Plaquenil - The good, the bad & the freakishly itchy

Yes, this is my back.  Can you see all those fabulous red spots?  Not only does my back look like this, my entire body looks like this.  I am ready to skin myself - that or rip my skin off one fingernail slice at a time.  When I say my entire body looks like this, I mean my ENTIRE body looks like this!  My scalp to my ankles.  Not an inch spared.

It all started back on May 21st when I went to see the rheumatologist.  I had my appointment and explained all the symptoms I'd been having (excruciating joint pain since February).  We did x-rays of my hands & knees and some blood work.  About a week later he called me back & said everything had come back normal (no Parvo infection, no rheumatoid marker & not sufficiently low vitamin D levels).  Dr. Walker said other than joint pain he had no idea what was wrong with me.  He wanted to start me on a medication called Plaquenil.  It use to be used as an antibiotic but is now used to treat rheumatoid (yes, rheumatoid arthritis & yes, I said I didn't have the rheumatoid marker - don't ask).  He told me that this particular medication has a tendency to make you very nauseous so to start taking it just once a day.  If I could handle taking it once a day then increase to twice a day.  He told me that it would take about 4 months to really get into my system & start working so I made a follow up appointment for the end of September.  

I started taking Plaquenil on May 30th.  I decided that if it was going to make me sick, I would just take it at night before bed.  I took it faithfully every night for a week with no new symptoms.  In fact, I noticed an extreme improvement in my joint pain.  I was excited!  So, on June 6th (1 week after starting Plaquenil) I started taking it once in the morning & once at night.

On Sunday night I was getting ready to get in the shower & I noticed a small red rash on my chest.  At first I thought it was maybe just an eczema break out from perfume or something and just brushed it off.  Monday morning came & I was itching like nuts but I thought maybe it was eczema.  By Monday night I was dying!  I wanted to itch until I would bleed!  Flash backs to swim lessons when I was a kid & couldn't wash the chlorine off & I'd break out like this.  I called the pharmacy where I got the prescription filled & told the pharmacist what was going on.  He said that it sounded like an allergic reaction & to stop taking the prescription immediately and to call the dr. in the morning.  Fortunately for me, my mom had some extra benadryl she was willing to part with so I could make it through the night.

This morning I called the dr.'s office at 9 am.  I told the medical assistant what was going on & she felt so bad for me (and she didn't even see the rash!).  She told me she'd talk to Dr. Walker and see what he wanted to do & get back to me.  I finally got a call back at about 2 pm.  The verdict: Stop taking the Plaquenil until the rash disappears entirely.  Then, start taking the Plaquenil again, but only take it once a day & see if I break out in a rash again.  Seriously?!  What part of I want to rip my skin off don't you people understand here?!

So here I sit Tuesday night, 3 prescription times passed without taking the prescription, and the rash is continuing to get worse.  Not awesome.  I totally understand why bears scratch their backs against trees!  In fact, truth be told, I was doing carpet angels at my girlfriend's house today in order to itch the backs of my arms without making them bleed!  And yes, she thought it was funny!    

A surprisingly busy Sunday

This past week has been crazy busy.  We've done swim lessons every day & then something just about every afternoon.  I even finally finished Nash's bear rag quilt that was part of his birthday!

I've also re-done my front porch.  Since Travis moved the swing off and into the back yard for the birthday party in May I was able to find some cute stuff & decorate my porch more how I've wanted.

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning & then baking/cooking all day.  I made pulled pork sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate peanut butter hi hat cupcakes & cinnamon rolls!  When I woke up this morning, I kinda figured we would take the day to kick back & relax.  And then, I was washing my hands at the sink & glanced at my summer bucket list.  So, after Brooke entertained us with her cinnamon roll, we took a bath & got dressed to begin our busy day.

This was Brooke's first ever cinnamon roll.  At first she didn't know quite what to do.

After a little bit of assessing the situation, she dove right in, head first:

And loved it!

So she kept going back for more!

And at one point, was worried I was going to take her cinnamon roll!

I started to wonder if she was going to go into a sugar coma or wig out due to frosting overload.

Lucky for me, she recovered quickly.

And then to my surprise, she started on the bread part of the cinnamon roll!

After about 30 minutes, this is all that was left of her cinnamon roll!  Chubba chubba!

Once we were all showered & dressed I decided we should venture over to First Dam to feed the ducks.  We haven't been there in at least a year.  Last time we were there the ducks/geese were not afraid of people at all.  In fact, they'd come right up to the kids & try to snatch the bread right out of their hands!  Today they were much more timid.

Sister got mad because I wouldn't take her out of her stroller, but she loved watching all the birds.

Nash decided he was going to make a bread crumb trail to see if any of the ducks would come up on the sand & eat it.

Caleb even joined in & helped make the trail.

Sister wasn't impressed with the idea :)

The birds never did come up on the sand for it so eventually they scooped the bread up & threw it out in the water for them.

After we ran out of bread they decided to run down by the docks and throw rocks in.

At one point, Caleb waded into the water so he could throw his rock even further into the water.

I took Brooke down by the water & then she got really mad because I wouldn't take her out of her stroller.

After we left First Dam I thought it might be a nice enough day to go to the park.  I haven't been up to AJ's park (where Caleb got his Harry Potter scar) for 2 years (since the day Caleb got his Harry Potter scar!).  So, we went back out towards home & up into Blacksmith Fork Canyon & up to the park.  Unfortunately, it was windy & the wind was cold, so we only stayed about 20 minutes.  It was fun though - something different for the kids.

This is the slide where Caleb got hurt - he fell down the metal stairs & smashed his face.

After we got home I told the boys we'd have quiet time because Nash got carsick & I was hoping Brooke would go back to sleep.  Sam got to sleep over at Grandma Terri's last night so I figured the quiet time might actually work.  About 10 minutes into it my mom texted me & told me she & Sam were going to go see Madagascar 3 & wanted to know if the kids & I wanted to go.  So, since Brooke wasn't going back to sleep I decided what the heck & off we went!  The movie was really cute & all the kids were really good - even Brooke.  So much for a nice, quiet, stay at home Sunday!  Oh well, the kids had fun and so did I!

Weekend Kickoff!

 Last night I finished a pillowcase dress I've been meaning to finish for quite some time.  It was one I'm doing for a friend of mine that is trading me some stuff.  I think the dress turned out super cute and it makes me a bit more excited to finish the one I have cut out that is for Brooke that matches Sam & the one for my niece Sunny that matches her sister Jade.  Guess I'll be back to sewing more often now!

And since I got the dress done, I didn't feel so guilty about picking up my trade items!  I got this new adorable yard stake (Land that I Love) and the cute black picture frame stand.  I found the two ceramic flowers at JoAnn's (on sale).  The birdhouse & the cute sunflowers almost cropped out of the picture came from her too!  You can find her blog here: http://www.ontheavenuelogan.blogspot.com/ - Mandy is amazing & has tons & tons of adorable stuff!  Check out her blog if you haven't looked at it before!

Tonight the kids & I, along with my girlfriend Laura & her kids went down to my parent's house to let the kids swim in the pool.  At the last minute I decided to take hot dog & s'more stuff too.  Glad I did because I found out her kids had never tried a hot dog roasted over a fire!  They tried them tonight & seemed to like them!  We got out the little pool for Brooke & Berkley.  Brooke loved it because it was like the tub but better because she could get in and out all she wanted.  Now she'll probably try & do that in the tub!

The big kids got in the big pool & had a blast!  They stayed in until they had blue lips & were shivering!  I think if the sun hadn't gone down they would have gotten back in!

This little swim suit was one she got for her birthday from my mom.  It's absolutely adorable on her!  It shows all her chubbiness and I love it!

Caleb intentionally jumped into the pool to do a cannonball tonight & went all the way to the bottom of the pool before coming back up!  He never would have done that intentionally before swim lessons!  He always kept his head above water!

Little sister didn't think much about getting in the big pool with the big kids.  I thought she'd like it but I think they were probably a bit too wild for her.

Notice where Brooke's foot is?  That's where she always puts it when she sits in this high chair.  I don't think that's normal & it doesn't look comfortable at all but apparently she likes it.

Last night Brooke was sitting in her high chair being so cute.  She was playing peek a boo with me and blowing kisses to me.

Today after swim lessons the kids each got a mid session report to take home.  Nash & Sam's just says what they have learned and what they are going to learn next week.  I figured I'd better get out the goggles because it says they're going to learn to open their eyes under water.  I am really impressed with how well Samantha has done.  She is so scared of water if what she's doing isn't on her own terms.  I really worried that she wouldn't even try half of what they wanted her to do.  She has amazed me though and she has been putting her face in the water every single day!  Nash, well, I think we have found Nash's niche in life.  This kid takes to the water like a fish.  He was a good swimmer before I signed him up (probably better than me and I took lessons my entire childhood).  He has caught on to what they have taught him so quickly and has been fearless to try the things they ask.  He already knew how to do just about everything they've already taught him.  The one skill he hadn't mastered he had down pretty dang quick by the next day.  I've told Travis we need to put him in at least 1 if not 2 more sessions this summer.  

Caleb's report amazed me.  It says that he is good at participating & following instructions!  It also said that he is a positive child and is one of her top students!  Now, don't get me wrong, I love my Caleb.  But, I will also be the first to admit that child is his mother's child & unfortunately that means he has inherited a stubborn streak a mile wide & 10 feet tall. He has an attitude that tops all others as well!  I seriously debated about whether to even enroll him in lessons because I worried he'd be a total stinker & I didn't want to throw $40 out the window.  Last year at Lake Powell it took Caleb 3 days to go any deeper in the water than his ankles.  For lessons he has been doing jumps into the pool and going under water.  He's putting his face in the water and blowing bubbles and I haven't even seen him give his teachers any attitude (and I've watched all 5 of their 30 minute lessons they've had).  Watching my kids has made me wish I had signed them up for lessons sooner.  At least now I know for when Brooke is a bit older!

Tonight I'm going to try & finish sewing Nash's bear quilt together so I can snip it tomorrow.  Tomorrow we will get our cleaning done & then do some baking!  We'll be making chocolate peanut butter hi hat cupcakes (again)!  I'm also planning to make pulled pork sandwiches for dinner.  Who knows what else we'll create.  I'm sure it will be yummy though!