Mycoplasma Allergic Reaction to Cold and Erythema Multiforme

What? What does that mean? I don't really know, and I am almost positive that I probably misunderstood something that the pediatrician said, but it turns out that Annabelle's "allergic reaction" was more than likely an allergic reaction to a cold she had developed.

I just googled "mycoplasma rash," and it appears that "mycoplasma infection" is actually a respiratory illness or a cold. So, my blog title should probably actually read "Allergic Reaction to Mycoplasma." However, I am leaving the title as is because it just shows how thoroughly confused I was after leaving the pediatrician's office.

Well, I got the gist of what he told me, but he always likes to use big words that I really do not understand. He tries to explain it to me, and you can really tell that he loves his job, and I really want to understand what he is telling me, but sometimes I just don't understand him! At least he sounds smart though, so hopefully that means he actually listened and learned during med school.

So, we arrived at the pediatrician at 3:59 p.m. (all 53 pictures in tote). We were admitted to the waiting room around 4:15 p.m., and we finally saw Dr. Calk around 5:00 p.m. (for a 4:00 p.m. appointment).

Waiting an hour to see the pediatrician is one thing when you have a newborn who nurses every 2.5 - 3 hours, but it is another thing when you have a 21 month old toddler who wants to get into EVERYTHING! I don't know which situation is worst!

WHY does a 21 month old find it necessary to touch every chair, handle, window and drawer in the doctor's office where other sick and germy children have left their spit, slobber and germs? And, why, oh why, does she have to put her mouth and tongue on the doctor's stool as she climbs on top of it to sit down? Why does she INSIST that she must eat Cheerios while waiting on the doctor after she has touched everything grimy in the entire office? Why must she crawl on the floor and poke her head through the stairs to the examination table? Does she know that her Mommy cannot stand germs in the slightest? This is one reason I really hate going to the doctor! I am afraid that I am going to catch something else that I didn't already have just because I'm there.

So, after trying to keep a toddler entertained at the doctor's office for an hour, Dr. Calk enters the room, and he almost knocked my rashy daughter to the floor when he opened the door. I told her not to stand by the door, but she wanted a book from the bin attached to the door. Why would they attach books to the door for children to want to grab? Normally Dr. Calk knocks before he enters (probably for this very reason), but he didn't this time. Fortunately, I had my hand on the door to try and keep anyone from entering, so I assume he felt the pressure when he pushed to open the door.

The first thing he inquires about is Annabelle's cold.

"So, she's had a cold?" asks Dr. Calk.
"Yes, but it wasn't much of a cold at all. Just a little bit of coughing and a slight runny nose" I replied.
"Did the cough sound barky or dry?" asks Dr. Calk.

So, I am thinking, "Yes, she had a cold. But, I am not bringing her in for the cold. I brought her in because she's allergic to something she ate. Let's talk about that instead of her cold."

Then, he took a look at her rash on her torso, and I also showed him the pictures of her this morning. Before I could even explain to him that she had an allergic reaction back in June to something she ate, he was explaining to me something about "mycoplasma" and "erythema multiforme" and a bunch of other words that I never wrote down because I couldn't remember them one second after he said them.

Okay, more to follow on this blog entry tomorrow. I am tired, so I'm going to bed. But, I thought that some of you may be interested on what the doctor had to say. Oh, and just in case any of you know anything about "erythema multiforme," apparently, I should not be worried because her condition is "erythema multiforme MINOR" instead of "erythema multiforme MAJOR." Not that any of those big words mean anything to me.