quick update
I am so beyond exhausted and too uncomfortable to actually be able to sleep.
Reading is too straining and even just the thought of watching anything makes my head hurt. So, I'm just lying down with my eyes closed and trying to get as relaxed as possible. One of the injections I was given did have a side effect of making me "anxious and wired". The pills I just took (Prednisone) can cause insomnia. Joy. I made some chamomile tea in hopes that that might help mellow me out. The kitties are being excellent little nursemaids.
Not to be melodramatic, but I'm thankful to be alive- it took a coworker to yell at me to realize how dumb I was being to even attempt to work today. I was still trying to be brave when I called a friend to see if she could meet me at BART and help me get to the hospital. When I told her WHAT was going on, she drove like a bat out of hell to get to SFO to pick my dumb butt up. I owe my life to both of them.
Basically, I had a VERY SEVERE allergic reaction to the hair dye job I did on Tues. Think those warnings on the box are foolish? THINK AGAIN. I tried to home treat it like I had for minor reaction in the past to no avail (Benedryl, claritin, etc). Even though, I knew things were getting worse, I wanted to push through my shift today and rest tomorrow on my day off (going to urgent care if I did not show any improvement). I had some minor scalp irritation, which is "normal" for me. Then some minor puffing around the eyes, again can be normal for me during minor reactions. Yesterday, my forehead exploded so that I looked like a Neanderthal (which is really ironic because the book I just finished featured a Neanderthal as one of the main characters). then the sides of my face swelled so my glasses barely fit. Got home and the eyes were looking worse. took more benedryl went to bed. woke up and eyes were worse. laid w/ ice packs on my face during the time I would have been working out. Went to work. Swelling below eyes became the size of small eggs and I was getting "black eyes". This is when I started feeling very sick and about the time coworker snapped sense into me (he could tell over the phone that I was not ok and has had EMT training). During the 20 minute drive to the hospital, my cheeks puffed and the eye swelling got more intense and I sported lovely fuchsia blotches all over my face. Was put into a room immediately. Wonderful nurse put me at ease and let me and Mercedes (my angel friend) know of the possible meds the doctor might use. Doctor came in and was equally as wonderful. Nurse came back to give BOTH possible options "doctor is not monkeying around!" because things were so excelerated. Then I had to be kept under observation to make sure-
1) They actually stopped the reaction before it spread and entered my mouth and respiratory system (it WAS already at my cheeks and spreading fast). If it entered the respiratory system, death was a possible outcome (especially had I gone untreated).
2) to make sure I have no adverse effects to the meds- Solu-Medrol (via IV) and Epinephrine (injection in my stomach).
Needless to say, I did not get there a moment too soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will post more later as I'm not up to being up for long periods. I will include pictures , because even though the pictures show a small glimpse of the horror of today, they convey more than mere words. I did not intend on sharing these, but I think I need to as a PSA. I did not think this could happen to me and it did. If sharing this publicly can spare just one person the pain and terror I went through, it will be worth any temporary embarrassment I might have at letting you see me so very ugly and hideous.
I'm staying home and resting on Sat, but *may* be up for a couple *short* visits between naps. Pretty please call my landline to check before coming over. Don't worry about disturbing me, if I'm not up to talking, I'll let it go to the answering machine (unless it is my pre-established "safety net check in"). Be fore-warned, I'm still pretty scary looking until the swelling goes down. People I KNOW that I saw in Walgreeens did not even recognize me.
**I'm also out of it, so forgive typos and things that might not make total sense***
Reading is too straining and even just the thought of watching anything makes my head hurt. So, I'm just lying down with my eyes closed and trying to get as relaxed as possible. One of the injections I was given did have a side effect of making me "anxious and wired". The pills I just took (Prednisone) can cause insomnia. Joy. I made some chamomile tea in hopes that that might help mellow me out. The kitties are being excellent little nursemaids.
Not to be melodramatic, but I'm thankful to be alive- it took a coworker to yell at me to realize how dumb I was being to even attempt to work today. I was still trying to be brave when I called a friend to see if she could meet me at BART and help me get to the hospital. When I told her WHAT was going on, she drove like a bat out of hell to get to SFO to pick my dumb butt up. I owe my life to both of them.
Basically, I had a VERY SEVERE allergic reaction to the hair dye job I did on Tues. Think those warnings on the box are foolish? THINK AGAIN. I tried to home treat it like I had for minor reaction in the past to no avail (Benedryl, claritin, etc). Even though, I knew things were getting worse, I wanted to push through my shift today and rest tomorrow on my day off (going to urgent care if I did not show any improvement). I had some minor scalp irritation, which is "normal" for me. Then some minor puffing around the eyes, again can be normal for me during minor reactions. Yesterday, my forehead exploded so that I looked like a Neanderthal (which is really ironic because the book I just finished featured a Neanderthal as one of the main characters). then the sides of my face swelled so my glasses barely fit. Got home and the eyes were looking worse. took more benedryl went to bed. woke up and eyes were worse. laid w/ ice packs on my face during the time I would have been working out. Went to work. Swelling below eyes became the size of small eggs and I was getting "black eyes". This is when I started feeling very sick and about the time coworker snapped sense into me (he could tell over the phone that I was not ok and has had EMT training). During the 20 minute drive to the hospital, my cheeks puffed and the eye swelling got more intense and I sported lovely fuchsia blotches all over my face. Was put into a room immediately. Wonderful nurse put me at ease and let me and Mercedes (my angel friend) know of the possible meds the doctor might use. Doctor came in and was equally as wonderful. Nurse came back to give BOTH possible options "doctor is not monkeying around!" because things were so excelerated. Then I had to be kept under observation to make sure-
1) They actually stopped the reaction before it spread and entered my mouth and respiratory system (it WAS already at my cheeks and spreading fast). If it entered the respiratory system, death was a possible outcome (especially had I gone untreated).
2) to make sure I have no adverse effects to the meds- Solu-Medrol (via IV) and Epinephrine (injection in my stomach).
Needless to say, I did not get there a moment too soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will post more later as I'm not up to being up for long periods. I will include pictures , because even though the pictures show a small glimpse of the horror of today, they convey more than mere words. I did not intend on sharing these, but I think I need to as a PSA. I did not think this could happen to me and it did. If sharing this publicly can spare just one person the pain and terror I went through, it will be worth any temporary embarrassment I might have at letting you see me so very ugly and hideous.
I'm staying home and resting on Sat, but *may* be up for a couple *short* visits between naps. Pretty please call my landline to check before coming over. Don't worry about disturbing me, if I'm not up to talking, I'll let it go to the answering machine (unless it is my pre-established "safety net check in"). Be fore-warned, I'm still pretty scary looking until the swelling goes down. People I KNOW that I saw in Walgreeens did not even recognize me.
**I'm also out of it, so forgive typos and things that might not make total sense***