Allergies

I went to a Allergist for the first time.  It was pretty amazing that I have never been to one before considering all of my allergies, but I knew there was nothing that could be done about my food allergies and those are the hardest to live with, but I have been having troubles with my allergies recently and this is the hardest time of the year to have a serious allergy to ginger (even just by smelling it).  I decided that maybe it was time.

I left my house at 8:00 and did not get back until 1:00.  Part of that was dropping my boys off at the Harris'.  My appointment started with getting my history, which took a while since I have lots of allergies and a long medical history.  There was about 7 pages of paper work to fill out ahead of time too.  I talked with the nurse and then they doctor about the different things I was allergic to, how I knew I was allergic, and how long I have had (or known about) the allergies.  There is nothing that can be done for food or drug allergies.  I just need to avoid them.  I actually already knew that, but I was hoping that maybe there was something.  Oh well.  We also talked about the difference between allergies and irritants.  The doctor said she thinks I had a combination of both.  If my reaction to ginger was not so bad, she would have said it was an irritant, because normally reaction to an odor is, but she said it was obviously an allergy.  All that took about an hour.  Then the doctor and I decided what I would be tested for.  I was tested for dust mites, cats, dogs, tree pollen, grass pollen, weed pollen, mold spores, tree nuts, eggs, coconut, banana, tomato, avocado, chicken, and latex.  They did not have tests for all of my food allergies and I choose to have some tested that my sister is allergic to, just to see.

Then they start with a scratch test on the back.  I had 91 scratch tests done.  The nurse said that was a lot.  I did not react to any of the foods.  The doctor said that does not mean I am not allergic to them.  With the test for the food allergies false negatives are very common.  She also said that using the actual food would work better, but I would have to bring that in.  She also said that I should just keep avoiding the foods that I have had a reaction to.

I found out that I just have a sensitivity to Latex, but that I should still avoid contact with it since it can become an allergy.  All the other tests were a lot more exciting.  With the scratch test, I found out I am allergic to the pollen of:  Black Willow, River Birch, White Ash, Red Cedar (knew that one), Hackberry, White Alder, Box Elder, Sugar Maple, Poplar (knew that one), Red Oak, Bluegrass, Timothy grass, Redtop grass, Orchard grass, Medow Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass, and Bahia Grass.  My back looked pretty bad.  There were some good hives and a lot of red.

Then they did a test where they injected a small amount of solution under the skin of my left arm.  For this one, they tested the non-food ones that did not react on my back.  There were 13 of these (some were testing multiple things).  I reacted for all but 3 of them.  So I found out I am allergic to Dust Mites, Cockroaches (somewhere in my life I must have been exposed to them, yuck!), Feathers, Cats (I grew up with cats and never had a problem), Dogs, Russian Thistle, Pigweed Rough, Sage (knew that one), Short Ragweed.

Then they did a test where they injected a larger amount of solution under the skin on my right arm.  This simulates prolonged exposure to what ever.  There were only the three that had not reacted so far: molds.  One reacted slightly, but not enough for it to be an allergic reaction.  I am not allergic to mold.  That was a shock to me.  I thought I was, but the dust mites might explain what I thought was an allergic reaction to mold.

Then I got to watch some movies on how to use an Epi-Pen, sinus irrigation, and how to make my home allergy free.  They gave me a binder full of papers and pamphlets.  The nurse also went over them with me.  There is a ton of information there, so I will not go into much detail here, but I can answer specific questions if anyone is interested. 

We also talked about Immunotherapy.  I can have shots that would likely make my seasonal allergies not so bad.  There are two different way they do it.  There are different concentrations of the allergen in saline.  Starting with the lowest concentration, you would get a shot each week gradually increasing to the highest concentration.  The other way is just "rushed" where they do multiple injections in one day.  I will likely not do this since it is a five year commitment that might not help at all. 

It was really interesting.  I learned a lot that I need to digest and reread.  My arms looked funny for a long time, and I bet my back did too.  There was pen all over (they write different things so they know what you are reacting to) and little prick marks.  I'm really glad the hives and itching went away so quickly.  These pictures were taken after I got home and James down for a nap, so it really does not look bad.

My arm did itch for a few days.  I had hives come and go there, and had to take some benadryl for a few days.

Accommodating Food Allergies

I just read this article and I loved it.  The hardest thing for me with my food allergies is that most people do not realize how serious it really is, even deadly.

Accommodating Food Allergies
by:  Sarah M. McConkie
from:  LDS Living

Finding out that your child has a food allergy is scary—especially if you made the discovery after an unexpected rush to the hospital brought on by a mere sip of milk or bite of candy. Is life ever going to be the same again?

It can be overwhelming to have your child faced with a dangerous condition you know little about. You’ll have a lot of questions, and the person who can help you find answers is a qualified allergist. Michele LeMmon, whose 9-year old daughter, Rachel, has nut allergies, said finding a good doctor was “the most important step.”

The LeMmons’ doctor helped them come up with a one-page plan to give to family and friends. The plan includes a list of foods Rachel will react to, words to watch out for on ingredient labels, unexpected sources of allergens (such as Duraflame logs and mousetraps), and, most importantly, reaction symptoms and how to treat them. The page also contains a list of treats Rachel can have.

They gave this plan to Rachel’s teachers, friends, extended family members, and Primary teachers. “It’s a lot to teach people right up front if they’ve never dealt with food allergies, so having it on one easy page is important,” said LeMmon.

While the first few years may be difficult, things get easier with time. “It’s important for parents to know it gets better,” said LeMmon. “Now Rachel can read and look out for herself, and that was a great hurdle to get over.”

Making It Fun
The truth is that kids with allergies aren’t like everyone else—and your child’s understanding of this is key to his or her health and safety. But as parents, you can do a lot to make your child feel special rather than negatively singled out.

One way the LeMmons have done this is by having a special “safe” treat box in Rachel’s class at school. “When other kids bring birthday treats I usually can’t have it, but I can always have something from my box. And sometimes it’s better than everyone else’s!” says 9-year-old Rachel.

Creative shirts made for kids with allergies are great for whenever you leave your child at a birthday party, church activity, or play date. (Kids may like the shirts so much that they’ll want to wear them more often.) Babies and toddlers should stick with straightforward designs with messages like “I have food allergies. Ask my mommy before you feed me,” but older kids may get a kick out of shirts with messages like, “Allergy Alert! This Shirt May Contain a Nut” or “Gluten is My Kryptonite.” You can see a great selection at squidoo.com/foodallergyclothes.

And though doctors recommend medical jewelry for kids with severe allergies, there’s no reason for these bracelets to be ugly or uncomfortable. Websites like hahoriginals.com offer a wide range of bracelets designed specifically for kids. Girls can enjoy colorful beaded designs and boys can choose nondescript chain bracelets or trendy dog tags.

What Friends and Family Can Do
More than anything else, parents of kids with food allergies want to be taken seriously. “If you look at a kid with a food allergy, there’s no sign of a disability. There’s no sign that there’s something wrong,” says Michelle Hennessy, whose daughter is allergic to nuts and soy. “But as a parent, you know there’s a risk, and you start seeing food as a weapon. I hate to use the word deadly, but that’s what it can be for your kid. And some people just don’t get that.”

“Sometimes people think we’re being overly dramatic, or that we’re making it up,” agrees LeMmon. “But we’re not. As a mom you just hope people will believe you when you tell them it’s a serious thing.”

When the parents of a child with allergies ask you for help, go out of your way to be understanding. Do all you can to make your home a safe place for that child to come and play. Keep the allergy information posted in a prominent place and learn what to do in case of a reaction. One important thing many don’t realize is that different brands of the same food may have a different effect on a child because of the equipment the food is processed on. For example, Rachel LeMmon can eat Hunt’s pudding snacks but may react to other pudding brands. If you have questions about a brand or food, don’t hesitate to ask the child or parents for help. They’ll be happy to assist you—and they’ll be grateful that you’re taking the allergy seriously.

Even if you have no need to purchase allergen-free foods yourself, try to support brands and restaurants that seek to help people with food allergies. Look for foods that clearly and specifically label what allergens a food may contain, and buy those products instead of products that haven’t made the effort to label as clearly.

One brand that’s received a lot of good media buzz is Caesar’s Pasta. Their nut-free facility makes regular pasta as well as a wheat- and gluten-free line. Hennessy, who acts as Caesar’s director of sales, says, “Being in the food industry is exciting for me on a personal level, to not only create these products but to talk to parents and consumers and say I know how it feels when you find out [your child has allergies].”

Thanks to recent legislation as well as heightened awareness, both manufacturers and restaurants are getting better at labeling and creating allergy-friendly options. “All in all the industry’s really making great strides,” says Hennessy. “They’re definitely trying.”

You can also join with families of food allergy kids in support groups and fundraising events. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) organizes events all over the nation every year. Check out foodallergy.org for more information. Most states also have their own organizations with local chapters that can help you find events near you.

Baptism

Last night, we had an awesome experience and a scary experience. We went to the baptism of two kids in our ward, Gabe DuBois and Shelby VanWormer. They are cousins. Gabe has recently been diagnosed with a form of lung cancer which is rare in children. It was an awesome experience to see the two baptised on the same night. Jon was asked to be one of the witnesses and to stand in the circle when they were given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jon said it was a really amazing experience.

Then a little later, I started to go into anaphylatic shock. My allergic reaction started when I walked in the church, which is in the process of being painted (with latex paint), but what made me start to have breathing problems was gingerbread cookies for the refreshments (along with many other things). Benadryl was taken, and Jon watched me the rest of the night to see if we would have to rush to the hospital, and call someone in the middle of the night to help with James. I still am not feeling totally myself, but I will be okay for now.

This helped us decided that we will not be going to our Ward Christmas Party on Saturday. The theme is "Christmas Around the World." Ethnic dishes mixed with this time of year has a high possibility of ginger. We have been trying to decided if we would risk it or not, but having another reaction like that so close together would really not be good. So Jon and I will find another way to celebrate, probably go out to dinner at a ginger-free restaurant. I am a little bummed because I was hoping to get a picture with James on Santa's lap, but I guess we will try again next year.

I hope everyone has a merry and safe Christmas!

Sweet Potatoes and Allergic Reactions

James LOVES sweet potatoes. He would eat a whole jar in one sitting if I would let him, but I'm not sure his body could handle that much at once yet.

Jon had to go to the Emergency Room. He has had a terrible time with his seasonal allergies this year. We think he is allergic to Oak Tree Pollen. He broke out in a rash all over and his face and neck were swelling. He has been taking prednisone and that seems to be helping. Hopefully the tree pollen will clear out of the air soon.

Attack of the Celery and Perfumes

After the Ward Chili Cook Off, I have a mild allergic reaction. I am pretty sure it was celery in some of the chilies that I tested. I found out in making my own chili that Mexican-style Stewed Tomatoes has celery in it. Who would have guessed?

I was just starting to feel better from that reaction when I went to church on Sunday. The perfume was really bad. I left the chapel after the sacrament. The minute I stepped into the foyer, the headache when away, and I could breathe. It is amazing what fresh air can do. Jon said even his eyes started to water. I sat in the foyer through Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School. Then, I decided I would go to Young Women's so I could participate in something that day and the Young Women didn't bathe in perfume like some of the women had that day.

Monday was a rough day. I got to recuperate from the allergies of the weekend. I spent the day blowing my nose every 5 minutes or so, or it would drip. My throat also hurt from all the fun stuff running down the back, but I think I am through the worst of it now.

A life with allergies can be so exciting!

Conference Weekend

I, like most members of my church, really enjoy General Conference. I think it is really awesome that God still speaks to His children through His prophets. Jon and I enjoyed gathering around our computer to watch via the Internet. There were a few problems in viewing conference, but we did get to watch most of it. The problems were some what fixable. When the receiver at our church quit working during the Priesthood Session, Jon went to the Stake Center, which luckily is only about a 15 minute drive. Then when BYU-TV.com quit working at the beginning of the Sunday afternoon session, we just switched over to lds.org, which worked well enough.

It was a good weekend with only one stumbling block. During the Saturday afternoon session, a gland under my jaw started to hurt. Later that night, I had a slight fever, chills, and my lungs were hurting too. Right before I went to bed I noticed my sinuses were a little sore. I woke up in the middle of the the night and from my teeth to my neck had started to hurt too. I also noticed the normal congestion that has plagued me every night since I cannot take decongestant, so I took an antihistamine. It seemed to help the pain I was experiencing, too, which leads me to believe that all this is allergy related. This gland on the left side under my jaw hurt all day Sunday and still hurts. I don't know what the problem is, but I am glad that nothing else came of it. No other sick feelings have developed. I have never have sore glands due to allergies (that I can remember).

Here is a quote I liked from conference, which helped in feelings of being overwhelmed by my current calling. "You don't know everything, but you know enough." -Elder Neil L. Andersen

Allergies

I just read about this cookbook put together by a mother whose daughter has 7 of the 8 most common food allergies. I thought it was awesome. Click here to check out the website. Sadly, only one of my food allergies is the most common ones. In case you are wondering what are the most common, they are milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and soy. About 11 million people in the U.S. have food allergies!

The Race Continues

I realized this morning that I have not posted in a while. I thought this week would be less busy than last week, but that is not the case. I have something every night this week, and poor Jon is down to his last five days of class, and then two finals and he is done with his first year of med. school!

So a recap on where I left off last...

First off a correction, the tour Jon gave last Friday was not for an interviewee. It was a sophomore at Kent State, who is interested in going to med. school when she graduates and just wanted to take a tour of UTCOM (University of Toledo College of Medicine). Everyone who has been accepted to med. school has to accept or reject their offers by tomorrow (Wednesday) and then the wait list will be prioritized and people will begin to be accepted off the wait list. It is a crazy time! I am glad we are past it, but feel for those who are still waiting to hear. Good luck!

Friday night, Jon and I went to a barbecue with a few of the med. students and their families. There was tons of good food and good conversations. We left a little early to go and play volleyball at the church and get in a little exercise. We also had to fill our car up with gas. It cost us more then $50! Ouch!

Saturday morning, we took our monthly trip to Michigan. This month we decided to go to the ward (Elder's Quorum) temple trip. It was fun to go at a different time when it was still light for the drive home. We actually did not have any spectacular finds or adventures this trip. Which was okay! The picture at the right is of a tree in front of the stake center next to the temple.

On our way home we stopped and got or twenty-three cent pizzas with our rain checks. It was nice to not wait in line and chat with the worker who was a little stressed, but still kind of smiling. I guess they sold around 600 pizzas in 2 days. Crazy! I have been and will be eating pizza all week. I love Papa John's Pizza!

Mother's Day was really good over all. The only down side being the perfume in sacrament meeting, which caused me to have to sit in the hall for the whole meeting so I could breathe. At the end of the meeting, the youth in the ward gave out carnations to all the women over 18. Then, Jon and I enjoyed food and games at our friends, the Ziemers, after church for the rest of the day.

On Monday, I was actually able to get a lot done around our apartment. The one down part is that our vacuum started smoking from the motor, and it appears we are going to have to get a new one. Sad! Oh well. We fed the Elders, had Family Home Evening, and then went to work out with the Deweys. Sister Dewey made an amazing discovery with my back problems. She poked around a little and found that my spine is rotated between my shoulder blades. Why, in all the doctors I have been to over the years, has no one caught this before? So now my exercising with the Deweys can be focused toward helping correct the problem. It was amazing to finally find out what the problem has been all these years of pain! Thanks Denise!

I thought I would end this post with a picture of my bean plants. One has not grown too much, but the other is about double in size. I found a new home for them. I have to remember to bring them to the Ziemers next time I go over there.

I Stand Corrected

After four hours in the ER last night, I found out I wasn't passing multiple kidney stones, but one large stone that was having troubles passing. I started having pain again for the fourth day in a row. I was so sick of the pain and so with some reluctance (I hate going to the doctor), Jon took me to the emergency room.

The CT scan showed that this stone was half a centimeter (5 millimeters), which is 5 times bigger than when I went to the ER before. The scan also showed that my right kidney was twice the size of my left, and that the stone was about to past. Jon got to see his first CT scan, and was a little excited about that, but would have rather been studying for his big test that is on Friday.

I had a liter of fluids pushed in me so fast is made me puff up. My face looked like I had just gotten done at the dentist, but it was all over. They also gave me some pain medicine once they figured out something I wasn't allergic to.

Dr. Brickman, the head of the ER, was very helpful. I am going to a urologist sometime next week. I also get to go to the bathroom through a strainer to try and catch the stone when it finally comes out. Dr. Brickman was going to give me a drug called Flomax. You might have heard of it. There are quite a few commercials on TV for it. Flomax is a drug use for men who have prostate growing problems. Urologist proscribe it for women because it opens up the ureter (the tube connecting the kidney and bladder) so the stone can pass more easily. However, upon further examination of the structure of the drug, it was found that I'm allergic to it. It has one sulfa group on it and I am allergic to sulfa drugs.

Now I wait for my kidney stone to pass. "I hate waiting."-Inigo Montoya

FYI: I have also updated my allergy list. Just the "Other" section has changed.

CNN Story

This article caught our attention, as these are the things we deal with as well, everyday, with Keriann's allergies. We appreciate your attention to her needs, but of course there is always room for improvement. Hopefully this article is an eye-opener to just how serious a problem this is.

Click here to view article. Keriann's Allergies.

No More Walking Group for Keriann

Sadly, I have had to give up walking group since we now walk in the mall. Last Friday I had a weird reaction to the smells of the season while grocery shopping. I think it was the boxes of gingerbread house kits. They are not even open and I can't go near them! Here is what happened.

Jon and I stopped at a Meijer in Michigan to see if they had our cheese for our Christmas dinner this year (see previous post about Raclette Cheese). The Meijer that we always go to decided this past week not to carry it any more. They almost ruined our Christmas. Anyway, we found some Raclette at a Meijer in Michigan. We bought some since the date on it is May '08. It's cheese. It will last.

Then we decided to get something for dessert to eat on the drive home. So we walk around a bit and settled on sour gummy bears. YUM!

About the time we drove over the border, I was having trouble breathing. It was not Anaphylaxis, but seemed more like asthma. I haven't had problems with asthma for almost 15 years, and I was just sitting in the car. On Saturday, it got worse. Watching the BYU vs. Utah game was awful for me. I was so tired and if I got excited it got worse. I wasn't getting enough oxygen, and I was taking as much benadryl as I could. The benadryl was not having any affect. It was a little scary.

I stayed home from church because I didn't know if going to nursery was such a great idea. I slept most of the day. By Sunday night I was feeling a lot better and I could take a deep breathe without it hurting.

The only thing Jon and I could think of as causing this reaction was the boxes of gingerbread house kits that we walked by at Meijer. This year has been the hardest to stay away from having a reaction to something. So, I had to make the decision to stay away from these things happening again. At the Southwick mall, things are really dying, but there are enough stores that sell smelling things that float into the halls where walking group exercises. No more ward functions with food. Even when the word is spread, people forget, or don't get the message, or they have a candle burning in their home. This might seem extreme, but breathing is more important to me. If you are having problems wondering what this is like, wrapping a plastic bag around your head and trying to breathe would have the same affect, but I would not encourage it.

Until the weather warms back up and walking group moves back to the park, I will just have to do some TaeBo. Sad, but ...

Keriann's List of Allergies

Some have suggested that I put up a list of all my allergies, so I decided to put it as a post. If anyone would like it to be a more permanent thing on the side or something let me know.

Here is the most up to date list:

Food

Ginger (Spice), smelling it is as bad as eating.

Celery

Avocado

Kiwi

Most Nuts (except Cashews and Peanuts)

Coconut

Other

Hay Fever

Latex

Most stretchy fabric

Nylon

Elastic

Penicillin

Sulfa Drugs

Flomax

Codeine

Hydrocodone

Morphine

General Anesthetic (MH)

Local Anesthetic (it doesn't work)

Erythromycin

COX2 drugs (such as Celebrex, Vioxx, etc.)

Eucalyptus, the smell coming from all those flower arrangements with this in it

Echinacea

Vanilla scent

Flowery scents

Those in red are the worst.