Anaphylaxis?

Canada
November 10, 2017 8:41am CST
While reading @shaggin post yesterday about being pregnant and having her first baby, make me remember something else to write about. When I was pregnant we had one car. My husband was teaching back then and walked to the school a few blocks from our home so the car would be there for me if I needed it. Anyone here familiar with Anaphylaxis? Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. As a teen, and later as a newly married I experience Anaphylaxis. As a teen our doctor was up the street and came to save me. As a newly wed I had the pills to take if it happened and I took them several times. Each time we assumed it was something I ate. While pregnant one morning I was looking for something to eat for breakfast. I toasted a slice of rye bread and ate it with butter and jam on top. And I knew I was in trouble... I called the school and my husband phoned right back so I drove to the hospital and he met me there. He had called the doctor and he was on his way but took longer than he or we thought it would. My husband was trying to get the doctors or nurses to give me an Adrenaline shot to stop my throat from closing. Breathing was getting harder by the minute. Did I mention it was a Catholic hospital? No one at that hospital was going to give me something that might hurt my baby in my belly... I thought I was going to die. I was barly breathing when the doctor got there and he BLEW A GASKET. He gave me a shot right there in front of everyone... He was yelling at the nuns. They were saying we knew you were on your way and we were afraid to do anything that might hurt the baby... He was furious and asking them if they would try to save the baby when I suffocated... That doctor was my hero that day. I thought the hospital would help me but no...That was my first and my last experience at a Catholic Hospital. I hope the attitudes have changed since 1970. My baby was born in that town but not that hospital. Never again would I enter a Catholic Hospital. I continued to have allergic reactions to certain foods, Rye was one of them. I was never without my pills to save my own life until I was tested in our hospital here in Canada many years later. The good news is I am no longer allergic to anything except grass so my husband has to mow the lawn... Life is good when you can breathe. The photo above is mine and not related to this post at all...
18 people like this
15 responses
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
12 Nov 17
Imagine than in Italy back in the 50's all the hospital were Catholic and there were nuns. They almost killed my mother. At least now there are no more nuns in the hospitals, but still too many Catholic nurses and Doctors who prefer to let a woman die than to risk the life of the fetus.
3 people like this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
12 Nov 17
My Mom told us some pretty awful stories coming from the priests and nuns attitudes then to save the baby instead of the mother, even if she already had 12 kids.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
13 Nov 17
@marlina They did not care at all about the health of the mother. In my opinion a wrong attitude.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454979)
• Switzerland
12 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate The nuns in the hospital were mean, I have never seen so rude women as nuns in the hospitals. I am glad that they are out now.
3 people like this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
10 Nov 17
No I have not heard of this.Let alone the word there.Wow that is a lot there. You had quite an experience there.Glad that your with us today. Thank you for sharing this. I understand your frustration on this.Do not blame you.
3 people like this
• Canada
11 Nov 17
Thanks for your kind words, I am allergy free now (except grass) and life is better in my old age.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
11 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate good for you.Wish I can say that not.
2 people like this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
10 Nov 17
My son in law is allergic to several things and he has to take his shots when he goes out of the country. Although he is a doctor, he had a narrow scape when they went to Colombia. No one would believe him
2 people like this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
13 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate On other countries, they will not even believe that you are a doctor.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
That sounds scary to not be believed in another country, but I know it happens. A friend just mentioned on a comment she carries a epi-pen, my doctors never mentioned to me to carry a shot with me.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28940)
• United Kingdom
10 Nov 17
Thank goodness the doctor got there in time! Did they not think that the mother dying would surely harm the baby more than anything else?
2 people like this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
12 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate I can guarantee you that they would have tried to save the baby before the mother. I grew up in a Catholic household and that is exactly what the priest would tell the doctor: save the child.
2 people like this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
13 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate it was terrible in the older days. My Mom told us so many bad stories.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
@marlina Thankfully it was in the olden days, and doesn't happen today (I hope) I'm guessing by one of the comments law suits have made the Catholic Hospitals more careful. The comment by @AmbiePam made me feel better..
2 people like this
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
10 Nov 17
I like the photo as it is cold here and I am about to make more coffee. That was so frightening!
2 people like this
• Canada
11 Nov 17
It was scary. I thought the hospital was a good place to be but no...
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
11 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate Not always, as you've described.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53601)
10 Nov 17
Amazing! Those nuns would have watched you die because the baby might be affected in some way ? I can imagine how frustrating that was for your husband and how awful for you.That doctor would be your hero indeed.
3 people like this
• Canada
11 Nov 17
I loved his anger when he got there and saw how bad my breathing was, we knew from other times what we needed was that shot, you would think a doctor would have looked at me and do it when I was in such bad shape but the nuns never called one, they waited for my doctor - he was my hero.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
13 Nov 17
How awesome to be mentioned in a post. I unfortunately just stumbled on this post now. The tag has an extra s so it didn't tag me. That must have been such a terrifying feeling not being able to breath and being pregnant wondering if both you and the baby were going to die because those nuns would do nothing. That is excellent you are no longer allergic to those things.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
13 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate No worries about the name. It's fun to know a post of mine got you thinking and creating your own post.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
So sorry I made that mistake with your name. I am happy to be food allergy free and delighted my doctor was my hero that day.
1 person likes this
• Canada
14 Nov 17
@shaggin I often get ideas from my memories when I read others posts so thanks for remindingd me..
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
14 Nov 17
WOW! They would not give you the shot because they were afraid to hurt the baby. I don't blame you, I would not go to another Catholic Hospital again! Glad the doctor arrived in time.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
16 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate I know several people are glad you did not have to find out. I wonder if the Catholic Hospital system has changed their traditions on treatment since then. Surely, they are regulated as other hospitals are these days.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
17 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate Well thank goodness for that. I would not go to another one either!
2 people like this
• Canada
17 Nov 17
@Shellyann36 someone here on this post said yes, It was @AmbiePam She said they are afraid of law suits now... I'm still not going to ever use a Catholic Hospital ...
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
13 Nov 17
Anaphylaxis is scary, I carry my epi-pen with me most of the time just in case. I have never heard of allergies going away so that is good news.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
I never did have a epi-pen. Interesting my doctors never mentioned it to me. Anyway I lived and no longer have those allergies.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
11 Nov 17
Maybe one of the nuns needed to learn some little medical knowledge. But I do understand why they were cautious. I'm glad you're alive though.
1 person likes this
• Canada
12 Nov 17
The nuns need to let the doctors make the decisions. and I am glad I lived too.
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
28 Nov 17
Thank goodness the doctor arrived when he did! What an awful moment! I wouldn't have gone near that hospital again either. I am also allergic to grass, luckily we have a garden service.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
29 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate that is safest. You can't take any chances.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Nov 17
My husband takes care of the yard or our son does, I don't mow, rake or play in it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118219)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Nov 17
My goodness, that was quite an ordeal you experienced! Glad everything turned out okay for you! Growing up, I was never allergic to anything. I attribute that to the fact that I was always outside playing, hiking, fishing, camping. Being out in nature, your body is constantly exposed to germs, microbes and all kinds of other things that help your body build an effective immune system. I found that after I graduated college, and took an office job, I started developing allergies. I blame part of it on the fact that everything then was starting to become anti-bacterial, and partly on the fact that I wasn't spending as much time outdoors. Some of my allergies started getting severe. After I had kids, and when my youngest (my sone) was old enough to take camping, we started getting outdoors more. He had severe allergies as a toddler, but I found that both of us improved tremendously once we started getting outdoors. Now, neither of us have hardly any allergies whatsoever, and we try to get outside every weekend if we can. We camp and hike and do all kinds of things that leave us covered in dirt and mud when we get home. And we've never been healthier!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118219)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate I don't think anything can make our bodies feel more healthy or alive than being outdoors. It's invigorating!
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
I like that, I camped as a child almost every weekend but I still had allergies until i was an older adult, the food allergies were the worst, the most scary. My grandfather and his farm taught me what not to do being allergic to hay, shucking corn and many things around the animals... I had horses as a teen and very few allergic problems but pulling down a bail of hay always made my nose run...I do believe the more you spend outside the healthier you are.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
10 Nov 17
No I did not know the proper word . I too have had this reaction to medications.
2 people like this
• Canada
12 Nov 17
Its very scary, mine was a food allergy. I can't imagine being allergic to your meds. Bet your doctor changed your meds fast!
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20272)
11 Nov 17
When did the allergies stop in your case? I got allergic to certain food, mild rash here and there with some cough, I wonder if everything would go with time.
1 person likes this
• Canada
11 Nov 17
I avoided all the things that caused the food reaction and as I got older I had less problems. I really don't know when they stopped, My allergic reaction to pollen and hay - that itchy skin reaction stopped sometime in my early adult stage probably because I wasn't playing in the hay anymore and I didn't have chickens and horses anymore... I was in my 60's when my surgeon asked me to get tested and that was then I learned the only thing I'm allergic to is grass, and no more food allergies..
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20272)
12 Nov 17
@PainsOnSlate That is so cool, knowing that when the body gets older, certain foodstuff may stop bugging us. (I used to be less sensitive to foodstuff, but childbearing periods seemed to change my body somehow to the worse.)
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Nov 17
@YrNemo If you have the chance, get tested and then you will know exactly what to avoid. and or how to control it. I know how scary allergies can be.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22932)
• India
11 Nov 17
Something like this happened to our neighbour a short time ago, thankfully her daughter was at home that day and they got her to the hospital in time...It sounded scary After reading this post ,I think it must have been an allergy too I am so glad that the doc came on time
1 person likes this
• Canada
12 Nov 17
Me too, and its amazing how fast an allergy can cause all kinds of troubles.
1 person likes this