The uKnow Test
Well, Perry's test results are in and he is positive for the protein that is responsible for severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. There is a huge BUT in the equation though...he is just barely positive (0.5 on the scale...I think out of 100). Of course, we will take our usual precautions and nothing will change for Perry, but I feel a little let down by these results. I was hoping he would be negative, but if it was going to be positive, I wanted...well, I guess I just wanted to know for sure what was going to happen. Instead, I feel like I have more questions. What will really happen if he has a peanut? Is it more likely that he not have anaphylaxis? I just want to know for sure, you know? Anyhoo, all I know now is that Perry needs OIT and I have to find it for him. The search continues...
The dreaded cafeteria
Registered Perry for kindergarten last week! Yay! Boo! In my heart of hearts, I was hoping that he'd be able to eat lunch in the classroom for his first year. That way, the teacher could be there to be sure that Perry wouldn't come in contact with an allergen. As I was leaving the school, I spied it: THE CAFETERIA (I swear, I walked like Charlie Brown out of that school). Now, while I'm sure there is a dedicated "Food Allergy Kids Only" table, it freaked me out. I can't stop thinking about it. Some delicious food offered, a cookie left on the table (I know, gross...he is only 5)...can Perry think with his mind instead of his tummy? Can I trust others to keep him safe? Where's the Pepto? Tums?
Food Challenge...Accepted!
I was actually excited to hear that Perry was ready to challenge his cashew nut allergy. I was dreaming of ordering new food allergy bracelets and adding cashews to our nut day collection (I will explain later). After reading a few posts on facebook about what others experienced during their food challenges, I'm starting to freak out a bit. Well, a whole lot...a whole bunch. Will he need the epi? Will he throw up? Will his tummy hurt? Will we need to call 911? What if the blood test wasn't too accurate? What if he reacts later, after I get him home? I didn't even contemplate that he could fail this test. I didn't think about having to prep Perry for the what ifs. What do I tell him without causing him as much worry as I have? The appointment is April 4th and I'll let you know how it goes!
Well, let's all keep "fighting the good fight" against these horrible food allergies. I signed us up for the FARE Walk for Food Allergy today! Felt good to do something positive. It's not until September here in Baltimore, but it definitely felt great to do something positive for Perry today! I hope you'll sign up, too!
