it is that we can do to get this around.

And can everyone, EVERYONE send poor Cason and his momma some prayers and love today? They're in the hospital where she can check her email and her blog and I'm sure she could use all the kind words you all have for her.

26 comments:

Betts said...

Oh, hon! I'm sending big hugs. This made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I hope everything will be ok now.

Sober Mommy said...

Not sure if I'm completely following - he became anaphylaxic AT the doctor's office or AFTER they got home? If at home, then how long after they were home? What if anything happened between?

From the 'untrained' but peds nurse eye first responses are:

1) He's allergic to something in the preservatives within the shots.
2) Something that happened after the shot, but before he had the problem he's allergic to. It could be something really benign - an animal, a toy that had been licked by animal, etc...you get the point - it's that it's about a bizzillion things it could be.

Give more data??
mom23greatgirls - twitter

Tash said...

Left my comment over at Becks, but Geez wow, I'm just so sorry you had to go through the fright and I hope he's doing ok. (I know you won't be for a few decades.)

My vote is for underlying issue (allergies? But possibly something else?) that the vaccine(s) triggered. Also, check over there because Julia linked to some PubMed goodness and this does indeed happen once in a blue moon and your docs need to get on the internets and start reading up, yo.

ZM said...

Oh, I am so sorry that this happened.

And, I'm seriously pissed.

By now, I'm hoping that you have found a doctor who has a working search engine, if not the clinical experience to talk about anaphylaxis and pseudo-anaphylaxis (lousy term, b/c it might be 'pseudo' but it's still frickin' scary), and the variables that could hang this on one, the other or a whole other source.

Either way, oh, but I'm so sorry that this happened. Sending very large hugs, and hopes for good information...

p.s. happy to kibbitz in the amateur doc game, and I'm with mom23greatgirls: more data? where? how long after the shot? can you describe the reaction? how is Cason's growth on the charts? Does he get skin irritations at other times? Julia's links are fascinating, and if they make you want to smack a few medicos, well, you're not the only one.

Hope's Mama said...

Shit K. You and little Cason are in my thoughts. Sorry no advice or ideas though, but I'll be thinking of you both.

B's Mom said...

I have to agree with Tash on this one. I'm thinking allergic reaction in either the shot or something that he came in contact with. How very scarry, and I'm sending prayers your way right now.

Cara said...

I have no medical no-how - but I am some ticked at the univerise. I mean - we all make the, I'll keep plodding once, but dont' you ever - ever - fing ever do this to me again deal, don't we?

And - seriously, is that too much to ask. I'm just so glad that you, the best mama in the world, saved your sweet boy.

xoxo (shaking my fist at the heavens)

PS - four shots at a time is another rant for another day. Why DO they do that?

Mommy (You can call me OM) said...

I wish I could provide some sort of anecdotal advice, but I can't. I'm sending my prayers and a lot of hugs.

Michele said...

My assumption would be an allergy to something in one of the vaccines. Because he received so many at once, it's going to be hard to pinpoint which one caused it. Here's a link to some articles that discuss anaphylaxis and vaccination, which talk about specific vaccines. http://www.whale.to/vaccines/allergy1.html

Michele said...

Doing a google search on anaphylaxis and vaccines will bring up some decent, peer reviewed sites as well.

still life angie said...

Ack, sending huge hugs for an incredibly scary, nerve-wracking day. mom23greatgirls sounds right on with her questions. do they put egg protein in any of those vaccines? just curious. it's a common allergen, and it is in some vaccines. (not sure if any of these, though.) i just found this: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_immunrxn_hhg.htm

that's all i got.

Sophie said...

My god! I'm so sorry to hear about this. How terrifying! I know very little about the problem itself so I am no help there. I hope you find some answers very soon and that little Cason feels much better quickly.

Thinking of you both.

charmedgirl said...

i'm so fucking pissed at the alternative (you know, to you not acting quickly, kal)...i just can't even believe it.

thinking of you...jesus. i hope you get some answers and i hope cason is ok.

Reba said...

It's hard to find Internet reading that's more scary than this. I don't know anything about vaccines but I hope they can find out what happened right away. I am simply terrified of what might have been.

G$ said...

Oh k, I'm on the road so no assvice, but you and Cason are in my thoughts and prayers.
Xoxo

Amy said...

Followed over here from Becky's site, just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and Cason!

janis said...

Thinking of you and Cason. xoxo

ezra'smommy said...

Just sending hugs...

Shannon Ryan said...

Wow, I'm sorry you have to go through this! :( I hope you find some answers. My guess would be that he had a reaction to something in the shots. It's not unheard of for that to happen.

Fireflyforever said...

No advice re: vaccines just the biggest positive thoughts I can muster for you K & Cason.

janis said...

anxiously awaiting news.
been thinking of you and Carson non-stop.
sending love. xoxo

CLC said...

You and Cason are in my prayers. I have no thoughts on the subject as I haven't dealt with vaccines yet. But holy shit, do you need any more scares? What is wrong with the universe?

Rachel said...

I have no medical advice, but just wanted to write that I'm thinking of you and hope you get this figured out as soon as possible.

Eden Riley said...

Oh I am SO sorry you went through that. I'm here from Beautiful Mess .... the first thing I thought of is egg? Down here in Australia we use egg white in some shots.

Praying you are all ok now. xox

Amy said...

No, no assvice from me. Just big hugs and want you to know I am thinking of you and Cason.

Dee said...

My daughter had an allergic reaction to her second round of shots that brought about a trip to the ER, a spinal tap, an overnight stay, you name it.

While we never determined exactly what triggered it, odds were, in our case, that it was from the DTaP vaccination. For subsequent vaccinations, pulled the pertussis so she only got DT shots but no reactions to her third and fourth doses. Just a possibility.

Sorry you had to go through this too and I hope they're able to figure out what triggered Cason's.