Allergy Update

Grace had a doctor appointment last week, a recheck with her allergy doctor. Actually, it was with a doctor we had never seen before, but whatever. I was expecting a blood test to check her RAST levels, but the doctor didn't think the numbers would have changed this soon. So I guess we'll do that next year. Grace was terrified at the appointment. I had to take her shirt off to show the doctor her eczema, and she was screaming the entire time. So I'm glad we didn't have to poke her with a needle too.

She said there's only a 20 percent chance that she will outgrow the peanut allergy, but the others (wheat, oats, eggs, dairy) she will most likely outgrow at some point. We started giving her wheat and oats a couple of months ago, and so far there has been no issues with her digestion. So I think she outgrew those. The others give her hives, though and I don't really want to try. She gets into some of it accidentally sometimes, so I know she's still allergic. She also gets hives from cats and dogs.

The positive thing is, she is getting better. Even though she's still tiny (just 25 pounds), she is growing, and she's happy and healthy. There was once a time when we were so frustrated because it seemed that everything gave her hives, and there was always something new. Her skin was a mess, the eczema was out of control, she wasn't digesting food or growing well, she couldn't eat tomatoes or anything with citrus in it or she would get awful diarrhea, and I was really scared. She can eat tomatoes and citrus with no problem! She can now eat pizza, without cheese, and it makes her so happy!

A co-worker said that the school where her children attend has gone completely peanut-free as there is a child with allergies. Will they do that for Grace here? I am very nervous about school for her. Some parents have a problem with this. A lady at work thought it was ridiculous they would do that for one child. If it was her child that could DIE from peanut butter, she might think differently. Sometimes people piss me off...