Poor Jack Just Can't Win...

Last Friday, Jack was put on Amox - Clav for his recurring ear infection that just wouldn't go away. After 6.5 days on the antibiotic, he broke out overnight in a horrible rash. See below morning pictures from Thursday, February 11:

Side of his face and chest.
His poor swollen face.

In profile.

We called the doctor, and they said to stop the medicine, use baby Benadryl, and keep an eye on him. He was his usual happy self, and other than not sleeping because he was itchy, they didn't seem to bother him all that much. He went on his merry way to daycare and actually had a fun morning finger painting Valentine cards. Justin checked on him at lunchtime and other than looking a little funny, he seemed fine. (Of course, if I was one of the other parents and saw a kid that looked like that in Jack's classroom, I would have freaked out! My first thought would be chicken pox. But everyone was very calm and collected and we thank daycare for that, because Justin and I have both missed so much work lately between being sick ourselves and having Jack sick that we needed a normal workday.)

Around 3:00pm, daycare called. They said his rash had gotten signficantly worse, even after the Benadryl. This of course made me panic, so off to the doctor we went:

I don't know if you can see in the light, but there were angry red splotches all over his little body.

Poor kid! His face was the itchiest part.

They took a good look at him, and said that a) his ear infection was still there, although it was a little better, and b) other than stopping the medicine, there isn't much they can do. The bumps will go away on their own with time. We were offered the option of giving him a steroid shot, but after a long discussion with the doctor, we are hesitant to put anything else into his tiny body. The doctor is confident that the rash will go away on its own, and even overnight we have seen an improvement in the spots. He's still our little leper baby but he's getting better!

The new development is a high fever. He spiked last night at 102.4. I am thinking this is because of the ear infection that has not yet left, but Justin is on doctor duty this morning to find out. We are all exhausted, fed up, and sick of being sick. I wish the weather would just get warmer already so that maybe we could get out, get some fresh air, and shake some of this! It's really been draining on all three of us and we are just praying that winter will be over soon.

Love, Kelly