Mr. Hives

We have many names for Sam:
Migraino - because he gets migraines
Pathetico - because he can make himself look so pathetic when he doesn't get his way

Tonight while Matt, Sam and I discussed this we thought of "Dramatico" and "Intensito" - you can guess why.
But a new name emerged on Christmas Day - Sam named himself "Mr. Hives" because he got hives (maybe?) all over his body. We were busy and they didn't look that bad - and I didn't look that closely at them. Then at bedtime Sam started complaining about terrible itchiness. I looked and they were everywhere - face, neck, arms, back, tummy and legs. It was by this time 9:30. I was feeling stuck and a little desperate. Going to emergency on Christmas Day? Wait there all night to be told it was nothing? No walk in clinics were open and even our local drug store was closed. I found a 24 hour drug store and called the pharmacist. She suggested benadryl (we didn't have any) but we did have an adult antihistimine - we gave him half. I also gave him an oatmeal bath. The pharmacist said as long as he was not having trouble breathing or had a swollen tongue it would be OK. He fell asleep around midnight. This morning I called my doctors office - as he was still quite hivey. It directed me a new service - you dial 811 and a nurse will help you 24/7. I called and got a call back an hour later. Nurse Kathy was very very nice. She was one of those friendly Cape Bretoners. She asked all kinds of questions while inputting things into the computer. Was he having trouble breathing? Was his tongue swollen? When did it start? Had he eaten anything weird? (YES - shrimp and Brother's pepperoni). Was he nauseous. Could he carry on regular activities. Was he lethargic. (NO - very much not lethargic.) What did the rash look like? Was there a raised bump in the midle of the spots. Did it look like lace? And on and on. Then she said, "I would suggest you take him to the doctor in the next two to four days and if he starts having trouble breathing take him to emergency. Also get him some hydrocortisone cream at the pharmacy. She then even told me which walk in clinics were open and even their phone numbers. At the end I said, "so Kathy I assume from what you told me you are not allowed to tell me what you think it is." She said, "No. Only a doctor can do that." I tried another tactic. "So if you are saying to take him to the doctor in the next two to four days you are not thinking it is too serious?" She said, "we don't think it is serious unless he can't breathe." I asked about Benadryl and she said, "oh yes you could give him some of that." She was so very very nice. But in the end was there a point to our conversation? Later Sam was itchy again so I walked him up to Shopper's Drug Mart and asked the pharmacist about the rash. She said, "did he eat something weird?" Yes - shrimp. She took me to Benadryl and said, "this may make him drowsy." I smiled and winked at her and said, "that's OK." We shared a little conspiratorial laugh.

So now Sam is Mr. Hives.

All the way to and from Shopper's Sam tried to convince me to let him buy an online game. He said, "I'll even earn the money myself/I'm really sick and it would take my mind off it/Other kids get to buy online games, why can't we/You bought me a Nexxon card before. Why won't you buy this for me. I said that Daddy would kill me and it just wouldn't be worth it to have an online game but a dead mother. Sam said, "why would Dad have to know. You could use your credit card." I said we had the same credit card so Dad would know. Sam suggested I use PayPal instead. I don't have PayPal Sam. And on and on. He didn't wear me down.

I think now you might get why we think "Intensito" might be a good nick name.