10 years and one month ago I developed a penicillin allergy. After years of being pumped full of the stuff, one shot of the straight up big P (for a severe throat infection) was enough to send me over the edge. I broke out head to toe in a flush itchy and eventually welty rash. I was locked up in a room, given some sort of “antidote” shot and watched like a hawk for 3 hours before they turned me loose. I haven’t touched it since. Well until yesterday.

Levi is sick. He’s got some upper respiratory creeping funk that has been lingering for over 2 weeks. When he started wheezing i whisked him off to the doctor who diagnosed some reactive airway crap due to infection. We talked about the family history with the big P and the antibiotic resistance the current respiratory infection dejur is displaying. In the end I agreed to Omnicef a penicillin derivative but not the straight up stuff.

I was extremely nervous about this particular script. A few years ago The Hubster used the EXACT medication and had a very bad reaction that made it seem as though his heart was going to explode. It was a night of sheer terror and several subsequent cardiologist visits…… but on the flip side Tessa took this very same script at three months old when we all caught bronchitis- with zero ill effects. I balanced the pros and cons, eventually deciding to fill the script.

Last night was his first dose which was chased with some grape juice and about 30 minutes later with some anuhnuh (boob juice). I then whisked the young master off to bed and started to notice I felt very warm. I looked in the mirror and realized I was blotchy. I went to grab the camera and spots started appearing. I snapped a few pictures and then my head started itching like crazy. Whiling clawing at my head I noted the patches and spots creeping down my chest and arms. PENICILLIN!

Here is one of the pictures I snapped when things first started flaring

you can sort of see the spots near the back of my eyebrows and down on my throat near my fingers. The patchy parts that aren’t freckles were starting to raise up by this point.

Once I realized what was to blame, I sprinted off to the meds closet and tossed back two Benedryl. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve taken an antihistamine and a very very long time since I’ve taken 2 pills verses one. I had planned on taking more pictures but I quickly got to feeling woozy and pretty much blacked out in bed.

Today Mira was over 2 hours late for school because I was still doped up on Benedryl when I awoke blindly stumbled from bed to pee and feed the small minions. Tonight I’m bumping his meds to before dinner. Hopefully din din will wash out any lingering penicillin particles and leave me reaction free when I breastfeed him a few hours later. If not, I will be calling the doctor to request a different script and of course blacking out tonight to avoid clawing off all of my flesh.