Caden's Journey





Allergy Testing #3.  Dec. 13, 2011.

This is the biggest series we have done, there are 18 sticks,
plus the -/+ at the top with 3 rows of five and the lst row
on the right being 3 sticks
 Same old drill, starting at the left and working down:
Row 1: #1 cottonwood-12x5, #2 Oak-9x5, #3 Kentucky Blue Grass-17x6,
#4 Timothy Grass-16x7, #5 Russian thistle-12x8

Row 2: #1-Ragweed,-6x3, #2 Cockroach-5x3, #3 Dustmite-6x4,
#4 cat-10x7, #5 dog-10x6

Row 3:  #1 alernaria(mold)-negative, #2 pen mix(mold), negative
#3 beef-negative, #4 pork-negative, #5 turkey-22x10

Row 4:  #1 Cod-17x9, #2 Salmon-17x7, #3 Tuna-18x8
Pic Submitted to Denver and John's Hopkins
Waiting For The Plane
Napping For First Round of The "Mummy"
The Mummy!

Doing this 3 times a day, 20 minute Bath,
Triamcinolone, wet wraps, then dry.  The
head wrap is a new item we haven't done
before now.  He is not happy with me right now!
These are Caden's favorite here at the
Ronald McDonald House, he visits them everyday as we leave
for the hospital.  Too cute.


Dec 12, 2011 Allergy Testing #2
Starting at left side and working down
(-): #1, corn, #2, oat, #3 rice,
#4 potato, #5 almond

Right side and working down
(+) #1 sesame seed, #2 walnut,#3 hazelnut,
#4 cashew, #5 tomato, #6 sunflower butter, #7 chicken

To have an allergy the welp next to the ink dot will show larger than
the antigen control prick located at the +/- sign at the top of the back.

SOOOO, this means he is allergic to oat, rice, almond, sesame seed,
walnut, hazelnut, cashew, sunflower butter and chicken.   
Dec 12, 2011.  Grumpy day.  Redness is subsiding as is swelling

Grumpy Monday Dec 12, 2011.  Again, Redness
and Swelling are much better.



Friday Dec 9, 2011
Dec 9, 2011 Allergy Testing #1
Super Model Pose.  He will kill me for this when
he's older, I know it.  But He is Such A Ham
Dec 9, 2011

Close Up Of Allergy Testing #1.  3rd welp on the left
is soy, largest welp on right is peanut.


One of his treats he earned on his sticker chart for all he has to do.
His child life specialist, Courtney, rewards him everyday with special
things as he fills his stars.  You can see them hanging on the door
behind him.  We just added page number 5 on dec 14.

redness and swelling even better today.  Dec 13, 2011

Dec 13, 2011.  feeling so much better day by day.  Happy Boy!
Dec 13, 2011.  The cracking has stopped and his skin is
closing up and healing.

Dec 13, 2011

Dec 14, 2011 Allergy Testing #4 
starting at left and working down
(-) #1 Apple-negative, #2 Banana-Negative
#3 Grape-Negative, #4 Garlic- 21x11

(+) #1 Onion 5x4, #2, Cantalope-Negative
#3 Watermelon-Negative, #4 Strawberries-Negative

So, this means today we have learned he is allergic
to garlic and onion.






Caden and The Hyena

Christmas 2010, boy we have come a long way!!

another old pic, this was april 2011.
an amazing cross with caden to show it's size.
looks to be carrera marble and just beautiful.
Allergy Testing #5, Dec 15, 2011

This is puddle testing, which is taking actual samples
of products instead of antigens and pricking (or scraping)
the back to see of there is a reaction.
The biggest difference is in his reaction to milk, soy and banana.
on the (-) side, working down as follows: #1 cow's milk-9x9, #2 soy-negative,
#3 apple-neg, #4 tomato-neg, #5 banana-8.3
(+) #1 melon-neg, #2 grape-neg, #3 strawberry-neg, #4 zyvox-neg

From this we have a bit of a quandary.  The milk tested higher, the soy
was opposite and went negative and the banana went positive.

The next step in the process is to continue healing the skin and avoiding
those foods he has had positive results to.  We will then "food challenge"
to see if he flares.  As his skin looks better and better we will  be able to
see the flares if  there is a true allergy.

10 comments:

  1. Bless his heart!!! I have a newphew that suffers from actopic dermatitis and so I know how troubling this can be for you and your sweetie pie! God speed that you find an easy and quick cure...or that he grows out of it somehow! BIG PRAYERS being sent up your way!!!!
    and I don't know if you knew this or not...but I am a RN so I am well aware of the MRSA infection...I am praying for your little guy! just remember, kids are tough! and this is probably harder on you in many ways than him! Keep your faith my friend! the size of a mustard seed is all you need! God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks so much Nancy. I did remember you saying you were an RN, so I figured you will have knowledge of this type of infection. your words are so kind and we are thankful for the strength!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So we are wrapping up (no pun intended) of day one of treatment. Tomorrow is lots of bloodwork and classes. I just thought my semester was over!! We will check in again tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So Today is day 3 of treatment and things are going VERY well I am pleased to announce. The docs are running a ton of bloodwork and so far he is positive again for MRSA, no shock there of course. The main Difference is they are treating the skin, not just the infection.

    In Oklahoma, the first thing they do at the hospital is insert an IV and begin Vancomycin or Clindamycin. I am looking forward to educating many when we return. Wet Wraps DO NOT WORK if a 20 minute bath is not done first.

    So, we are doing 3 twenty minute baths a day, bath 1 & 3 are followed with triamcinolone on the upper body, Metasone on the lower extremities and desonide ointment to the face. Then wet wraps, not Aquaphor on top of the ointments. We have learned that the aquaphor reduces the effectiveness of the medicines, so no layering.

    Bath 2 is followed with Protopic everywhere and just dry clothes over it. We are still doing the mummy wrap on his head 3x a day.

    Here is the best part, Caden is RUNNING and PLAYING. He is WALKING and LAUGHING. He is a new boy. He has 4 years of energy built up, boy am I in trouble! I watch him and I cry. He has missed so much time enjoying life, playing and being happy. He has suffered all of his little life.

    We are so blessed to have the guidance of Dr. Milligan, Amanda and everyone at the ped office. The docs and nurses here in Denver, the people at the Ronald McDonald House, family and friends. Your prayers are felt here with us and are giving us strength to make it through these days, keep em coming, we need them!

    Pictures are coming (camera vs. computer..neither is winning), we went to the aquarium today and are going to the mountains tomorrow to see the elk roam free, take lots of pics, feel the sun on our faces, breathe the mountain air and thank God for the beauty we are blessed with in this world.

    Love to all,
    Jenny and Caden

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was a case study over 50 years ago, since I was allergic to sugar. Yes, sugar. I could not eat anything with sugar. No candy, no fruit, no milk. It was worse in the colder months, but I would break out in welts the size of a quarter all over my body. It was the most horrible thing to go through. I would scratch the welts in my sleep they itched so badly, and they would bleed and stick to my PJs. I also had blisters between my fingers and toes. I think they were the worst. Thank God I finally outgrew it when I was about 16 or 17. I was one of two known cases in the U.S. at the time.

    Cathyt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very interesting Cathy. I am so happy to hear that you grew out of it! Caden has always been worse in the summer months, the heat really affects him. We have been home from Denver for 3 months almost and he is still doing REALLY good. He has flares, but we still have him under control. We have completely eliminated chicken, garlic and onion from his diet, along with the other higher triggers. Thanks for sharing your story!

      Delete
  6. When I hear about the struggles you and your little guy have suffered, I just cannot imagine all the pain and sadness....but now, to hear that things have gotten better, is such a blessing. My prayers are with you and your little one, he so reminds me of my oldest grandson who is 3. I don't know what I would do if he had to go through all these treatments. God bless you Jenny.

    (KathyinAlaska)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Kathy, I really appreciate your sweet words and prayers!! Mr. Caden does too he says :)

      Delete
  7. I'm so sorry to hear all that you have been through with your beautiful boy! It's just heartbreaking beyond words to watch your child suffer. My youngest, Jake, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) when he was three. He didn't understand why we were pricking his fingers 16 times a day round the clock and sticking him with needles every time he wanted to eat. He was so sick when we admitted him to the hospital and we nearly lost him. He was in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) and we were just counting our blessings that we were able to bring him home.

    We have been through quite the odyssey -- and it looks as if you have been too! I'm so happy to hear that your Caden is doing so much better now. He can just "be a kid" as you put it. My Jake is on an insulin pump now and it's helped so much. It's such a daily challenge, and he still has to be checked in the middle of the night, but he never lets his diabetes limit him. For that I am thankful.

    I wish you and your sweet boy a wonderful 2013 filled with great health and happiness! My thoughts and prayers are with you both.

    Stephanie

    (P.S. I LOVE your blog and I so appreciate you being my 'first follower" on my new blog -- and your great suggestions!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you Stephanie for your amazing comments, they mean so very much to us!

    ReplyDelete