A Tough Laser Treatment

Yes, it has already been two months since Cameron's last laser treatment, so we went back to Albuquerque again on Nov 9th.  I have been striving to be positive in all these posts about his laser treatments.  But honestly, I am getting tired of them and they are hard for me.  He is a trooper and seems to know it is just part of his life and what he does every few months.  And never he complains or says much about them.  In fact, after his first laser treatment right after he turned 4, when we came home from the hospital, the only thing he had to say to his Dad about it was that we stayed in a hotel and the room number was "one zero one".

He had a harder time with this treatment, and so I did too.

All went well at the hospital.  On schedule so we didn’t have to wait.  No emergence delirium when waking up from anesthesia. Hooray.  However, the treatment area looked different this time.  Instead of the usual purple, his skin was gray on his cheek and chin.  I didn't see the doctor again before we left the hospital so I didn't get to ask her about it.  (I saw her after surgery but that was before I saw Cameron post-op).   He woke up, ate his orange popsicle and we were on our way.

But sadly, for the first time he got sick from the anesthesia--twice.  But he is my 5th child (and we have been frequent travelers over the years between Utah and New Mexico) so I am a bit experienced in noticing symptoms of a child who is going to be sick in the car.  I pulled over in time.  But we still had to change his clothes in the cold by the side of the road.  Poor guy.

And this time, he hurt.  He has never let me put an ice pack on before and I have rarely even given him Tylenol. But this time he needed both.  We were up in the night in the Lazyboy with an ice pack for a few hours. I finally gave him a second dose of Children’s Motrin (don’t tell) after the first dose didn’t seem to help much, and then he slept.  Until about 4:30 a.m. when I got him another ice pack.  Still though, he didn’t complain or cry. In fact, I heard someone up in the bathroom around 10:00 and found him trying to put a wet washrag on his face, but dripping water down the front of him.  He didn’t even come and get me!  I gave him pain reliever the next few nights before bed and he did fine. It was only that second night he had a hard time.  I suppose the first night he still had some anesthesia in his system.

The doctor told me that they did notice more gray this time and if it still a little gray, make sure to keep the Vaseline on it.  I said it is still a LOT gray.  She said send me a picture.  So I emailed her one.  Yes, she said, it is quite gray.  Perhaps we got more of a response than we might have wanted she said.  She said she may have pushed up the power too much this time since he has been tolerating it so well up to now.  Keep it well lubed to prevent blistering and peeling.  And she would call us in a stronger pain med if he needed one.  (I really like Cam’s doctor, but isn’t it interesting how she sort of dances around with the “mays and mights” not quite admitting a mistake).  So basically, he got “lasered” a little too much.  

And I know doctors make mistakes just like everyone else, but it is hard when is happens to your kid.

I sent her another picture 6 days after.  He still had gray but not as much—it had turned purple. She said it was doing what it was supposed to do, just slowly.  Keep it well lubed and out of the sun. 

After a week and a half he is still pretty purple, with barely noticeable gray. His neck and chest have faded quickly as usual.  But I am thinking that this time the usual 2 week bruising after a treatment is going to last a bit longer.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes to clear up.  And I am rethinking our January treatment appointment.  Because I need a break, and I am sure Cameron could use one too.

And as you read this maybe it doesn’t sound like a big deal and I handled it.  But really it shook me up.  Sheesh, I have enough problems with my anxiety when things are going well.  I went through a lot of emotions last week.  Feeling bad that my baby has to hurt.  Feeling guilty for putting him through this. Second guessing myself wondering if we are really doing the right thing with these treatments. Just a bunch of stuff that maybe isn’t logical, but nonetheless, feeling it anyway.  And feeling a little upset at the doctor, I do have to say. Plus nervous about the gray--and if it blisters and peels, then what? All the while still having to be a mom and get kids to school and dinner on the table and laundry done etc etc.  Feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all.  But I am ‘back on my feet now’ -- I think.

Anyway, enough said…

Still some gray showing on his cheek after 6 days
(his neck is clearing up and the light is skin color, not gray)

And I threw in this photo because it is too dang cute!
It was taken in October by Lydia Jane Images
(the PWS doesn't really show up in this photo but is does look darker most of the time)