Health

So the results are in: Nicholas is severely allergic to pinenuts. As in, “We need you to come into the office with your husband on Friday so we can show you how to use an epi-pen in case of an emergency.” As in, “No nuts of any kind, no food made in a facility that handles nuts, no touching, breathing, or smelling nuts.” As in, “You got lucky.”

Gulp.

Our children, apparently, are allergy-ridden genetic hiccups. Neither The Mister or I have food allergies, but Mikey and Nico do. I don’t know what to make of it. I think we will probably put having more children on hold for fear we will conceive the next bubble boy.

I LOVE our pediatric allergist. He is roughly The Mister’s age, aggressive, and has young children, too. I just got a great feeling from him from the second he walked in the room and started ordering tests. Our pediatrician didn’t want to run tests. He is generally opposed to invasive procedures of any kind unless absolutely necessary because first and foremost, he thinks of the child and any potential trauma and pain blood work would cause. I say, screw trauma and pain! That’s what the toy aisle at Target is for–tell me what could potentially kill my toddler the next time we eat at a restaurant. I promise to give him lots of kisses and franchised action figures the second it is all over.

In the end, Nico had to give 5(!!) vials of blood and that little bugger never cried–not even when they put in the needle! I didn’t even have to go to Target! Well, he did cry at one point, but that was mainly out of frustration. The blood was just not coming out and it was taking forever. He didn’t like his little chopstick arm held flat and straight, and a few times the phlebotomist had to wiggle the needle a bit. Finally they realized the tourniquet was too tight for his small arm, so another phlebotomist applied the pressure with her fingers. Things started flowing just fine after that, but Nicholas was done. He started crying, which made one of the phlebotomists and a couple of waiting patients cry. Seconds later they pulled out the needle and we were done. Nicholas wasn’t. He was in a full on scream, until I said loudly over his screaming, “Nico, would you like a lollipop?”

Wouldn’t you know it, he stopped mid-scream and with the smiliest tear soaked face you’ve ever seen squealed, “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!”

The entire room burst into laughter and applause, and several patients came out of their cubicles to pat Nicholas on the head. Meanwhile, I sat there preening like a cat over the utter fabulousness my womb can deliver.

On Sunday The Mister cleaned out our cabinets of anything nut related while I spent two hours at the supermarket navigating the food labels. So many things have “spices” listed as an ingredient. I know it’s for proprietary reasons, but I am now in the position where I want to know exactly what they mean by “spices.” You wouldn’t think it would be anything harmful (he can have nutmeg, as it is not a tree nut) but you’d be surprised. I signed up for the FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) recall emails, and every day there is a recall for an item with an undisclosed allergen. Ridiculous things you would never suspect like this:

**THE FOOD ALLERGY & ANAPHYLAXIS NETWORK SPECIAL FOOD ALLERGY ALERT
NOTICE**

MILK ALLERGY ALERT
April 28, 2009

McCormick & Company Inc. is recalling “Lawry’s Fajitas Spices &
Seasonings” due to undeclared milk.

The product was distributed in grocery stores nationwide.

The 1.27-oz. pouches are marked with a “best if used by” date of
OCT0110PX62 and UPC 2150022500.

Consumers with questions or requesting a full refund or replacement may
call (800) 952-9797.

See what I mean? You can become paranoid if you don’t keep yourself in check. I’ve done the research, and it looks like 9% of children with tree nut allergies out grow them. Those aren’t great odds, but I’ll take them. I’ve decided Nicholas will be in that 9%. I haven’t figured out just how, but he will.

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