We checked in and were taken back to a room and he got comfortable, the skin prick tests are never pleasant, but he has been through it so many times, he knows what to expect. As usual, Jim and I snuck a look at the trays that they would be using so that we would have some idea as to what was coming up positive. I mean, who can really wait a whole thirty minutes for the test to be completed and the doctor tell us? :) The hope was that either corn or rice would have dropped off, making his diet and life so much easier. It never occurred to us that more than an item or two may be added.
As we sat there in the little room, watching despicable me, things took a turn. His little back begin to get red and swollen in too many spots to count. At the five minute mark, the doctor rushed in and removed several of the test spots, cleaning them off and saying it was too dangerous for him to continue those tests, they were obviously very positive. When she left the room, Jim and I began to compare the trays to the test sites. The biggest spots were our main concerns, we started checking off the things we already knew about. The corn was huge and inflamed, but wait, was that corn? No, it was just so close to another that we had been mistaken, it was actually chicken. We stood shocked, not chicken?! We've never had a meat allergen before and chicken is a staple in Bryce's diet. Another came up, potato, then it just got worse, egg, milk, carrots.... We just couldn't believe what we were seeing.
We loaded the boys in the car and I looked at the sheet in my lap. 27. We had gone from 8 allergens to 27. Jim looked at me and said, 'Keep it together, it will be ok, we will figure it out, be strong for Bryce.' It was simply unbelievable. The week prior we had spent several days at the lake on our annual trip with friends and Bryce had been healthy the whole time we were there. That evening as I read the list off to my girlfriends, they said, but we fed him all those things last week. Oatmeal and eggs for breakfast, smoked chicken and potatoes. He had managed so well, how can it be so different now? Sometimes with allergies, there is no explanation other than, it just is.
I made a few calls, sent a few emails, posted a list of new allergens on Facebook and got to work. The meals around here have changed drastically in the last couple of weeks, but for the better. Everyone is dealing with his changes well, including Bryce. He does miss potato chips, chicken and oatmeal. But, he has felt much better than he has in a long time. At this point we have cleared our two week healthy mark and began trialing potatoes. Hopefully one of his prior safe foods will be a false positive and he can have some of the things he loves! For now, we keep pushing forward, trialing foods and as always, hoping for the best.
Bryce's food allergens as of July 2013:
Peanuts Garlic
Tree nuts Chocolate
Pecan Carrots
Cashew Green pea
Almond Potato
Sesame Pineapple
Cows milk Banana
Shrimp Orange
Egg Lobster
Corn Crab
Oat Catfish
Rice Tuna
Rye Chicken
Barley
