healthcare's greatest hits

the weird and/or ick afflictions and how we handled them

MIGRAINE/HEADACHES
If Morgan gets very quiet and asks for a "white ice pack" then puts it above her eye, she in all likelihood has a migraine (not that they have been diagnosed officially as such, but all evidence points in that direction...). Give her Motrin and let her be quiet. She will have little or no appetite and may throw up. This too shall pass - sometimes in just a few hours, but sometimes it lasts for a day or more. Just let her be. But don't expect her to follow her schedule or go out, and bathing is right out!

HIVES (HELLA HELLA HIVES...)
Ever since getting hives from an allergy to Sulfa drugs when she had a UTI last year, she has been breaking out in random hives. At first, we used Benadryl, but it makes her really sleepy, so we only used it at bedtime (along with hydrocortisone creme if she complained of itching and wanted "goo on her leg"). Then she got massive full body hives (with a suddenly swollen lip for 24 hours) and Benadryl 3 times a day wasn't getting rid of them (and making her housebound she was so tired). We tried Claratin, and the hives disappeared... for now. So for the moment, she is on Claratin daily. No - we don't know what she is allergic to (nothing new had entered her life). Next time she gets bloodwork, we'll run some tests... (See Supplies List for all specific products mentioned here)

STANKY STINK SMELL (YEAST INFECTION ON SKIN)
Smelling a serious stench emanating from her nether regions or underarms? Look deep into the skin folds at her thighs, under her stomach or under her arms for the culprits. This can come on super fast, and if not tackled immediately and consistently, can devolve from redness and smell into blisters, serious stench and eventually open bleeding sores. Whee.

Prevention is the best treatment. If it has devolved to the final stage before you catch it, wash carefully with Hibicleans. Rinse thoroughly and carefully. Dry thoroughly and carefully. Then treat for 2 days, 3x a day (or until no longer open sores) with Bactroban Ointment (Rx) and an OTC antifungal/anti yeast treatment (like Monistat [miconazole nitrate] cream) combined. Once sores are closed, switch to Zeasorb Athlete's Foot powder (applied with a powder puff) 3 times a day until under control.

The key is keeping those creases and skin folds clean and dry. Hibicleans every shower (rinsing carefully), dry carefully, and powder everyday with a Zeasorb Athlete's Foot Powder and Zasorb Excess Moisture Powder mix (combine approx half and half) when dressing and as part of the bedtime routine. The powder mix replaces deodorant/antiperspirant Never use cornstarch-based powder (it is a yeast problem, and the yeast thrives on cornstarch). (See Supplies List for all specific products mentioned here)

If her skin is breaking down regularly, or bath time becomes a battleground, you need to rethink your personnel choice for who is giving her a bath.

BLEEDING BELLY BUTTON
Yep. Fun stuff! She hates (with a passion) anything in or near her belly button, so cleaning it is always a challenge. For whatever reason (maybe yeast, like above... or maybe over-dry skin... we don't really know) in the past, seemingly out of the blue, her belly button will start to bleed (fairly profusely - scared the bejeezus out of us the first time). It is not "infected" looking blood, and doesn't smell (if it does, you are dealing with a new thing, and get thee to a doctor). As best we can tell, it is a skin split deep in the belly button.

Get her in the shower and wash it as best you can with Hibicleans and aiming the shower spray at it. Ask her to clean it out with a wet washcloth herself in the shower (that sometimes works...). Dry it as best you can. Treat 3x a day for 10 days with a glob of Bactroban Ointment swiped in as deep as you can manage. Sometimes if you give her a dry washcloth, she'll cooperate with rubbing "the goo" into the belly button. (See Supplies List for all specific products mentioned here)

STRETCH MARKS LOOK WEIRDLY PUFFY AND BRIGHT PINK
The first sign of a major allergic reaction in the works - it's as if hives set in on her stretch marks first. When she had her allergic reaction to Bactrim, this was the first stage, followed more than 12 hours later by massive hives everywhere all over her body (including on tongue and lips). Treat by figuring out what might be triggering allergy and getting her off it. Allergic reaction symptoms can last for weeks after the trigger (if you can even figure out the trigger). Use ice packs and hydrocortisone creme to spot treat. If she is not still on Claratin daily, try putting her back on Claratin once a day (with AM meds). (See Supplies List for all specific products mentioned here)

INGROWN TOENAILS
Yep she's got them. Nope - you'll never get rid of them. Best thing to do is let them stay a little bit long (as if she'll allow you to really trim them short - ha. ha. hahahaha). I was given the advice that it helps if you cut a notch out of the center of the nail to relieve the pressure... Good luck with that level of accuracy as well. They only seem to bother her if we try to fix them. So we leave them alone.

WARTS
She gets them occasionally - I've seen them on her feet and once on her hand. Don't try to treat them (unless they get infected or something evil). They will go away on their own. And she won't tolerate the treatments.

MAJOR CRUSTINESS AROUND MOUTH AND NOSE (ESPECIALLY DURING OR AFTER A HEAD COLD)
Ah, Impetigo - our old friend. Every time she gets an upper respiratory virus (and sometimes even when she hasn't) she will get crusty nastiness around her nose and mouth. It is contagious, and she shouldn't be around others if it gets to a weeping stage. At best it looks like red chapping around her mouth and under her nose. At worst, it can weep, crust, split and bleed. Treat with Bactroban ointment 3x per day until cleared up (often can take weeks to clear fully)

SPLIT LIPS
Especially in winter, her lips get chapped. The corners also take a beating from a constant coat of ketchup. In general, don't treat unless it is bleeding or looking like it is moving to Impetigo. Why? Because she hates "lip goo" and takes a wet washcloth and scrubs it off as soon as it is applied, which actually makes matters worse. (I've also noticed on myself that if I use it regularly, I have to use it all the time or the chapping gets worse, so I use it with caution any ways.) Best to use Aquaphor Lip Repair, but she will (sorta, kinda) tolerate Vaseline, Strawberry Lip Smackers, Watermelon Lip Smackers and Vanilla Carmex stick in a pinch.

RED ITCHY BUMPIES ACROSS BACK AND SHOULDERS
Usually either dry skin (which is worse in the winter) or heat rash (which is worse in the summer). She won't tolerate any "goo" on it. Only thing that has worked is to back off of the bathing schedule (we used to bathe daily - now it is every other day, with hair washing every other shower)

URINARY TRACT INFECTION
Most important fact: do not use Bactrim (sulfa drugs) or any Azo product (contains red dye 40) - Major allergic reactions
The dreaded ouchy pee-pee... Unfortunately, it can be difficult to figure out that she has a UTI. She doesn't necessarily run a fever, it doesn't necessarily smell, and she usually strains a bit to empty her bladder regularly. Signs she has a UTI include running to the bathroom (literally running - and then just peeing when she gets there); incontinence (especially if her bed smells of urine); generalized discomfort (needs a lot of Motrin, but doesn't seem to be "sick"...); and very poor sleep (crying in the night). If she gets disoriented (more whacky than usual) or runs a fever, it's advanced. We've successfully gotten her to "pee in a hat" to collect urine (but only once, and only at home - this is a new thing for her) and done the home test (although urine can be stored in a clean covered container and kept in the fridge for 24 hours - so if you get some, save it to take to the doc's the next day). If she tests positive on the home test for Leukocytes, she has a UTI (she won't necessarily test positive for nitrates).