Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Narrow Band UVB

For some reason Landon’s eczema has been really bad lately. We’ve been working with his allergist and doctor for years concerning his eczema and allergies, but last week I decided maybe we should seek help from a dermatologist as well. Why it took me so long to decide that is beyond me.

Anyways, he had his appointment yesterday and it was quite an experience. His doctor is a pretty cool guy and immediately set us at ease with his sense of humor. (Landon was ready to run when he was told he might have to undress to be examined.) The doctor (a man confined to a wheelchair who has an aide help him from room to room because he doesn’t have use of his hands/legs as far as I can tell. The wheelchair is electric, but I don’t think he’s able to use the joystick to make it go, so the aide uses it to wheel him around instead of pushing from behind.) told Landon that his immune system is going crazy and that he has a classic case of eczema.

He asked us what we were using to treat him and when I told him what prescriptions we’d been given thus far, he just rolled his eyes. Dramatically. He said that the ointments we’d been given were “safe” and that they’d never work for him. He explained some possibilities of steroids and creams and then explained why he didn’t want to use them on Landon. (He also speaks very softly, so much so that I realized Landon and I were both leaning forward, on the edge of our seats trying to hear him. His voice rises and falls in an usual manner and his facial expressions are constantly changing but he’s got a wicked sense of humor and it’s totally worth the effort to hear what he’s saying.)

He told us he wanted Landon to do Narrow Band UVB Phototherapy. Basically, Landon will stand in a light booth, similar to a tanning booth, for short periods of time. Initially the treatments are only a few seconds long and gradually the time is increased. It isn’t a “cure” for eczema, but if it’ll give Lanny some relief, I’m all for it.

He has to go three times a week for now, and then we have a follow up with the doctor. I’m not sure how long he’ll have to do this, but on the paper they gave me, it said most treatments are 15-25 sessions long.

I spent most of my day today figuring out how I was going to get him to and from the treatments. They close at 4pm every day and he doesn’t get out of school until 3:50pm. He can’t really miss all that school, so the next option was to bring him in the morning before school, and that’s what we’re going to end up doing. He’ll go to his appointment at 8:15, then I’ll take him on to school. Thankfully Mema is going to help me out or I don’t think we’d have been able to do it. It’s already hard enough getting three kids out the door by 8:30am 2 days a week, and this is just adding to the stress around here.

If this solves his itching and cracked skin issues, it’ll all be worth it. So, fingers crossed please!

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