Erythema multiforme

Translation: multiple variations of red spots...or something like that. Here's the progression:

This is Saturday morning. She had a fever of 102.

Saturday afternoon

Saturday after we took her to urgent care. They told us it was probably viral and to take her to the ER if it got worse. Thanks.

Sunday morning. worse. Fever of 103. It had been a rough night.

Before her oatmeal bath (it helped with the itching)

She stayed in there for a long time.

At 1:00pm I sent pictures to my mom and she told us to take her to the ER. We had been hesitating because we didn't want to get there and be told the same thing as the urgent care.

They diagnosed her with erythema multiforme. They thought it could have been caused by a virus or something serious like valley fever. So they admitted her to the hospital to keep an eye on the rash and make sure it didn't spread to her eyes or get worse in her mouth. They did multiple blood tests-we don't have all the results back. So far all the results have been fine.

She got a toy for being so good while they put the IV thing in her arm.

I like this picture.

She didn't mind the thing in her arm until they actually hooked up an IV.

Her spots merged and looked awful.

I think this is when it peaked. All the medical students came to see her "perfect" rash. Apparently it is not everyday that someone has a rash this good with the swollen ears, lips and the fever.

They brought her puzzles, a coloring book and she watched LOTS of movies.

This is an interpreter phone so Clifton and Casey could talk to me at the same time. Casey loved it, she's never talked on the phone that much before.

She even got a popsicle at 2 in the morning as a "reward" for taking benadryl that she didn't want to take. She has some great stories from her hospital stay.

I had to nurse Tyler so I couldn't stay with her at the hospital. I feel so blessed that this happened at a time in our life where Clifton could stay with her all the time in the hospital. He was a trooper. It was hard having a child in the hospital, but it would have been so much worse if she was alone.

This is right before I took them home Monday evening.

Thank you for all the prayers and calls of support. It kept me sane through this whole thing. Her spots are fading and the rash on her face started scabbing yesterday. So she is on the mend. It will take some time for the spots to go away completely. And so far (knock on wood) Katelyn and Tyler are feeling fine.