An experience Max will never forget.

Max had a horrifying reaction to his allergy injection today. He got his shots around 11:30 and by one his face was exceedingly red with a severe rash. He was coughing and trying to clear his throat.  His nose seemed stuffed up and he acted a little edgy. I called the doctor and was told to give him two teaspoons of Benadryl and then come immediately to the doctors. 

We arrived there around 1:30 and they rushed him back to a room.  Quickly the doctor checked his blood pressure, listened to his lungs. When the doctor asked Max if he could breath he looked into her eyes without a response. I spoke without thinking.  “You know Max has autism.” I looked at Max and asked him if he could breathe out of his nose.  He spoke with his hoarse voice.  “No I can’t.”

She gazed into Max’s eyes, “Max I need to give you an injection of epinephrine right away to counter act the injection you got earlier.  I told Max I would hold his hand while they give him a shot.  He squeezed my hand tight as if he was holding on to dear life and they gently poked a needle in his thigh. Within five minutes the redness in his face began to fade and his breathing got better. 

The doctor told me Max had Anaphylaxis. It’s when the throat swells and becomes very hoarse or whispered voice, or coarse sounds when the person is breathing in air.  Max had a couple of those symptoms.  He went into anaphylactic shock.  I felt hopeless watching him try to take a breath.

Today I could have lost Max.  I’m appreciative for the wonderful doctor and nurse who helped him recover from this horrible experience.  I’m thankful to my daughter and daughter in law who noticed his red face and reaction to the shot.  Max had been down in the basement playing on the computer and came up for a few minutes to see his nephew.  I had been cooking in the kitchen and would have never noticed his face without them telling me. Tonight I will not sleep.  My thoughts will be on dear sweet Max.  I am sure I will travel up the stairs a billion times to check on him. I'm blessed that he is here so I can make that journey up the stairs to see him resting in his bed.  To have lost him would have been like someone swiftly ripping my heart out.  We love you Max.  We love your sweetness, love and compassion for everyone. 

Oh, Max prayed last week for dinner and blessed those that made the bagel bites, that they would be safe and happy. Last week I asked Max to take some presents I had wrapped upstairs.  As he picked up each gift and carried in out of my room he said, “Mom God will bless you for buying me presents.”

Twice in the past couple of weeks he has been asking me random questions some are harder for me to answer and some have been surprising.  He asked me who my first boyfriend was, what his name was and how old is he.  He asked me if he has any brothers or sisters and do I talk with him anymore.  I told him he doesn’t like me and that I haven’t spoken to him almost thirty years.  He looked into my eyes with a firm smile.  “I think you need to pray and ask God to make you friends again.” 

The sweet same question he asked often is “What does blessing mean?”