Wednesday, February 17, 2010

testing, testing!


This is a picture during my lovely sister's Wedding on Valentine's Day. I was put together. Wearing foundation (which I never wear anymore), and red lipstick to match my pointy red shoes. It was fun to get dressed up. However, three days later, I look a little different. I am a mess! Almost a pathetic mess. :)

Yesterday was my first round of allergy testing, to help pinpoint my allergies aggravating my EE. My back became a testing site for 64 environmental allergens. Everything from mold to dust mites. I was lit up like a Christmas Tree. I could almost see the pity on my Doctor's face. Mind you, this is ONLY the environmental panel so far. Food is next, which will be interesting.
I had to keep still for 20 very itchy minutes while the wonderful welts formed on my back. Unfortunately, dog was one of my top reactions. We have 2. My Doctor very nicely said it may be a good idea if we keep our dogs, that they be kept outside. They can unknowingly track a number of my other allergies into my house, causing obvious/not so obvious reactions. We live in Arizona. This is not the best state to have dogs outside. I would feel a little neglectful. Also not to mention that my husband, daughter, and potentially my son all have asthma. He told me that if I had asthma, he would highly recommend finding them a new place to live. I do not, but knowing it may be driving my children's breathing problems, the answer became clearer to make. This has been a horrible process for us. But with health, especially our children's health in mind, we need to see if it would make a difference. We are trying to find them good homes to move to. My parent's are doing a trial run with my older pug, Brooke, so she can still be in our lives. Toby, my little one, is the one we are trying to still find a home for. This has been terribly sad.

In the meantime, I am a hot mess complete with horrible itching, hives, sneezing, a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and an overall not-feeling-very-well demeanor. I think from the testing, I must have gotten a huge out pour of histamines in my system, and it is not being handled very well! The problem with being a nursing mother is that even the slightest medication can mess with natural milk production, so even taking something to dry up my sinuses might in fact affect my milk. Call me crazy, but I would rather be miserable myself, than have a miserable boy!

Over a day and half later, I still have large welts on my back that I would suspect are causing my problems. I hope they go away soon, because my next round for food starts in less than 2 weeks. Now I see why they want time to let your back heal! So hopefully in a matter of days, I may start looking less like the pathetic mess I feel, and look like that girl in the picture again. :)

2 comments:

  1. oh you poor girl! hope you get to feeling better pronto. and im totally w/ you on the medication taking while nursing-i havent nursed in over 3 months but i still hesitate to take anything...maybe because of caution during pregnancy and nursing forms a habit?? good thing we just LOVE these little ones!! :)

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  2. I can attest to the fact that you looked like a bumpy, red, road map! ;o)

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