the test results are in

And they are

POSITIVE.

We've been awaiting the test results of Henri's latest food allergy testing. A woman from the clinic left a voice mail this morning.

Henri is positively allergic to and should avoid:

• eggs (white & yolk)--this we knew
• peanuts--this is new
• tree nuts--this is new
  
• shell fish--this is news to us
  

What?! You ask? Why didn't Henri ever test positive for peanuts, tree nuts, and shell fish before?

Well, he has never been tested for the other food allergens before.

So I thank my friend, Christy, whose young son is also allergic to many foods for recommending her pediatric allergist to me.


THE OLD ALLERGIST:

You see when I told our old allergist last year that Henri didn't like peanut butter, he thought nothing of it.

When the old allergist asked me if I wanted an EpiPen for Henri, I asked, "Do we need one? Will Henri's egg allergy lead to that?" The allergist spoke into his voice recorder, "Mother refuses EpiPen." At which point, I hurriedly said, "We'll get the EpiPen if you think we should get one!"

The old allergist was nice, but his method of care was very...I don't know the right word..."do this if you want"..."what do you want to do?" My response, "I DON'T KNOW! YOU TELL ME!"

Seriously, he's a nice doctor, but he didn't hand over the information and guidance like I needed.

This allergist did test Henri for eggs (positive), soy (positive), milk (negative), and wheat (slight positive).


THE PEDIATRIC ALLERGIST:

When I told the pediatric allergist about Henri's dislike for peanut butter, he suggested testing Henri for a peanut allergy. "Peanut butter is like pizza for kids," he said. "They love it. When you tell me that your son spits out anything with peanut butter in it and detects it even when mixed in, it concerns me that he might be getting a sensation on his tongue from it."

And then there was the information...

• web sites
• support groups
• local grocery stores that carry allergy-free foods
• a company that makes food without the top 8 foods that cause allergic reactions in them
• advice on when to use your EpiPen
• an allergy response action plan

Some of the information I knew or had at least suspected from the research I had done on my own, but I had received little direction other than to "avoid the foods" from our previous doctor.

Thanks Christy!

***********************

Then I read some stories that came with the packet of information of parents having to use their EpiPens. I read about the child whose tongue was burning because of accidentally eating a food with nuts in it. Hmmmm....

Now I have 3 EpiPens. The one I got last year expires next month. I'm disappointed that the Target pharmacy gave me 2 more that expire next January 2009. Um, Henri's next appointment will be in February 2009. Should I bother bringing them back? Or say... close enough? It's so hard with food allergies because you never know what is going to happen. There could be no reaction, a small reaction, or a big, scary reaction.

Food allergies are confusing. People often ask me how serious Henri's allergies are. (I don't know. I've seen my son covered in hives from eggs & he spits out anything with peanut butter in it.) Or do we have to leave the EpiPen with the childcare providers if they're serving safe food. (Yes, just in case.)

On a positive note, Henri tested negative for an allergy to finned fish.

They also tested him for various seasonal allergies, and I'm waiting to get those results in the mail. We know he's allergic to something that spits out pollen in May & June. That's when his eyes swell up and get itchy.

I've always been bad at conclusions, so I'm going to end like Madeline. That's all there is. There isn't anymore.