E R--Again!

I was really hoping for an entire year without anyone having to go to the ER. Well, we almost made it. Sept. 1 would have been our year mark.

We went to the St. Anthony sand bar on Saturday, July 5th. It was cold, windy, and cloudy. Not the best recipe for requiring sunscreen! I got sunscreen on the kids and a little bit on my face, but James had already gotten into the water in order to save a little boy from drowning, by the time I got around to him. I offered a couple of times, but he must have been thinking the same thing that I was: windy, cloudy, cold. We hadn't considered the elevation. We ended up braving the elements, and got into the water anyway. Needless to say, James got a healthy sunburn.

Once we got home, he immediately started putting on Aloe with Lydicane. He told me that he was going to the store because he would probably be going through it all that night and he would need more. I'm thinking -um $8 a bottle! I don't think so! Then he read the directions, and it said not to apply more than 4 times in 24 hours! He had already maxed out the dosage in just a couple of hours.

He continued to apply over the next couple of days. He was really complaining a lot, and I was thinking that I had a little sunburn too, and I didn't put anything on it, and it was feeling just fine! (I know, no mercy). By Tues night, James was beside himself with pain. We had tried everything from calamine lotion to vinegar to Benedryl, but nothing seemed to be working. I also called the ER for advice. The problem was an itching sensation that made him want to rip off his skin. I started getting worried. I'd never seen him this agitated before. He was able to get a blessing, then one of the men offered to take him to the ER.

I was so relieved, however, I didn't expect to see him again that night. I'm still in Va mode here. I didn't realize that in Rexburg, you can get in and out of the ER in 30 min! Mary Wash would keep you there all night long!

He came home and was able to sleep. He had two very nice shots in the butt! One was cortisone, and the other a pain killer. After several days on prescriptions, he was back to normal!

The cost of not putting on sunscreen in 5,000 feet. Costly! We have learned well our lesson!