So where are we....oh yes, somewhere in the fall of 2006 and recently diagnosed with an egg allergy...an anaphylaxis allergy at that.
I start the process of scouring the internet for as much information as I can get my hands on. I don't advise using google as a means to a diagnosis, or to help find your sanity in any of this, it definitely is not good for either. I find out that egg is one of the top allergens for children under five. These top allergens are referred to as the "Top Eight". This "Top Eight" would soon become a vital part of life for us. It is also widely published that most children outgrow these allergens by age 5. Hallelujah, there is light at the end of the tunnel!
After reading for hours on end about an egg food allergy, I decide Liv needs to see an allergist ASAP. Well, ASAP in the military world turned into a 2 almost 3 month wait. I took her to three Dr appointments, my only mission was to get the ever elusive referral for the allergist. I was told by the first Dr that there was no need to worry, just avoid egg at all costs. The second two were no better than the first; I was told that at just over a year old, Liv was not old enough to have allergy testing done. That last Dr, must have seen something in my eyes change because before I was able to blurt out the train of profanities I had running through my mind....he caved. He was CERTAIN that the allergist would tell me the same as him and we'd move forward; him being right and me being wrong. Never EVER underestimate a woman's intuition...right? Well, I would suggest that you also file "mother's intuition" under the "do not dis-regard" and "do not under any circumstances....question" files. I'm just giving advice that is best for all involved here.
I get Liv on the waiting list for an allergist in Topeka, about an hour drive away. I quickly realize that living in nowhere KS stinks when it comes to specialty care.
A month or so passes and it's GO time! Time for testing! I have no idea what I'm in for here, but we make the trip to the allergist. The allergist is pretty aloof and not so people friendly, but she does an adequate job of explaining what the test is and what it can mean. She promptly sends us back to Ft Riley after a quick blood draw. It takes one to two weeks to get blood results back. The blood test is called a RAST test and typically given only if a child has had an anaphylaxis reaction. It's just too deadly to even touch them with any possible allergen, much less the one that put them in such a deadly situation to begin with.
I let about a week and a half go by and I just can't take the anticipation anymore...I need answers! I call the allergist and get her results...the nurse reading the results explains to me that any reaction level over 0.50 means she is allergic.
*DRUUUUUM ROLL PLEASE*
Wheat - 0.62 (not so bad, but not really expected)
Soy - 2.00 (not great, not deadly...even less expected than the wheat)
Peanuts - 26.50 (WHAT?!! Oh holy heck...what are we getting into here?!)
Eggs - 28.75 (Well slap me in the face, Shocker *drippppping with sarcasm*)
Dogs - .75 (minimal and again, not entirely expected)
Cats - 10.5 (Really?! Crap, we just got a kitten that Liv loves! Booo)
Other than cats and dogs, no environmental (PRAISE the LORD for the little things!)
Now, I wish I could say that I took this news in stride and was strong about it. I wasn't. I was anything BUT okay. My first mission: Call ALL THREE Dr's that blew us off at the clinic and give them her results. I don't know why I needed to do this, but I did...and I even felt just the slightest bit better after those calls. I can't pretend that I am a rational creature, and when it comes to my children...what little rationality I have is quickly lost.
I then email all of this to my husband (now ex) who was at the time doing a tour in Kuwait. Finding out all of this alone was not easy, but it prepared me for what was to come in the next few years. Emailing this to her father made me feel no better as there was no comforting involved (only because we couldn't talk about it and he'd not yet been able to call/respond to this). I called my mom and dad aka my ROCKS. My parents have never been very comforting people, but between this diagnosis and the news of my separation from my husband....they were everything and then some at this time. My parents were exactly what I needed. They quickly related and assured me things would be okay. They COULD relate because of how bad of an Asthmatic I was as a child (SEVERE Asthmatic even going to National Jewish myself). The phone calls to the Dr's, email to my husband and phone call to my parents happened over a time span of maybe an hour. This was nowhere near the time I needed to really accept this and move on. I cried. I cried a LOT. I then proceeded down to Liv's snack cupboard and starting throwing things across the kitchen that had any of her allergens. Yep, cleaned out her cupboard entirely and ended up sweeping ... a lot. Again, I stress that I'm not a rational person and I felt okay with physically throwing these across the kitchen. In fact, I felt better after that. I felt comfort in hurting the foods that were hurting my baby. Do I sound like a total nut case yet? Oh, it gets better...just you wait. Oh, almost a week later we found a new home for the kitten :(.
*These posts get away from me and get longer than I originally intend....my apologies for that*
**You will hear as time goes on about me and how I dealt with these trials/triumphs...mostly about me because I cannot speak for my ex husband. I do not want any bashing on him, or bad thoughts for not being around either....he is active duty Army and cannot be around. Please respect the balance he, his wife and myself have found over time (as our goal is to give Liv and her brother the best outlook on life and family as we possibly can). Thank you**
Can't wait to pick up from here soon! (I'm finding this to be quite therapeutic, btw)
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