We really had no idea we were so tense. N was diagnosed with severe food allergies before she even ate solid foods (she was getting it through my milk). She had an epipen script before she could toddle. We had no idea what life without a food allergic child was like.
You all have been holding out on us. Holy Freaking Cow! We can eat anywhere, anytime! ANYWHERE! Anything! Stuck in the mountains because of bad weather? Go eat ANYWHERE. When I get on a plane, all I have is snacks, not enough food for days. Stopped at Starbucks and you want a chocolate croissant? Sure!
One word: Takeout!
Most importantly, she's not scared anymore. You can see it in everything she does. You can see it when she races towards the moguls and heads into the trees at a pace she wouldn't have considered last year. You see it when she runs off with barely a hug and a kiss goodbye. The ground under her feet is solid now. She can embrace the freedoms she was denied before. She went away for a weekend to the mountains with a friend and didn't even flinch. She is blossoming without all of that fear holding her back.
We went for the 36 Week visit on January 13-15, 2015. Graduation!
She was a ball of high strung nerves. We decided to challenge the eggs first because this was the most ominous to her. Her serious accidents all involved eggs and she would need the equivalent of two whole eggs with doses 15 minutes apart to simulate actual eating. Since she was struggling with her smoothies, getting six of them down back to back was daunting.
She did it though. Once she hit the equivalent of one egg, there was no stopping her. She knew she had it! Oh my, did I cry! There were hugs, tears and laughter. It worked. It really, really worked. All of the money, travel, tears and exhaustion were worth it. The treatment worked. There won't be more epipens and ambulances and trauma. That part of our lives is all done.
At a restaurant that night, she grabbed food off of her Dad's plate at a restaurant. In her whole life, she's never done that. She's had this intensely controlled and fearful setting to eat in her whole life. Not that night though! Not anymore! The next day, she had her first gourmet cupcake and that sealed the deal for her. She completely embraced the change. Her fear was logical and it didn't become something unreal. Once the threat disappeared, so did her fear.
Two days after her egg challenge, she challenged almonds. She wasn't nervous at this point and the excitement was palpable. She powered through and just like that, she was considered desensitized to her allergens.
Whitney the Fabulous had her eat an actual egg in front of her to make sure she had the head game to go home and get it done without her powdered doses. That wasn't fun but she did it, as she tends to do.
It was Fhizzy Whig's 6th birthday and we celebrated with the medical team. There were gourmet cupcakes (from a bakery! not baked by me!). There were a few more tears too. My littlest Big Girl was more than happy to share her day with her sister. I know N learned a lot from having food allergies and going through the trial but her sister seemed to pick up a lot of those lessons along side of her.
Then we headed to Monterey for the weekend to celebrate Lil' Bit being 6 and N being free to eat. We ate our way along Steinbeck's coast. Donut? Sure! Cookie? Sounds awesome! Waitresses hugged us when we told them why we were so giddy over a burger.
She did it though. Once she hit the equivalent of one egg, there was no stopping her. She knew she had it! Oh my, did I cry! There were hugs, tears and laughter. It worked. It really, really worked. All of the money, travel, tears and exhaustion were worth it. The treatment worked. There won't be more epipens and ambulances and trauma. That part of our lives is all done.
At a restaurant that night, she grabbed food off of her Dad's plate at a restaurant. In her whole life, she's never done that. She's had this intensely controlled and fearful setting to eat in her whole life. Not that night though! Not anymore! The next day, she had her first gourmet cupcake and that sealed the deal for her. She completely embraced the change. Her fear was logical and it didn't become something unreal. Once the threat disappeared, so did her fear.
Two days after her egg challenge, she challenged almonds. She wasn't nervous at this point and the excitement was palpable. She powered through and just like that, she was considered desensitized to her allergens.
Whitney the Fabulous had her eat an actual egg in front of her to make sure she had the head game to go home and get it done without her powdered doses. That wasn't fun but she did it, as she tends to do.
It was Fhizzy Whig's 6th birthday and we celebrated with the medical team. There were gourmet cupcakes (from a bakery! not baked by me!). There were a few more tears too. My littlest Big Girl was more than happy to share her day with her sister. I know N learned a lot from having food allergies and going through the trial but her sister seemed to pick up a lot of those lessons along side of her.
Then we headed to Monterey for the weekend to celebrate Lil' Bit being 6 and N being free to eat. We ate our way along Steinbeck's coast. Donut? Sure! Cookie? Sounds awesome! Waitresses hugged us when we told them why we were so giddy over a burger.
Finally on Fishermans Wharf in Monterey, there was a real, eggy crepe. There will be in Paris, too. Just hang on a few months, Bugaboo.
It was the most authentic and uncomplicated celebration I've ever participated in. She is finally free.
It was the most authentic and uncomplicated celebration I've ever participated in. She is finally free.
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