As some of you know, my four-year old daughter suffers from viral-induced asthma, has severe eczema, and has documented environmental and food allergies (wheat, chocolate, soy, milk, and peanut). Because the three are connected, her pediatrician last week referred her to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to a pediatric allergist/pulmonary doctor to see if we could get a handle on things.

Her appointment was this morning. Lots of talking, a physical examination and *major* scratch testing later...it turns out that her environmental allergies are minimal, and her food allergies have disappeared. We were given the option of letting her try peanuts/peanut butter at home, but we opted to have them do an "oral challenge" there instead. Fifteen minutes of peanut butter on the arm, fifteen minutes of peanut butter on the upper lip, and then two peanut butter and crackers later...and I have a girl that I don't have to worry about accidental exposure/ingestion of peanuts/peanut butter.

This is a *huge* relief to someone who was excessively worrying about kindergarten next year. I was very impressed with not only the specialist she saw but also the resident who visited with us, who quickly identified an unrelated problem.

So, here I was, worrying that they'd discover some *other* food allergies and I'd have to turn my world (and my cupboards) upside down, and the exact opposite happens. Sometimes things come out of nowhere when you least expect it, you know?

__________________


"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, then let it, and if you have to wait for what you really want, take the time because nobody said that life would be easy. They just promised it would be worth it." ~ Unknown author