A few years ago we discovered my son, J, has allergies. He must have gotten that from my husband, because I have never been allergic to anything (except vegetables wink-wink). I actually took him to an allergist, and she performed the scratch test up and down his arm to determine to what things it is that J is allergic. Of course, I was petrified that he would be allergic to cats, my favorite animal, or worse, dust. Dusting is my least favorite chore because as soon as you dust, you need to do it all over again. I think I would rather clean toilets…but I digress.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, he is allergic to some kinds of trees and grasses. It’s good in the sense that it’s nothing that I can control in the house, so I don’t have to be an immaculate house keeper, and I didn’t have to give away the family pet. However, it is bad because he is so miserable this time of year as the pollen makes it way onto the scene. I could see it floating in the air these past few days.
During this time his eyes have been getting red and itchy, but we have been able to help him with eye drops, and his nightly Zyrtec. However, yesterday evening was a whole new ballgame…his left eye did something I’ve never seen before, and I hope to never see again (no pun intended)!!
Instead of his eyelids getting puffy and swollen, the whites of his eye started to swell up like a blister. Instead if looking bloodshot, the whites were very cloudy looking. My husband and I started to freak-out a little, as neither of us deal very well with eye issues. Fortunately, the on-call eye doctor called me back in less than 10 minutes, and he calmed my fears that J would not be going blind, and that we should give him a dose of Benadryl. I did so immediately, and by the time he went to bed a few hours later, I could already see a difference, even though the eye was still swollen and discolored.
By giving him the Benadryl, I created a new problem because I then had to worry about a possible drug interaction with his nightly Zyrtec. I called the 24 hour nurse line offered by our insurance company, and again, my worries were put to rest. The nurse said not to give him the Zyrtec, and to just stay with the Benadryl thru the morning, and then he could take the Zyrtec tonight, as usual.
I did not allow J to wear his contacts to school today, and I don’t think I’ll let him tomorrow either. I think the pollen was getting into his eye, irritating the contacts, and that’s when the trouble started. The eyes are too precious to mess around, so to me, it’s not worth the risk by wearing the contacts for a few days, just to make sure things are going to be fine. Of course, try telling that to a sixth grade boy who does not want to go back to wearing glasses to school, even if it’s only for a few days. The really dilemma comes Thursday night when he is scheduled to pitch during his baseball game. Does he wear the contacts for the game? Do I make him go back to wearing the prescription sports goggles he hasn’t worn since last summer? All of the “what ifs” of parenting…I certainly don’t want to be to blame if he doesn’t pitch well. I can just hear it now… “Mommy wouldn’t let me wear my contacts…it’s all her fault”!
