Yesterday was Noah's 6 month allergy check-up. Our allergist was pleasantly surprised that we have made it a full year without another reaction. That was a great reminder of just how serious this year. Being a parent of a child with food allergies is so incredibly overwhelming. We have been through some really stressful situations that have left me paralyzed and wondering how to move forward. This often leaves me wondering when we will have to jump to action and use that Epipen that we dread having to use. Knowing when he is having a reaction can be confusing and incredibly scary. We thought he was having a reaction about a month ago. He was coughing so hard that he was throwing up all over the hallway. My hands were shaking, my chest felt tight and I just wanted to cry. I wanted someone to tell me what to do. The reality is that we have to decide what to do. As the parent these momentous decisions are on us. Thankfully he was fine and just needed to have a drink and use his nebulizer. He was fine. It just reminds me that we need to be ready for that moment when it's not okay.
We talked about many things with our allergist, including snoring. He doesn't snore loud, but enough that he asked us to make a video of him sleeping to be sure he doesn't stop breathing when he's sleeping. Apnea is very serious, so we need to rule it out. I really think he's fine, but we'll make the video to be sure.
We also talked about the fact that he breaks out in hives on his face when he eats cinnamon. He agreed that it's probably a "contact allergy" and the cinnamon is just irritating his skin. The hives don't spread and he has no other symptoms, so it's likely not a problem. We'll still avoid giving it to him, but we can all eat it without worrying.
When we talked about the fact that we haven't gone to children's museums or stadiums out of fear of him coming in contact with peanuts he agreed that we made the right decision. He said it's not worth the risk. Noah's allergy is considered fatal, so we should never take a chance. It's heartbreaking to know that he'll miss out on things, but I want him to know that his safety is more important than any experience or event. He'll just have to learn that everyone is different and deals with difficult situations. His situation may be difficult at times, but he will still be able to live a life full of great experiences.
I also brought up the issues we've had with Devyn and reminded him that she came with to Noah's last appointment. She was only 7 weeks old and already having a lot of gastrointestinal issues and had a rash. We suspected then that it was dairy. She still can't handle if I have any kind of cheese or milk. He agreed that is sounds like a milk allergy, although he mentioned lactose intolerance, because of the rash. He suspects milk allergy because of the rash more than anything. He suggested bringing her in so we could talk about it and do the blood test. Her appointment is nexty Tuesday. The best part about the visit is that her inital visit is scheduled for an hour allowing for as much discussion as possible. A typical visit is scheduled for 30 minutes. What a blessing to have that much time with an expert on such a confusing subject.
As we left the room and headed out to the lobby I noticed a sweet little girl sitting with her mom in the waiting room. She was sucking her thumb and holding a blanky. That part reminded me of Devyn. I couldn't help but notice that she was bald. My heart ached for that mom sitting next to her little girl waiting for a treatment room. The allergy/immunology department is on the same floor as pediatric oncology. I can't even begin to imagine how that family must be feeling and how difficult their situation must be. I said a prayer for them. It's easy to get wrapped up in our own difficulties and forget that someone else is dealing with someone like cancer. It's a great reminder to be thankful for our blessings and thankful that our kids aren't dealing with something so incredibly difficult.
I also come to the University of Chicago and leave with this strange feeling of warmth and joy. It's been such a wonderful part of our lives for the last 3 years. 3 years ago we made our first trip there to see that I received the care I needed to deliver 3 healthy boys. We've entrusted our kids to their care many times and we are so glad that we have.
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