-I called the insurance company. Each shot will require a 10 dollar copay, which I thought was awesome until I realized that 50 shots equals 500 dollars total. Still, not bad for erasing my daughter's allergies (not that I have high hopes or anything). And I wonder if they'd let me prepay that whole thing, which would take a chunk out of what I need to spend from my medical flex account before March 15.
-I think the reason the doc talked so fast is that I let it slip that I teach anatomy and physiology. I don't usually tell that to doctors, because they usually treat me differently after I do. I'd rather they over-explain in case there's something that I don't know or don't realize, rather than assume that I understand the same way they do. If I were having a conversation about someone else's kid, I'd be right there with them. But when talking about my kid, my brain switches into Mommie mode, which is quite a bit more emotional than my Dr. mode. So once I had a chance to process, I called their office this afternoon to get answers to the few questions that I had. The staff person that answered the phone was very helpful and friendly. I told them that I have decided to go ahead with allergy shots and she said they would start getting them ready for us. I feel very comfortable with that decision. I realize that it may not eliminate all her allergies or allergy symptoms, but it should help over the next couple of years, and that's my basic goal.
-She looks worse, and seems to feel worse, today than yesterday, if that's even possible. When I got to daycare to pick her up her shiners under her eyes were so dark, and her eyes were so watery, it almost made me cry. She was fine until we got home and then she was SO clingy. So I resorted to packaged macaroni and cheese (milk and wheat are listed on the box, no egg.) because I could cook that and hold her through most of it, and by the time I got to draining the macaroni she was willing to be put down with the task of "setting" her table. We turned on music and read books until she had a Poop, then she got a bath and jammies and yogurt and more books and music. I kept her up as long as I could. She was asleep before 7:00, which doesn't bode well for my morning tomorrow, but she was just done.
-Thank you to everyone who empathized with me here and on facebook, and especially to those who told me that they got allergy shots and it helped them to feel better. That helped me to make my decision, and I appreciate the personal stories. Esperanza, I'd love to hear your anaphylaxis story. Now that I'm no longer panicking when someone says "throat closing",
-I did not get the chance to discuss with daycare the egg allergy issue. The director was off today and the assistant director was hauling frozen turkeys to her car when I picked the wee one up. I didn't ask, I'll just call tomorrow. I imagine that, unless I provide food for her, we might not be able to eliminate egg entirely from what she eats there. Egg shows up in a lot of foods where you might not expect, and I don't know that they are great label readers. I did notice on one of the snack carts for another room of children that a laminated note for one child reads "Z does not get eggs or peanuts. He can have cupcakes or other goods baked with eggs but not peanuts." I'll ask them what they think and what provisions they are willing to make, but I'm not enthralled with the idea of taking food for her every day. I think as long as I'm very careful about it at home that will minimize the amount as much as possible. If anyone (Funky Mama Bird?) has input or thoughts on this I'd love to hear them!
-I still can't get the purple marker off her. And some of the needle spots bruised a little, so she's covered with lots of purple spots. They don't seem to hurt or be sensitive, so we'll just keep washing every night in the bath.
-I learned how to spell eczema today. It doesn't have an 'x' in it, despite the pronunciation.
So now you are completely updated. Don't you feel better? Maybe this will top it all off for you:
2 comments:
I have a little guy with lots of allergies and eczema. I have found the website www.kidswithfoodallergies.org very helpful. Good luck!!
I know it's a pain, but I would just pack her food every day. It's what I do with Gunne because like eggs, wheat is in freaking everything.
If you look in the section of the grocery store that's mostly organic, you'll find that almost everything there has a version that is "allergen free". In other words, you'll find a powdered egg substitute for baking, plus waffles, french toast, fish sticks, pizza, burrittos that all label their ingredients right on the front. A large number of things that Gunne gets are egg free and dairy free, simply because by eliminating wheat, we have to go to the "allergen free" foods, and those eliminate other stuff as well.
It's a pain at first, but you seriously get used to it fast. We take cheese sticks and fruit everywhere so he has a safe snack, and if he's eating lunch out of the house, I pack yogurt and other "safe" foods just in case so that if he can't eat what's there, he's got something.
Think of it this way, you would hate to do the elimination diet, find that she improves and then have it totally spoiled because she ate a cookie that wasn't safe at day care. It takes up to 3 weeks for an allergen to leave the system - that's three weeks of itchy skin and stomach aches. Just leave a box of "safe" cookies there just in case.
Anyway. I hope you work it out. And very cute dress!
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