Reid Gets Sick

We experienced a first in June when Reid got sick, really sick!  It all started with Mike getting strep throat, then cousin Owen, then Amelia, and finally Reid.  Reid actually showed no symptoms of strep, but on a Sunday night started complaining that his feet hurt and his tummy felt bad.  We noticed a slight rash on his feet and then he threw up.  We put him to bed assuming he'd be fine by the morning.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case!  By the next day his feet began swelling and he wasn't really keeping food down.  

A quick trip to the pediatrician and he was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP), an autoimmune illness they believe as triggered by the strep.  Basically, Reid's capillaries started bursting in his lower extremities, along with swelling of joints and then bruising.  The same thing was happening in his stomach, kidneys and intestines.  He was such a sad and miserable kid!  The doctor said it would get worse before it would get better, and she was right! 

We had a few very long days and even longer nights and were concerned when the swelling started happening in his face.  At this point, Reid wasn't walking because his knees, ankles, and toes were swollen and it was just too painful.  You can see the progression of his facial swelling in the pictures below.  I wish I would have taken pics of his legs too, but his face was just so different it amazed us!  

I took Reid in for a follow up appointment two days later and was relieved when our pediatrician wanted to admit him to the hospital.  He had stopped eating and drinking and was in so much pain and I felt like I couldn't care for him well enough at home.  The picture below says it all, he was so miserable!

Reid was pretty stoic in the hospital.  I think he felt miserable, but was also taken back by the whole experience.  

Although stoic, Reid perked up immediately when his brothers and sister came to visit!  We realized he had never been away from his siblings and it was adorable to see them reunited.  Tanner and Reid chatted and chatted, they had so much to catch up on!  It was really sweet to see how his spirits change with his brothers and sister around.

I thought this was a sweet picture.  Reid's legs really hurt and so he needed to be carried to the bathroom (and anywhere else).  He was happy when daddy was able to come up and help out, but also so proud that he was able to stand up by himself.

Once Reid's swelling came down and his kidneys started functioning again, we were sent home.  Unfortunately, within a few days, he had a relapse and we're pretty sure he had a fold in his bowel (intussesception) and was in severe pain and threw EVERYTHING up for 24 hours.  We thought we were headed back to the hospital for sure and then suddenly he asked for breakfast, something he hadn't done for over two weeks!  I was thrilled!  He ate, and he kept it down!

Our doctor warned us that this illness could be a one week illness, or a 2-3 month illness!  After two weeks of this, it began to feel overwhelming.  Being pregnant, I never really feel good and having a child so sick and needy felt hard, especially with three other children who were in the first weeks of summer and wanting to play.  Our ward and neighbors were incredibly helpful and supportive.  Slowly, Reid began to improve and each day we saw him act more and more like his normal, healthy self.  I feel so grateful to have him back!  I have a new respect for parents who have children with special needs their whole life.