Anna was soo nervous this afternoon before her allergist appt... it had been over 2.5 years since she had been, so it was definitely time for retesting.
It really was heartbreaking for me to see her soo worried. But I stayed "tough" until she looked at me in the exam room and said,"Mommy, I'm just soo scared." So that's when I pulled her in my lap, talked through the "procedure" and tried to encourage her. Reminding her that I would be right next to her!
Skin Pricks
While skin pricks with the allergens isn't the most comfortable procedure at least it's not needles or ingesting foods that could make her go into anaphylactic shock!!And I am thankful that the kids' allergies are very easy to diagnose... the skin pricks are very easy to read because the kids react immediately. The same was today with Anna.
The Reaction
And I am thankful that the kids' allergies are very easy to diagnose... the skin pricks are very easy to read because the kids react immediately. The same was today with Anna.But at each prick where there is a reaction is very itchy.... Anna was very uncomfortable with that itchy feeling on her back. She wanted me to wash her back soo bad... but she was trooper and toughed it out! She made me proud:)
The EXTRA Reaction
As if the reactions on her back weren't enough.... Anna must have touched one of the prick sites when she was fixing her gown. Then she started rubbing her right eye (sleepiness)... and the redness, hives and swelling began.I wasn't prepared with Benadryl and we had to WAIT a LONG time for the doctor to finally come in. But I washed her hands and dabbed her eye with clean gauze and water, so by the time the doctor came in there was an improvement!! At dinner she was still a little swollen....
The Disappointing Prognosis
Even the doctor was amazed at how sensitive her allergies are. And gave us the grim prognosis that the likelihood for Anna to outgrow these allergies is dimming as her reactions remain so strong.
While I was disappointed, Anna didn't really seemed bothered by it. She's never eaten pizza, or ice cream or peanut butter! So she doesn't really know what she is missing. And she has a diverse array of safe foods that she enjoys and is very comfortable eating.
When she was climbing back into the van after the appointment she asked, "Did the doctor say I could eat peanuts now?" And I answered back,"No, Baby, you can't have peanuts." and she shrugged her shoulders like "oh, well."
So we now can get an updated Epi-pen to carry with us. I pray that we would continue to be vigilant in keeping them safe!! And I am so thankful to God; that He has protected our kids daily! And through this He is teaching me to trust Him and to be thankful for how healthy we really are.
5 comments:
Anna, I am so proud of you and what a big girl you are now. I can hardly wait to see you and Chris and Lydia and Mommy and Daddy!
Bummer. No doubt that Anna is super allergic! Poor thing...
And Happy Anniversary too! I remember that day 7 years ago well :)
Poor Anna. My Abby is severely allergic to tree nuts. She had her skin test last year and the cashew spot immediately swelled up like a golf ball!
The almond, walnut and pistachio got pretty big too.
I had to sit and hold her hands down, so she wouldn't scratch it, before they came back to check her.
Allergies are so scary. Luckily, the Epi-Pen has been in my purse for almost a year and hasn't been used.
awe poor thing! that had to be just as hard for you to watch.. so what all is she allergic to did they say? are they going to do this with C and L?
Happy Anniversary BTW! see you in a few weeks :)
Oh, I am so sorry for Anna...I could feel the itching when I saw the picutres and it remind me so much of my test, where I tried hard not to touch why it was itching and I had the test on my arms.
What was tested by the way?
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