Botox? Collagen?

 No, I am not getting Botox.

I like to believe I still have no wrinkles, and I pretty much don't care if I do.

But I digress.

Today we are discussing my poor Lauren.

She's always had very sensitive skin {allergic to sun screen!}, and will break out in random cases of hives every once in a while.

The hives appear out of nowhere, only itch sometimes, and usually diappear in less than an hour {actually, most of the time in under 15 minutes}.

If they itch and stick around for more than 10 minutes or so I will give her Benadryl and then we're done.

Nothing else really works {Cortisone cream - nope} and I don't really worry about it because they go away so fast and don't seem to bother her.

Well, she started with a breakout on Saturday - it went away quickly.

Then again Sunday - same thing, only lasted for a few minutes.

Then Monday and Tuesday she woke up with them on her face and hands, they itched a little, so I gave her Benadryl and they went away the rest of the day.

Then this happened Tuesday night after her bath - once again, they were gone in 10 minutes.

Wednesday she woke up with them again, they went away, then they came back right after dinner.

I gave her Benadryl around 6:30.

Then Bryan game down to my office with her at 7:30 and she looked like this:

But picture it about 3 times worse.

I attempted to stay calm for her sake, but I kind of FREAKED OUT!

We took her straight to the Instacare down the street.

As we were standing there explaining what had happened, I looked down at her face and it was getting red and blotchy, and the whites of her eyes were getting red.

It was all I could do to stay somewhat composed.

They rushed her right back to check her oxygen levels, and the first thing the nurse said was "I don't like how this is going" - and I immediately started to lose it.  Luckily she just meant that she couldn't get a good read using Lauren's pointer finger and had to switch to her thumb.  Not the best choice of words.

She was breathing just fine and her vitals were completely normal.

They gave her more Benadryl {I had only been giving her about a half dose}, and after a few minutes the swelling started to go down.



She seriously looks like Octomom - right??

No, she has not had Botox or Collagen injections :)

We have no idea what triggered it.

She didn't eat anything different than normal, I haven't changed detergent, shampoo, soap, brands of food, nothing.

And, please don't take offense, but please, PLEASE don't offer me any suggestions.  I think I've checked into just about anything and everything it could be.

But thank you anyway :)

I'm just watching her really closely and paying attention to everything she eats to see if I can narrow it down.

The doctor said that a lot of times they never find out what the trigger is and she will probably grow out of it.

Since it wasn't really a severe anaphylactic reaction where her throat closed off or she got severe diarrhea or something like that, we don't really need to be too concerned, and to just give her Claritin daily.

But, seriously, how can I not freak out when my kid comes to me looking like a face lift gone wrong??

I'm going to make an appointment with an allergist, just to be on the safe side.

I think this was the scariest "parent moment" we've had thus far.

I would like to not have it happen again.
And I have to tell you how proud I am of my sweet girl.
She stayed calm as a cucumber the entire time - much to the shock of the nurses & doctor at the Instacare.
She even looked at the doctor and listened intently {giving head nods and "OK"'s at all the appropriate times} while he talked about what to do from here on out.
She is pretty much the bravest 5 year old I know.
And the cutest.
Even when she looks like Octomom.