Finally a break!

Finally, Drew started on steroids today, and he is showing some improvement, actually, remarkable improvement. Here's what we know. It is definately hives, probably an allergy, maybe a syndrome, but either way, the course of treatment is the same. He is on a mega dose of both Zyrtec and Orapred, and although the Zyrtec should make him sleepy, especially at that dose, the Orapred has taken over my little boy. Now I know where the phrase "climbing the walls" comes from. This afternoon, he climbed up ontop of the kitchen counter to get bubble gum off of the TOP shelf of the cabinet. He was STANDING on the counters...later, he was climbing the outside of the staircase, and he's running circles around us all. No nap today either...just lots of energy, a HUGE appetite and itching, which is finally starting to ease. We will go to the doctor in a week and see how he's improved. Today, when the pediatrician came in the room, the sight of Drew literally stopped him in his tracks. The nurses didn't know what to say, people were staring, and avoiding us. Poor little guy. I can't imagine being like that all the time. How sad. I certainly have learned a little from this experience too, and will be more careful of my own eyes and those of my children when we see someone who looks different. At least this isn't contagious. For now, we have to continue to watch him, and take note of anything different in his exposure or diet that might be a trigger. The only thing we can think of as a possibility is either something in the air (a pollen or weed or something) or black olives, which he tried for the first time last week, and sadly, LOVED...sadly because we won't let him have them again for quite a while till we get to the bottom of this. Hopefully, it's just an allergy, and not a syndrome. The doctor got out a textbook, and showed me some pretty alarming pictures, many of which looked similar to Drew, and named a bunch of complicated things that this could be. For now, we take the steriods, aviod outside (for fear of more bug bites), continue Zyrtec, and watch him like a hawk. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and suggestions!