I need to vent.

Ok, so yesterday Kyle comes to me and he is almost in tears. There are now two HUGE bumps in his groin rubbing together, bleeding, he can barely walk. He is almost crying when he shows me. He is the kind of kid that will not tell until it is too painful to bear. He had to turn in a science project today so I had my Mom get him after third period and drop him at my work. There is no way he could do P.E.! And he is upset because baseball practice starts soon (has to wear a cup in one of the raw areas). Our DR is out of town and we see the stand in---thank God Kyle has seen him before! He is already freaking out about having to show his private area. Over the weekend this has really flared up. Stand in DR says he has cellulitis....on top of this being a bacterial virus already....I am thinking this is getting really bad. We have an emergency "complimentary" appointment with a derm tomorrow (thank GOD for compassionate doctors who understand my situation!) as this has become too much for our Drs office to handle. There are no derms here for medicaid. I tell the man I will do WHATEVER I have to do. I am upset, as I know cellulitis is serious, isn't it? I am upset because they will probably have to cut them or freeze them off of his private area, not to mention I am upset that this is going to cost a lot of money. Most of all I am worried about my son. My work is going to be mad because I have to miss on a full day without notice. I was home yesterday with a migrane. The Drs keep telling me how common this is....no one I know has ever heard of it!

UUUGH. I am just worried about Ky.

By Happynerdmom on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 05:47 pm:

Oh, I'm so sorry Kim. I'm glad the derm is willing to see him. Lots of Hugs and prayers that this will all be worked out and Kyle can get better. Do whatever needs done and worry about the money later.
{{{{{{{Kim & Kyle}}}}}}}

By Amecmom on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 06:17 pm:

Hugs Kim and Kyle. Kim, you are getting this taken care of and you deserve a lot of praise for really pursuing this for your son. Bless the derm who is willing to give of his/her time. I'll be thinking of you.

Ame

By Debbie on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 06:41 pm:

Oh Kim, how horrible for your ds. I must have missed your first post on this. I got a bacteria skin infection last year from a friend's hot tub. It was like 2 bumps and then they got scabby and they itched. I hate to admit that it was on my butt right where my bathing suit/panties hit. I didn't want to go to the doctor and have to show my butt. However, it just wouldn't go away. My doctor ended up giving me an antibiotic cream. I think it was called Silver Sulfadiazine Cream. It cleared it up in about a week. My doctor said if that didn't clear it up, to come back and he would give me an oral antibiotic too. I didn't need it though, the cream cleared it up for me. So, he should get an antibiotic and possibly a cream. It should clear it up quickly. I can't believe they didn't give him the cream the first time you went in. As far as the cellulitis, my understanding is that if you catch it early, it is easy to treat. I am really glad you were able to get a docto's appt. for tomorrow. I hope your ds is better soon!

{{{Hugs}}} Hope it is better soon.

By Annie2 on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 07:26 pm:

Kim, if there is ANYTHING I can do, please email me.

Hope everything turns out well with the dr. visit. Maybe a steriod cream would help clear it up.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 07:46 pm:

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{KIM & KYLE}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

By Marcia on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 09:59 am:

Kim, cellulitis normally requires IV antibiotics for a couple of weeks, starting as soon as they diagnose it. My hubby has had it twice, and the doctors acted very quickly both times. The first time he was in the hospital for a week, and the second time we did it all at home.
Is the area all red? You have to keep an eye on the area, to see if it's spreading. They normally draw around the outer area in pen, so that they can see how fast it's moving, if it is. You could do that yourself so that the doc knows when you get there.
I hope the poor kid feels better quickly!

By Karen~moderator on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 05:19 pm:

Any news??????

By Kim on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 07:22 pm:

It is not cellulitis, thank goodness. It is M C and he has a bad case. The Derm. gave him something used for skin cancer, its called Aldara. I guess wherever you put this on your skin your body will attack that area and kill anything that is not supposed to be there. I am so releived but I was upset by one thing. The doc kept telling us that it does not hurt. I said yes, my son was almost in tears yesterday and could not walk....he was walking funny today also...Kyle hates missing school so I know it was no ploy. He kept saying it shouldn't hurt. I kept saying it did hurt and how long will it hurt. He kept saying it shouldn't hurt. I am confused on that one, but Ibuprofen works so that's what we'll use to control the pain.

The poor kid has had so many people look at his cajones that I think he's over it! Even the nurse-pr. gave him a once over. LOL, it was funny. He just laid back with his hands behind his head and let it all go.

I am SO thankful to this dr, I think I am going to send a thank you. I am so glad it is not cellulitis!

By Tink on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 10:33 pm:

That's wonderful news, Kim! Didn't you say that this area is rubbing against itself? Maybe the friction is causing the pain. As long as it's controllable with OTC meds, I'd just manage it with that.I think a thank you note would be a nice gesture.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 07:05 am:

Oh, Kim, how scary the past couple of days have been for you, with that "diagnosis" of cellulitis. That is really scary stuff. I am so glad the derm saw poor Kyle and came up with a treatment. By all means, when Kyle is better, write to the doc and thank him and tell him that Kyle is better.

I sometimes get so angry with docs who give you horrific potential diagnoses - and then just walk away. At least he had the decency to get that appointment with the derm set up.

Scott and I had a horrible few days a couple of years ago when an ER resident doc, who saw him when he went to the ER with severe stomach pain, told him that based on his symptoms and her workup and the abdominal x-rays, he either had active AIDS or a particular type of cancer - I can't remember the name of it but it is a particularly fast-growing and non-treatable one. Thanks to our wonderful family doc, he was seen by the family doc the next day, had more tests and films, and comparison with previous tests and films, and the family doc was on the phone (at 6:00 a.m.) the following morning to tell him it was unlikely that he had either. Two days later the doc called again to say that all of the tests had come back negative, and whatever was causing the stomach pain was just that - stomach pain for some unknown, transitory reason. I was so angry at that ER doc that if I had seen her again during that time frame I would have at least screamed at her. I do understand how you must have felt.

I've had moles and other things on my skin frozen off, and it didn't hurt. It felt cold, and odd. The freezing kills the cells and the dead cells of the growth sluff off over the next several days, which can be a bit yucky but didn't hurt.

By Kim on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 09:21 am:

Thank you all for being there! Tink, yes, two of the three were rubbing. The third is on this thigh. The meds is not OTC, its cancer meds and they gave me four sample packs. Its VERY EXPENSIVE, yet another reason to thank the derm!!!

Ginny, I think I would have gone to the ER and punched her in the mouth! I cannot believe someone would do that! In Kyle's case, I can see why the regular doc thought it was cellulitis. I looked it up and that's what it looked like. I cannot imagine the horror your son experienced! And thank goodness for your family doc!

I think Kyle was more afraid of having work done in his crotch than the actual pain of it.....LOL

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 09:49 am:

Well, men are like that, Kim. They are acculturated from almost day one to think that what is between their legs is more important than anything else.

Thank heaven for the derm. If he doesn't do a followup with Kyle, you might ask Kyle to allow you to send the derm a photo of the area on his thigh when it is healed.

By Debbie on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 09:53 am:

I am so glad it isn't cellulitis. What a nice doctor to give you the meds. Kim, when I had this, it did hurt! It was fine if nothing was touching it. But, because it was on my butt, anytime I would wear jeans, they would rub and it hurt! I had to wear cotton and make sure my panty line didn't rub it. Once the area got a scab, it stopped hurting. I bet the location and friction is causing the pain. I am so glad he got some meds. Hopefully, they will clear it up soon!

By Karen~moderator on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 10:43 am:

Great news Kim, both about Kyle AND the doc!!!!!!

By Kim on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 01:41 pm:

Ouch Debbie! I hope you never get it again!

Yes, Ginny, its all they think about, LOL. When I change diapers at work the one year olds instantly grab their penis and I always think, yep its still there! ANd it'll be a lifelong preoccupation!

Thanks Karen!

By Annie2 on Sunday, February 19, 2006 - 07:55 pm:

Kim, how is Kyle doing?

By Kim on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 07:44 am:

Thanks for asking annie! The spots are still irritated but looking better. He only puts the meds on twice a week. But he can walk without pain (YAY!) and should be able to get that cup on for baseball practice tonight! It still looks bad but I am glad we got it addressed immediately. I feel so relieved!

Kayla, on the other hand, has had a fever since last week SUnday. Dr. said if it was still here today to bring her back. Now I am worried about her! That is a long time for fever! But antib.s would have been useless for a bacterial infection. Its always always something! I also have a medical issue right now that I am worried about. UUUGH!

Anyway, again, thanks for asking!!!

By Karen~moderator on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 07:47 am:

Antibiotics are for bacterial infections and will not affect VIRAL infections, Kim. I owe you a phone call, was in and out so much this weekend, didn't have a chance. Sorry!!! Are you taking Kayla back to the Dr. today?

By Marcia on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 12:02 pm:

Kim, what is the med they gave you? Chrissy's is getting worse and spreading. I'll have to get her back in to the doc this week. Because she is non mobile, she has the advantage of it not rubbing and causing pain. Still, it doesn't look nice, and I want it to be gone!
I hope Kayla gets better quickly!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 12:14 pm:

Ditto what Karen said.

Antibiotics are for BACTERIAL infections.
They do not affect VIRAL infections.

By Kim on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 02:52 pm:

That's what I meant ladies! :o) Sorry, I got it backward! I cannot get her in today and the DR is out tomorrow but I left him a message to call me as to what to do!

By Kim on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 06:42 am:

Marcia, it is called Aldara.

By Marcia on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 09:45 am:

Thanks!

By Marcia on Friday, July 7, 2006 - 12:27 am:

Seeing how a spammer has bumped this, I might as well update. I took Chrissy to the dermatologist today, and he froze the remaining warts. He said that it should work better than Aldara, so I'll have to trust him.
About a month ago she came back from her mom's with a few of the warts infected. I took her to the family doc, and she gave me some antibiotic ointment for her. It worked well. Since then a few more have come to a head, and after they opened the cream took them right away. She just has a few fat ones left, and the others are now deep red scars.
Are Kyle's totally gone?

By Kim on Friday, July 7, 2006 - 01:04 am:

I am glad she is doing better Marcia! The Aldara did work for Kyle and some were infected and treated but he is doing so much better. His groin has cleared up and is almost scar free. His legs have a few left to erupt but he has been doing awesome keeping clean and not scratching even tho it is hard. He still has the deep red scars on his thigh, quite a few of them and they look bad. But if they clear up like his groin did they should fade very well. I think he would freak out if he had to have them frozen! So no, not totally gone, but much much better and no one else has gotten them thank goodness!

By Karen~admin on Friday, July 7, 2006 - 07:46 am:

Good news for both of you!!!!

By Marcia on Saturday, July 8, 2006 - 10:21 am:

I'm glad Kyle's doing so much better!
It seems like the only thing that really works is them becoming inflamed and opening up. The antibiotic right in them does the trick.
The doc did remind me that it's contagious, so I should watch all of the kids. She's had it for a long time, and no one else has it. (touch wood!) I have a thing of antibacterial gel right beside her bed, and use it every time I change her.