For the past two weeks Rachel has had the occasional outbreak in hives. I would post pictures but Rachel refused to have her ‘beauty marks’ captured on film. The hives usually appeared some time mid morning. We tried food elimination (even though her breakfast was the normal fare) but that didn’t seem to help. It was a bit of a mystery. The first day she took an oatmeal bath. That helped some but not for long. Benadryl stepped in and took over where the oatmeal bath failed.
Rachel in April 2003. Wish I could remember why she was fighting back tears. It was a glorious day down at the river. No hives.
For the next few days, she continued to need Benadryl. We switched from cereal to toast to plain oatmeal (eliminating milk and then wheat). Nothing made a difference. It didn’t appear to be food related. Curious.
One summer I developed a sudden allergy to raspberries. It came out of no where but, in that case, the connection was very obvious. Eating raspberries = terrible stomach cramping and pain. Avoiding raspberries = no troubles. It did take me at least three or four times to really believe I was reacting specifically to raspberries. I LOVE berries. I’ve eaten blackberries and raspberries my whole life. I couldn’t comprehend the idea of an allergic reaction coming out of no where. The second time I got sick Tim suggested maybe I should stop eating raspberries.
“It’s not like you’re allergic to something serious, like chocolate,” he said, trying to be helpful.
“Honey,” I said in a patronizing tone, “I doubt I’m really allergic to raspberries. It was probably just those raspberries from Costco. You know, fertilizers and pesticides and all that.”
Rachel in April 2004 during our visit to Michigan. No hives.
The third time occurred during a family dinner. The dessert was a delicious ice cream parfait layered with, of course, fresh raspberries. It wasn’t until I had finished my entire dessert (and perhaps the remains of a child’s bowl) that I realized I had just eaten raspberries. “What were you thinking,” were Tim’s words (if I remember correctly). “Oh, it probably won’t affect me at all,” I said glibly.
I moaned and groaned and writhed in the pain the entire hour and a half ride home. Hmmm. “Perhaps I’m allergic to raspberries,” I gasped out to Tim. He nodded sympathetically. It was dark so thankfully I couldn’t see him rolling his eyes.
The fourth time was the worst. I must be slow or something because I didn’t make the connection between raspberries and blackberries. Sure, I might have a mild (ha) sensitivity to raspberries, but blackberries don’t affect me at all, right? One of my favorite summer memories is visiting VA relatives and raiding their freezer. I would fill a huge bowl of frozen blackberries, picked from the field nearby, pour milk on top of it, add a little sweetener and enjoy an amazing icy, frozen treat.
Rachel and Sarah in April 2005. No hives on Rachel OR Sarah.
Those glorious summer memories in mind, I didn’t pause for a second, in making a smoothie, before filling up the blender full of frozen blackberries. Yum! I ate the whole thing. Delicious. Fast forward an hour later and I’m on the floor in agony. I actually told Tim (I’m embarrassed to repeat this) to stop walking so heavily on the floor. I’m sure I must have sounded like a person with a hangover, fussing at people for whispering so loudly. Again, he was kind and patient, and it was dark so I couldn’t see his (no doubt) thoroughly exasperated expression.
At that point I learned to ask, “Are there any raspberries in that?” Rolling on the floor in anguish was not one I something I wished to repeat. Not over a bowl of frozen berries, anyway. Child birth, on the other hand, is a different story (but we don’t need to go there at this time).
Back to Rachel (this blog is about her, right). We couldn’t think of any laundry soap or bath product that had changed during this time period. It didn’t appear to be food or chemically related.
Hannah, Rachel, Rebecca and Sarah April 2006. Strange markings but no hives.
Today the kids played baseball outside. It was a gorgeous, sunny day but the air was cool and it was quite windy. Rachel came inside covered with hives. She had them all up and down her neck, up her cheeks, on her stomach, legs and arms. WHAT??? Can you be allergic to the outside? To cold weather? She forgot her sweatshirt and had been out for almost an hour in a t-shirt but she wasn’t rolling around in the grass. They were mainly throwing and catching the ball.
I dragged her over to show a friend (Mother Show and Tell) who said I should gp ahead and get her to the doctor for testing. I called and made an appointment with the pediatrician. He couldn’t see us for two hours. By the time we drove home (stopping at the store on the way) the hives were totally all gone.
Rachel April 2006. Still no hives. I’m sensing a pattern here. NO HIVES!! Rachel would like to keep it that way.
Oh great, our own Family Mystery.
The pediatrician was wonderful. He asked lots of questions, looked Rachel over thoroughly, and sent us home with free samples of Claritin. He told us hives are occasionally a result of the immune system’s over-reaction to a recent infection, such as a cold or flu That’s a new one to me. I’ve never heard of a connection between hives and viruses. Rachel’s hives came just after her bout with flu. Interesting.
The doctor said there wasn’t much we could do regarding the hives. The Claritin should work without causing her to be drowsy (unlike the Benadryl). He said if it continues to be a problem, or increases in severity, we can pursue further testing. The fact that the hives went away completely this afternoon without any medication was a good sign, he told Rachel, that her body was dealing with them itself.
The children were as good as gold (what does that phrase mean since gold is valuable but hardly intrinisically “good”??) at the doctor’s office. Joshua and Daniel read their books. Sarah colored and David lay on the bench complaining of a headache. He actually looked sicker than Rachel, now that her hives were all gone. Thanks, David, for helping out in that way. 
We’ll see how things progress over the next few weeks. Please pray for Rachel. The hives are distressing (not to mention uncomfortable) and she worries.
Kathy
We’re sorry Rachel! Next time you get the hives and are miserable, call us and Abigail will come be your nurse.
You are good detectives and I’m sure you’ll get to the root of it!
I’m very happy to pray for Rachel NOW. I love you. Sweet pictures of everyone. I miss you- BUT I’ll see everyone at Phil’s wedding. We made our tickets last night. Steph, JW and I are flying together! Whee.
Love you Edgrens. Aunt Kate
Good as gold, indeed. I think the phrase comes from evaluating someone’s word with respect to their likelihood of paying a debt, e.g. “Bob’s word is as good as gold.” Certainly those kids can be counted on to be faithful to their word — they are possibly even good as platinum.
Last time I heard that phrase, I think it was in the context of the Christmas Carol, referring to Tiny Tim, in more of a behavioral context. Of course, they broke all sorts of traditions (and maybe local ordinances) by being well-behaved in a doctor’s waiting room. It would be a shame if I had to come bail the family out of jail for failing to disturb the peace. Maybe you should have had Rachel perform her famous improvisational temper tantrum for the edification of the other patients and their families.
Poor, poor Rachel, what’cha gonna do? Things look bad for you … hey, things look bad for you! (Paraphrase from Joseph and the Amazing, Technicolor Dreamcoat). I’ll be praying for you, sweet Rachel.
I am praying for Rachel, poor girl.
Kathy, I’ve been trying to write you offlist and am getting “undeliverable” messages. Would you drop me a note?
I remember my bouts with hives when I was younger. I don’t think Mark or Tim ever got them…..However, I use to get them terribly and, of course, by the time mom could get me to the doctor, they disappeared!! Never did figure out what caused them..Benadryl is the miracle stuff for them though. Hooray for it!
Poor Rachel! We’re glad that she’s better. We wouldn’t want to see a picture of her sleeping in an oatmeal bath – ha!
My son Jon gets hives whenever he’s been ill for a while. It started when he was 3 and even now at age 13 he still gets them. I hope that Rachel is feeling better!
Blessings,
Lisa
This is Bess.
Oh tell the poor girl she has my sympathy! I’m def. praying for her. I am allergic to the cold, so in the winter I come inside from a run or when it’s windy out I get hives.
Thanks everybody for praying for me!!! So far I have not had any hives today!! I wonder if I am a little like you Bess, when I go outside in the cold, I get the hives usually on my legs and arms, and I have no idea why.
Kathy, Bessie is right. She has had this “allergy” to cold weather ever since she was small. They don’t last long and the doctor says that skin reactions to the cold are pretty common. Wonderful for someone who lives in a place that is cold 3/4 of the year! :-p
Praying that Rachel is better soon.
Jennifer – I’ve been meaning to run this whole hives thing by you but keep forgetting every time we talk. Rachel would love to have Abigail as her own private nurse! What a great idea. She might fake an illness to have a friend come over. Ha!
Lisa, you’re kidding me? I have never heard of the connection between getting sick and getting hives. Does your son still get them when he’s sick? How long do they last? Is it noticably related to his sickness? Interesting. Should Rachel be encouraged or discouraged by this info??
Thanks for writing and sharing. It’s so helpful to know other moms deal wth these struggles as well.
Debbie – maybe it’s time you all think about moving to a warmer climate? Ha! How strange that Bess is “allergic” to the cold. I know some people react to hot weather and exercise with odd skin reactions. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of anyone responding to the cold this way. Are they ctgually hives? How long do they typically last? Isn’t the body an amazing thing!
Hi Kathy,
This is a little blurb I got off the net…
“Cold rrticaria is a chronic, reactive skin disorder. It is probably the most common form of physical urticaria (hives). Major symptoms may include abnormal reddening of the skin (erythema), hives and itching after exposure of the skin to cold temperatures.
There are two forms of the disorder: essential (acquired) cold urticaria, and familial (hereditary) cold urticaria. The symptoms of the acquired form become obvious in two to five minutes after exposure to the triggering substance or situation, while it takes 24 to 48 hours for symptoms of familial cold urticaria to appear. Also, symptoms tend to last longer with the familial form, typically about 24 hours although they may remain for as long as 48 hours. With the acquired form, symptoms tend to last for one to two hours.”
Bessie will get hives right after she has been outside and the temp is around or below freezing. Thehives get very itchy and lost 1-2 hours unless she takes a Benedryl. It seems to be getting better. She used to get the hives all over, now it is just on any exposed skin…wrists, ankles, neck and sometimes her cheeks. The hives are worse if she is exercising (running).
I will be praying for you Rachel! Hives aren’t any fun to get! I use to get them on the sides of my cheek when I was younger. We never found out why and now it hasn’t happened for years!
One of our friend’s dds is allergic to cold…. if it’s cold outside she has to completely cover her skin… and if she goes swimming in a cold lake she’s covered in no time…. it goes away as soon as she warms up again.
Thanks for all the info, prayers and personal experience, ladies. What a treasure you are!! It’s Friday and things have been calm on the hive front for the most part. Of course, it’s also unseasonably warm so that might be another connection. Truly our bodies are a mystery sometimes.
I know that you probably won’t read this since I’m late in replying but yes, he gets hives whenever he’s sick. It’s not too bad and I’ve heard that it’s pretty common. Usually he gets them when he’s gotten a pretty nasty virus that lasts for 2 weeks or more. It is definitely related to the illness as it just becomes one of the symptoms. The first time it happened, we thought he got the chicken pox, took him to the dr through the back door and then felt pretty silly when they diagnosed hives.lol
Some good news is that he usually gets them right before he gets better. We take it as a “well this is almost over” sign.lol
Blessings,
Lisa