Tuesday, October 23, 2012

My "at home" experience with Epi!



I saw this link-up on a blog that I follow and some of the stories have me seriously laughing out loud! I see this as a good opportunity to share a embarassing/funny story that I will never forget...Aubree won't forget it either!

Ok...so about 3 years ago I was going through a time in my life when it seemed that I was allergic to almost everything I ate and later we found out I am allergic to corn, sesame seeds, and latex. One afternoon I got up early after working all night to let Aubree in when she got off the school bus and my tongue and lips felt funny. I ran to the mirror and sure enough they were swollen. I had cut myself that morning and put a bandaid on and the latex tried to get the best of me. 

I ran to the kitchen and took 4 Benadryl (only safe for a severe allergy...don't try this for seasonal stuff)  and a Pepcid hoping and praying that would stop the reaction as I was and am still terrified of my Epi-pen. I hope I NEVER have to use it. I had to go to work that night and I very rarely call in. My sister-in-law, Carrie, was on her way over to watch the kids. She's a nurse so I figured if I fell out she would save me. Lol! Just before I got in the shower I sat my Epi-pen on the bathroom counter and told Aubree what was going on. I had taught her how to use it with the practice pen as she is allergic to milk.




As soon as I got the shampoo in my hair I hear Aubree scream and look at her and she is as white as snow and there's blood dripping from her finger. My little sunshine thought I'd laid out a practice pen(she has a touch of ADD) and she shot herself up with EPI!!!! OMG!!! People, I sometimes push Epi as a nurse BUT I only push 0.1 cc's! For crying out loud I work with 1 lb babies! This kid just shot herself up with an adult dose of it. I jump out of the shower with shampoo still in my hair, throw on a shirt 3 sizes too big with NO bra and some mismatched shorts. She was just about to faint so I laid her on the couch and what did I have to do? If you guessed call 911 you are right! I mean at that point I wasn't sure if we were both about to fall out dead.

So, with my swollen lips and tongue I had to call 911!
Dispatch: 911, Where is your emergency?
Me:(spoken with a VERY thick tongue)1412 Meade Yake (Lake) Woad (Road)
Dispatch:I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?
Me:(still thick tongue, only louder) 1412 Meade Yake Woad!!!!
Dispatch:What is your emergency?
Me:(I recall this part sounding very tongue-tied)My tongue and wips (lips) are swollen and my daughter shot herself wif (with) my Epi-pen.
Dispatch:So you're experiencing anaphylaxis and your daughter injected herself with the epinephrine?
Me:Yeth. (Yes)
Dispatch:I'll send a response team.
Me:Fanks (Thanks)

They were there in like 2 minutes. I was still in my cute little outfit with my wet hair full of shampoo and swollen lips. I went to high school with 2 of the firefighters and knew the EMT...YAY this day just keeps getting better by the freaking minute! Aubree had a heart rate of 170 and was shaking like a leaf. Of course there's nothing you can do to reverse Epi so she had to wait it out. By this time my swelling had decreased significantly. So I did what any other nurse would do, finished my shower and carried it on in to the work house.

At the moment it was NOT funny but now it is one of the funniest things that has ever happened here. Poor Aubree. She is terrified of her Epi pen! Totally understandable!

5 comments:

  1. How freaking scarey! Glad it all worked out. Totally have bad and odd allergies and whole heartedly can relate!

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  2. Porr Aubree... But man, that is a funny story! You will be able to share that one for years to come!

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  3. That is terrible! I would've freaked out in the moment...but I would've probably gone on to work too. What is it about us nurses!?! No one else minds calling in.

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  4. Completely SCARY! I would have freaked way out I think! I'm glad you were BOTH ok. Is is bad that I kinda chuckled at your swollen tongue and your outfit choice? LOL!

    Thanks for the morning laugh and thanks for linking up with us!

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  5. Oh goodness how scary!! I am so glad that everything worked out in the end... but like the above posters, I couldn't help but laugh a little that not only were you rocking a fabulous and stylish outfit, as well as hairstyle, that of course you also knew the firefighters/EMT! Of course something like that would totally happen to be too...

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