The events of today I was thinking were unrelated to Sadie's JRA, but it actually ties together. On Tuesday Sadie came home from school asking her dad to check her back because it was stinging and she thought maybe she was stung by a bee. He checked her back, but there was nothing there. Later that night she asked me to do the same; which I did and found only a small red spot that looked almost like a pimple... I told her it was nothing and that was that.
Wednesday night she tells us it is stinging even more and was hurting her a lot. I checked again and this time found tons and tons of little dots on her back streaming down from the first. Each was filled with clear fluid; they looked like tiny blisters. I gave her some benedryl hoping that if it was some type of allergic reaction that it would get better over the night. In the morning (today) I checked her back again and it was much worse (bright red), but she was/is feeling fine so I told her I would make a doctor appointment, but lets go on with our day. So, we did.
Our family doc was able to get us in pretty early in the morning. So I was able to get Sadie right before school started. Dr. Andy went over the last few days and examined the rash. He said... I am pretty sure she has shingles, but it's not very common in kids and I want to check a few things and call her Rhematologist. By this point I had all ready told him that she had Remicade on Monday in case this was some type of reaction. He left the room, talked to Dr. Wallace and came back to say that she did have shingles and they felt that oral anti-viral would not be enough considering she just had Remicade. He said she would need 5 days of treatment at the hosptial. My first response was "so we go in each day and have the IV meds there?" he responded "well, you will probably have to stay, but I am waiting for Dr. Wallace to call me back and then I will let you know".
So where that left us... Sadie has been admitted to Children's. At this point the IV line is in, but medication has not yet been started. There is a lot of people involved... the nurses and residence that will be caring for her, Rheumatology, Infectious disease docs and potentially others. So, there are a lot of I's that need to be dotted and T's that need to be crossed. I was extremely hopeful that the five day prediction would be wrong and that she could leave sooner, but that is not the case. A doc came in and went over what they need to happen for her to leave. Much like chicken pox all the "blisters" must burst and scab over before she can leave and no new ones can show up... well, none of them have crusted over as of yet!! I asked her to confirm the five days and she said each body is different and that it will more than likely be at least 5 days. (did you catch the at least part). HOWEVER, the anti-viral medication they are giving her should help speed up the process.
So, how does this have to do with her JRA. They believe that her immune system was weakened which is why she got the shingles. She probably (unknowingly) came in contact with someone who had chicken pox.
In the time I have started writing they have started her medication. She will be given the anti-viral medication by IV every eight hours (not sure how long that goes on yet).
Thank you for all those who all ready knew about these developments, who have offered your help and your prayers over to us. Thank you all who read this, for your continual caring for Sadie!!
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