On The Road To Recovery

Yesterday was another half day spent at UCLA to see Bambino's Immunologists. He is just bouncing back from one of his worst break out this winter so he was all clear for the doctors. Fortunately, this doctor knows him well by now. He knows the intricacies of his disorder.

Whenever we see a new doctor and he is all clear, we would make it a point to take photos with us or the doctors would be wondering what the heck do we need their services for. Sometimes, when his skin is at his clearest, it is hard to believe that it was ever really bad.

These are photos from his most recent breakout. It's hard to believe it was just a mere one week ago.




He was red and peeling all over. His skin was painful to the touch. He was so miserable. Diaper changes were not happy events. He would be crying and screaming all throughout. I had to lather him up in thick layers of Aquaphor to keep his skin hydrated and that bothered him a lot.

We found out from yesterday's visit that he has lost about 7 ounces from last month. He is now back to 16 lbs even. His weight is just sliding backwards and it's heartbreaking. One of my frustrations was the difficulty in making an appointment with the GI doctor - something he really needs right now.

The Immunologists promised to help us get in to see the GI sooner. The last time we saw the GI, he insinuated that we might have to put in feeding tubes if he goes on like this - refusing to eat and continues to lose weight.

Since one of the current major concern is the itching, which usually happens at the tail end of a breakout (similar to a wound just about to heal), the docs prescribed a new antihistamine called Periactin. This rang a bell to me. I remember taking an appetite stimulant called Periactin-Vita as a child to help me put on some weight. I told the doctors that, and they said one of the "side-effects" indeed is increased appetite and weight gain.

It's an antihistamine so it helps with his itching and runny nose caused by allergies; it makes him drowsy so it will help him sleep better; and it's an appetite stimulant!

It sounded like a magic potion to me! It addresses practically every one of our concerns right now. I am hopeful.

Here's last night's photo of him. Besides the weightloss and the night time itching, he is back to his usual sunny disposition. And Mommy couldn't be happier.



Oh, and P.S.: as I'm typing this, he is halfway through his fourth 3oz-cup of formula! That is more than what he has ever consumed in a single day, and it's only 6pm! Does this mean then that the "side effect" was working? If I can make him drink 5 cups today, I would be the happiest Mommy on the block!