Monday, March 16, 2009

The Pink Medicine

Poor Jeremy. We found out two Christmases ago that he's allergic to Motrin and now we've discovered a new allergy-amoxicillin.

I'd just taken the kids to play group (and had six kids all week while babysitting and had a friend babysit him and Megan) when I saw his legs covered in spots and immediately thought Chicken Pox. Crap. One of the most highly contagious childhood diseases and I was sure he had it and had passed it on to every child within 25 miles.

I got home, Googled pictures of chicken pox, and became certain he had it. When Nathan got home he voted hives. This relieved me quite a bit, but still, we weren't sure. Even after talking to the doctor over the phone we weren't sure.

The next day Nathan took him in when the spots started spreading all over his chest and arms and neck and started looking pretty bad. Thing was, Jeremy wasn't itchy or feeling sick or anything. The doctor assumed it was a less severe strain of chicken pox because Jeremy had already received the vaccine. Then as the doctor was leaving the room he asked if Jeremy had been on any medicine lately. We'd started giving him amoxicillin last week for an ear infection and the doctor took another look at Jeremy and determined that Jeremy was allergic to the amoxicillin and that it wasn't chicken pox.

Yay for not having chicken pox and passing it to all the kids at Church and that I babysit.

Boo for not being able to take amoxicillin.

But you know what? I hate that nasty pink medicine. I do. My kids, including Jeremy, love it. They would drink that nasty bottle of medicine like it was a bubble gum flavored milk shake. I can't even stand the smell of it. Really. And I think that Fructis Shampoo and Conditioner smell just like it. I've had to stop using Fructis because it smells so much like amoxicillin. I recently bought some because it was on sale and now everytime I use it I have to fight the horrid fumes. So next shampoo/conditioner shopping trip, I'm buying something that doesn't remind me of hiding from my parents while they try to force it down my throat as a kid. I can remember they once tried to hide it in a bowl of ice cream. I was wise. I knew what was up.

4 comments:

JerieH said...

The other day on the show "Doctors" they were talking about a new trend called "Pox Parties" where an infected family holds a party - so other parents can bring their kids to be infected. The idea is that it is better to get it in mid-childhood because that is when chicken pox is least dangerous.

Personally, I believe in not freaking out about sick kids... but I will get the vaccine for my kids - why go through all that if we can prevent it? I hate my chicken pox scars. I hate being itchy (I am horrible about it even now). Why would I intentionally infect my child with that?

janeen said...

Rylee has a huge rash all over too, only I didn't give her any medicine. I was hoping I could have used jeremy's diagnois on Ryee but I guess not, off to the dr we will go.

Anonymous said...

Megan is allergic to that too. Well let say her allergy keeps her on run. But the alternative meds are just as bad. But she hasn't had to take it for a long while.

Melanie said...

Heck, I'm allergic to that stuff. Nasty horrible gunk, that amoxicillin.