Big A has been congested and having headaches and earaches for QUITE some time. One doctor gave him antibiotics for a sinus infection back in November. She saw him again in January because he was complaining of an earache. She checked his ears said that there was fluid in them but that they weren't infected.
Later in January a different doctor explained the congestion as being a 'virus' and told me that Big A was clearly depressed as a result of our current situation. He suggested I get him into counseling (Which I knew wasn't the answer.). The doctor who'd treated him for his sinus infection in November, treated him for an ear infection in April. She was concerned enough with the fact that he wasn't ever making a full recovery, to suggest visiting an allergist. She rechecked his ears two weeks after the initial visit and decided that while the ear infection was gone, the congestion was no better and that it was time to take the next step. She made us an appointment with the allergist.
Today we visited the allergist... On the way there Big A asked, "Mommy, am I going to get shots today?"
"No, honey. I don't think so."
I was SOOOO wrong!
As soon as we got checked in, a nurse came and took us to the back. I was thinking that it was great that the office was so prompt and that we'd be out of there in no time! HA!!
The nurse weighed Big A and then took us to a room with a table, a couple of chairs, and a TV. She told Big A to pick out a movie and then had him sit down in the chair. She asked him for his left arm and then the torture began. She did 16 pricks on his arm to test him for all kinds of dusts, pollens, animals, etc. We had to sit there for 20 minutes to find out what Big A is allergic to.
When the 20 minutes were up she measured spots on his arm and then washed his arm and slathered it with antihistamine cream before moving us to another room to meet with the doctor. Turns out he's very allergic to grasses, which we already knew. The dust mite test also came back positive, but the doctor wasn't convinced that Big A was TRULY allergic to dust mites, so he ordered another round of tests. This time they gave Big A two shots in his arm and took us back to the little room.
We sat for another 20 minutes and then 20 minutes more before finally meeting with the doctor again. He concluded that Big A is NOT allergic to dust mites and decided that perhaps his 'allergies' were actually a sinus infection (WHAT?!?! A SIX MONTH SINUS INFECTION!?!?). He ordered an x-ray of Big A's sinuses and sent us on our way with a promise to call the next day with the results.
Big A and I walked over and got the x-ray done and then headed towards home (With a stop for ice cream, of course! 16 pricks, 2 shots, 1 x-ray and 2 hours in the doctor's office deserves SOMETHING!). We hadn't been in the house 5 minutes when my phone rang and it was the doctor confirming that Big A, did indeed have a RAGING sinus infection that he's had for... You guessed it... SIX MONTHS!!
No wonder my poor boy is miserable all the time!! But not for long! He's been prescribed a 20 day course of antibiotics and a 14 day course of prednisone. He should be feeling better in no time! I can't wait!!
Oh... And if your child ever asks if they have to get shots at the allergist, SAY YES!
No comments:
Post a Comment