Scarletina??

Well Isabel has been having some skin issues. She has always had mild eczema. You know some red itchy spots mainly in the creases of her elbows. About two weeks ago her eczema EXPLODED!!! This is the best way for me to describe it. She was covered with red blotchy scaly yuckiness. We went to the dermatologist and they gave us some steroid cream. This started to clear it up and just when it was almost gone she was covered with another type of rash. Fine little red pumps all over her body. Her skin was red and very itchy. This started on Wednesday. I thought maybe she was having a reaction to the steroid cream. I read the insert that came with it and it said that children can have intercranial hypertension with the use of steroid cream, so I stopped using that. We have enough brain issues to worry about, I didn't want to think about adding another problem. I thought it might be a reaction to my parents dog, Woody. So I gave her benadryl. Still no help. We finally went to the after hours clinic on Sunday night after I had exhausted all possible home remedies.
I couldn't believe it she had step throat with a scarletina rash. This is something related to scarlet fever. But she never had a fever or even complained of a sore throat. Leave it to Isabel to have all the odd symptoms to all sorts of odd illnesses.
Tonight before bed I put the usual coat of greasy lotion all over her sandpaper skin. She just cried and cried "I HATE FEELING GREASY, NO MORE GREASY LOTION!"

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY HELPFUL HINTS RELATED TO SENSITIVE SKIN ISSUES AND ECZEMA? I WOULD LOVE ANY INPUT YOU MIGHT HAVE. ISABEL WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE GREASY LOTION!!!

Post-op doctor's appointment

We had an appointment with Dr. Brockmeyer, the neurosurgeon. He said she is doing great. She will get another MRI in March to see if the surgey helped her syrinx. He told us they usually improve 80% of the time. We are hoping, praying and even crossing our fingers that it improves. If it doesn't it will probably mean she will have to have another surgery. But like I said we are very hopeful. We will also follow up with the orthopedic doctor to see what her scoloiosis is doing. We will do that in April. So far all is well and she is doing great!

Back to school

Isabel went back to school on Monday. She was out for a whole month. She came home early one day. I think it just wore her out. But I think she is glad to be back. It makes me nervous because I cannot watch her all the time now. Even though the doctor said she isn't fragile. I can't help but worry (after all she is missing a piece of her skull, a portion of her brain, and part of her first cervical vertebrae). I worry about her falling and injuring herself. As a parent I have always been a worrier. I often remind myself to take a deep breath and relax!! We see the neurosurgeon next week, I am sure he will reassure me.

Healing

Isabel is doing great. Her stitches came out last tuesday and the incision is healing up quickly. She complains about headaches now and again, but most of the problem has been with the muscles in her neck. Lack of moving her head has given her some painful muscle spasms. She gets worn out easy too. We had a busy day yesterday with a family christmas party and then a trip to Build A Bear Workshop. It was fun, but she was pooped and got a headache by the end of the day. I hope she will get back to normal soon. To make up for the busy day yesterday we had an inside day today. We didn't go anywhere and we didn't even get out of our pj's. She watched movies most of the day.
I have kept her hair in pigtails or her favorite, a side pony tail, to help keep her incision clean. I tried doing a low pony tail when we went our yesterday to cover it up, but she said it made it itch. I hope she will let me cover it before she goes back to school. I wonder what her reaction would be to other kids seeing it. She doesn't mind if people look at it now. But it may be different with a group of 6 year old kids and their reactions and comments. She will go back to school after the holiday break. I hope by then her incision will be completely healed.

Day 4....Coming Home

She's coming home

Isabel with the Jazz

(One of our favorite nurses)

We are so glad to be going home. It was difficult to be away from Sophie and Kya. Isabel keeps getting a little bit better everyday. Primary Children's Hospital is amazing. We are so lucky to have such a great children's hospital so close. The staff is amazing. They were great with Isabel. One day the High Patrol came and delivered a teddy bear to each kid in the hospital. Kya was there when they came and they gave her a pencil, stickers, and a toy car. Isabel also got to meet some Jazz players and Jazz dancers. They came by and gave her an autographed basketball.

Day 3

I am very tired and very exhausted. Ben is staying at the hospital tonight and I came home to see the girls. Isabel did very good today. The doctor said there would be a couple of rough days and then she would turn a corner and the recovery would be very quick from that point. I hope we are starting that turn. Here are a couple of pictures.

She asked if they could shave her head in the shape of a heart. I guess the marker drawn heart is the closest she got.

Pre-surgery with her puppy that went to surgery with her

Pre-surgery (Obviously-look at that smile)

Day 2

Well for most of the day Isabel did amazing. The doctor's said she was the star patient. She played bingo in her room, colored and watched TV and movies. And had a few visitors. But I think it all wore her out. In the evening she threw up and kept throwing up through the night. They say all this is normal and probable related to a low pressure headache. This happens beacuse she is low on spinal fluid because it leaks out during surgery. She seems to feel better this morning. They also took her IV out last night, before she got sick, thinking she was doing so well she could go home today. But after last night I think we will be here a little while longer. I will tell you I miss my other girls (and my bed) a lot.