As if there is not enough excitement in our lives, we had a very frightful experience last night as we watched Paris go through an allergic reaction to a something she ate. Paris has no known allergies to foods or medicines, but immediately after she consumed a few bites of her meal, she began to complain about her mouth, throat and chest feeling like ‘fire’ was running through it. Within minutes she was experiencing discomfort and itchiness all over. I immediately gave her an allergy medicine because it was apparent she was having a reaction. Soon after taking the medicine, areas on her face, arms and body were red and covered in splotchy hives. We tried to apply something topically to the skin to help. It provided zero relief. At that point her discomfort was peaking and she began to sob. The allergy meds didn’t seem to be providing any relief and in that moment I realized we needed medical attention. By the time we arrived for care, Paris was having difficulty breathing. She was very quickly assessed and given a steroid and a shot of epinephrine.
The EpiPen works quickly to reverse symptoms of anaphylaxis, within minutes the redness in her face and swelling started to subside, and in a total of ten minutes her body had regulated and she was feeling better. The difference a matter of minutes made. It’s hard to determine exactly what caused the issue. The meal she had consisted mostly of things she has eaten many times before, but as the Doctor stated, your body can build up a sensitivity to almost anything. ‘Something you’ve eaten regularly without issue, could have a totally different affect on you today. The most sensible solution is to obviously avoid that specific meal or food, but she will now have to carry an EpiPen with her at all times. She also has to complete steroid treatment for the next 10+ days.
It was very frightening to watch this unfold. I thought about all the the people I know with allergies to foods, medicines and insect stings. It’s amazing how quickly your life is in jeopardy. I’m so thankful that we were able to go in and get the care we needed to address this very serious issue. I’m praying that Paris will never have to experience or go through another episode like this, but I’m glad we will be positioned to address it quickly.
Thank you Lord for your hand of protection….thankful, overwhelmed with gladness, and very grateful.
Psalm 121:4 Indeed he that watches over Israel (us) will neither slumber nor sleep
I've had food allergies since I was a kid. My reactions were always mild so I really wasn't that concerned about it. UNTIL.. while sightseeing in Charleston on my own I began to have a reaction to some free food samples I'd consumed from a store. As a poor college student I had eaten these free samples enthusiastically…ie I ate like it was a full meal. Within 10 min I was covered in hives, my asthma was in a full blown attack, and my tongue was so swollen that it was hanging out of my mouth. I barely made it back to my hotel and the staff saw me in distress and sent someone to my room who showed up just as I was starting to lose consciousness. If it hadnt been for them I likely would've passed out in that room from lack of oxygen and died…in a hotel room..alone…and in a city that no one knew I'd traveled to. That was almost 20 yrs ago and I have NEVER left my house without my epi pen since then. BTW we never figured out what caused that reaction.