Day 606

For some reason, I can't get to the blog from my home computer - so I am doing this on the iPad.  Scott went to work this morning, and the rest of us were up, planning on going to church - then Katie let out several blood curdling screams!  I ran down stairs to the living room where she was sitting on the floor screaming and crying.  I asked her what was wrong.  She told me she had put her arm under the blanket and it had hurt her arm.  I immediately thought "scorpion.". I lifted up the blanket (that was really a beach towel she had gotten yesterday at her birthday party) and I shook it out --nothing there.  Katie keeps screaming and crying - she says she needs her dad.  I took her and Conner to the fire station (but as we are leaving Nathan tells me he killed 2 baby scorpions in his bathroom yesterday).  So, when we got to the fire station I told Scott I thought it was a scorpion sting.  Long story short - it was.  She was stung on her arm - she had a raised red area about 2 inches wide and her arm and hand hurt.  However, she was just sniffly and fussy, so we figured she would hurt, but be okay.  Not the case!  After calling Scott 4 times at work, I asked him to come home, I told him Katie wasn't okay.  Katie's eyes were dilated, she said she was dizzy, she said her eyes were blurry ( I didn't even know she knew those words!).  Katie also said her feet were hurting, and then her tummy, and then everywhere, she said her throat hurt, and she said she couldn't breathe good.  When Scott got home, I had him call the Oncologist on call and they said to bring her in immediately.  
     As we were getting Katie in the car she started dry heaving (over and over). Then she would go limp.  She seemed to be choking almost when she was gagging.  Then her eyes started shifting back and forth (roving eye movements).  By the time we got to the hospital, Katie was writhing in pain, to the point that she was clawing at me.  At the hospital, they took her immediately in.  Katie was having a severe reaction to the scorpion sting!  Katie was almost out of her mind with pain - she even bit me (drawing blood)  - she was really, just kind of out of her mind.  After what seemed like forever, they gave her some medication to help sedate her and calm her down.  Then after talking to a toxicologist, to make sure the anti-venom wouldn't interfere with the chemo medications she is on, they gave her a dose of anti-venom.  After about 30 minutes, they checked her again, she was better - her blood pressure, etc...was going down, but her eyes were still wiggling back and forth.  So, they gave her another dose of the anti-venom.  We were told the anti-venom costs 10,000 a dose - we sure hope our insurance is going to cover this!  Katie's tongue had also gotten big and her throat closing up - she was having difficulty breathing.  
     I can not even begin to describe it accurately.  I was so scared!  I mean SO scared!!  Why did this have to happen to Katie? - Not that I would have wished this on anyone else in our house, but she has already had to go through SO much!  I would have gladly taken her place, if I could have.  It was so awful for her!  I was terrified!  ---Several hours later, we were home, Katie's arm, hand and feet were still hurting, and she was wiped out, but okay.  Scott and I were wiped out.  Poor Conner was dragged  along with us for the journey (now that we don't have grandma to help).  (Scott's mom got pneumonia  this week and was moved back to the main hospital).  And poor Nathan we sent him to church, and when he came home no one was here and he was worried - I told him there was no time for a note - Katie's symptoms were so severe!  Anyway, we are all home.  We are all okay -frazzled - but okay.  We all took a nap - everyone else is still sleeping.  I napped in Katie's bed - I wanted to keep an eye on her - one eye opened and one eye closed - pretty much the way it has been for nearly two years now.
     Scott and I had to laugh - after I cried.  Scott said, "We couldn't make this stuff up if we wanted too."  I told him, our life was so crazy, people might think I was making it up, just to keep the blog interesting.  I wish!  This is our life and it is all very real.  On the up side of things....Katie will be turning 4 soon.  Katie gets chemo next week, so we had a little birthday party early for her.  Katie wanted cherry cake, just like last year - her favorite color is pink - she likes anything and everything pink - even her cake!  Yesterday was a very happy day for her - and we are GLAD!
     Last note on the scorpion, Nathan and I couldn't find it, but when we got back from the hospital Scott found it.  I researched it earlier, scorpions can live for like 9 years and can have like 50 babies at a time....So now that I am officially freaked out about it, Scott is going to spray.  We have used pesticides sparingly, as we were cautioned to do so, because of Katie's cancer and weakened immune system....But we do NOT want this to ever happen again.  I hate scorpions!