Nothing like having your child say, “Look mom, I have polka dots!” on the Friday before Christmas at 5:02 pm.

• October 2011 – Caitlyn has sore throat/tonsils and gets a Z-pack
• Tuesday, December 13, 2011 – Caitlyn has a tummy bug and is up all night losing her lunch. Grandma and Grandpa are here to help with Karen’s gallbladder surgery and leave Wednesday night.
• Caitlyn is at the doctor with a sore throat on December 22 – Strep. Clindomyacin (sp.) – Christine is concerned that the z-pack from October failed her
• 5 doses in, she notices spots on her legs. December 23 – ER. Dropped Clindomyacin and added a z-pack – ER doc feels the other antibiotic is overkill and would be rougher on her in the long run. A highly emotional blood draw results in the larges assortment of toys I have ever seen from a phlebotomist. Blood in urine and I believe +2 on protein?
• Spots  on legs up to buttocks, on elbows, and some on cheeks – one large bruise on her ankle.
• Followed up with doctor on 12/27 – Results show blood & urine count is low and no need for a follow up unless we have pain further issues.
• 12/31/2011 – 1/1/2012New Year’s very cold outside and Cait wakes up the next morning with swollen polka dotted cheeks.

Overall, I thank God that we do not have bowel or kidney interaction with this. We also have had very little discomfort. If polka dots is what we get with this – we’ll take em!

Summertime brings Ryan’s first experience with Vacation Bible School. I wouldn’t have even thought of signing him up for a VBS that runs for an entire week from 6-9pm, but… he saw the poster at MOPS that had a train on it. So far, so good. Caitlyn is loving it, too. Ryan enjoyed “showing” Dad his moves tonight while they talked on the phone.

Caitlyn has become quite the walker. We have a fancy bike stroller that will carry both kids, but she has decided that she prefers to push the stroller rather than ride in it. All the better to wear her buns out!! She walked a mile and a half last night and a little over a mile today. She was so tired from walking yesterday that Daddy had to coax her out of the stroller to play on the playground! (Then she climed up and slid down the slide no fewer than 20 times.) The only down side is that these trips take 2 to 4 times longer than what they used to, so I’m needing to adjust my idea of time.

Is there anything cuter than watching a 2 year old and a 5 year old hug eachother goodnight?

Caitlyn's HSP polka dots

What the heck happened?

• Saturday, May 16 we went to a concert and Caitlyn was watched by Jess, CJ, Mike & Sue. She didn’t want to eat anything and was very whiny. She was happiest sitting in bed just snuggling.
• Sunday, May 17 I noticed what looked like bruises on her shins. We visited Nana & Grandpa and she took a nap there. When she woke up, there were noticeable “hives” and bruises all over her legs. We went to an urgent care facility and received a prescription for antibiotics for folliculitis. The rash got worse and by evening, Daddy went to fill the prescription. Caitlyn would not move out of her stroller. She would not hold a sippy cup or let anyone put pressure on her legs. Her hands and feet began to swell and she cried in pain to her brother lightly bumping into her. Daddy came back and we went to the ER @ St. Rose hospital. They had a pediatric ER and took a CBC as well as a urine sample to confirm that all were normal, but gave us the diagnosis of HSP based on the joint pain and purpura (rash/bruises). We received a prescription of tylenol w/ codeine
• Monday, May 18 through Wed, May 21. We tried the tylenol w/ codeine once with what seemed to be the effect that it wired her. We kept her on an every-other dose of ibuprofen & tylenol around the clock. I would give her a few extra hours every once in awhile and she’d let us know she still needed it.
• Thursday, May 22 through Friday, May 22 - only 1 dose of ibuprofen each day when she “asked” for it.
• Saturday, May 23 – travel back home to AK – no meds
• Sunday, May 24 – drive to Willow – no meds
• Monday, May 25 – swelling in her hands & ankles again. Rash was really bad after having faded over the last week. Covered her entire buttocks. 2 doses ibuprofen.
• Tuesday, May 26 – drive to Anchorage and then to Soldotna – no meds
• Wed, May 27 – during sleep that night Caitlyn said her feet were owie without my asking her – 1 dose ibuprofen
• Thursday, May 28 – Learned that Aunt Mary Hendrickson has been dealing with something similar. Went to Dr’s office. Blood draw & request for urine sample. Jasmine tattoo for the best blood draw patient the nurses had seen in quite awhile. Prognosis is good, wait it out. Keep up with ibuprofen & tylenol as necessary. Go to ER for any acute belly issues or other scary symptoms. Woke up crying, 1 dose ibuprofen. Noticed the telltale “hives” that start a new outbreak.
• Friday, May 29 – HAPPY 2nd B-DAY! Soda mixed with water on the potty eventually gets a 2 year old to produce a urine sample! Blood draw results in a negative test for strep. 1 dose of ibuprofen @ bedtime, some swelling around sock line and evidence of new purpura “crop” with hives. She is increasingly irritable when things don’t quite go her way or if she bumps into anything – evidence that she’s still not 100%
• Monday, June 8 – While we had a few new dots over the last week, but they are all gone. No new ones for quite a few days and she’s even wearing shorts in public!

 Where the heck to find info on the Internet

• Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center - best site so far
• HSP Support - just found this tonight

 What is it?

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) 

HSP is a condition of the vascular system that can affect all major organs and systems of the body.  The primary symptoms of HSP are a rash that may look like poison ivy, bug bites or bruises, significant joint pain and moderate to severe belly pain.

 While no one knows what causes HSP, it is frequently triggered after a common cold or virus.  HSP can be described as  a hyperactive response of the white blood cells in the immune system as it fights the cold or virus.  Once the virus or bacteria are gone, the white blood cells keep “fighting” and cause irritation, inflammation and internal bleeding in the patient.

 It is important to understand that while the preceding infection (the cold or virus) may be contagious, HSP is not contagious.  Other children cannot “catch” HSP, and it is not transmitted through coughing, sneezing or skin contact with the rash. 

 HSP usually resolves on its own within 2 months.  However, some patients suffer the effects of HSP for much longer periods of time.  These patients may recover and suffer repeated relapses.

Redoubt Volcano Latest Observations

2009-05-05 22:31:11

Since about 9:58PM AKDT this evening, seismicity at Redoubt has changed from discrete, repeating events, to continuous tremor. Small ash bursts are sending ash to less than 12,000 feet above sea level. Winds are carrying the low-level ash and steam plume towards the east. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely.

2009-05-05 15:38:39

Seismic activity remains at an elevated level at Redoubt Volcano, and the lava dome in the summit crater continues to grow. An explosive event due to dome collapse, from instability of the growing dome, or due to internal depressurization could occur at any time. An explosion may produce a high altitude (>30,000 ft ASL) ash plume, trace to minor ash fall in parts of south-central Alaska, lahars in the Drift River valley, and pyroclastic flows in the immediate vicinity of the volcano.

AVO continues 24/7 operations and is monitoring the situation closely.

Maybe it’s an almost 2 year old (May 29) saying something that you have to interpret to either be “Where are you?” or “I love you!” 

Tonight we had a conversation that went something like this (yes, she got some too!):

• Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream
• Yes, Mommy’s ice cream
• Ooooooooohhhhhhhh, cooool!

Why is it that right when you think you might have gotten a lightbulb to go off for the 2 year old to use the potty at least for the dastardly deed, the 5 year old introduces her to the concept of pretending to be a baby?

Then there’s the fact that the 2 year old keeps getting out of the tub and running onto the carpet. In my frustration, I ask why she got out of the tub. Of course, the 5 year old answers for her that she WANTED to get out of the tub. Thanks Ryan.

I have little piles of leaves all over my lawn. Each time I start in the front yard, Caitlyn moves to the back yard, so she moves to the front, to the back, to the front… you get it.

Ryan and Caitlyn both cheer/coach from the sidelines enough to be honorary soccer moms.

I can’t believe how much Ryan has progressed with soccer in just a few short weeks. He first would run around all the players like he was doing laps. Then, he would graciously let anyone else have the ball. Then, he’d be running to make a goal when he was defense. Today, just to prove he understood that he was playing offense, he hovered near the middle of the court when the ball went near our goal. If it crossed towards the center line towards the other goal, he’d go after it.

You know the book, “If You Give a Pig a Pancake?”

If you give a pig a pancake