21 January 2010

God Loves a Peanut

So it appears Stephanie was right, I was totally making everything up. OR SO SHE'D LIKE TO THINK.

I just got a call from Peanut's allergy doctor (well, one of them anyway). She said his endoscopy looked wonderful with nary a eosinophil to be seen. She also called with his latest allergy testing. Of every allergen he's come up positive for in the past, he is now negative for all of them except for cashews and pistachios. Milk and sesame didn't even register, while peanut has fallen below the positive allergen line. IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. Seriously though, IT'S A FRICKING CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. Now, his doctor warned me not to get too excited and start shoving peanut butter down his throat. No problem, we don't have any anyway. She said people can test negative for something and still have a clinical reaction to it upon exposure. So we are to proceed as if he were still allergic to these things, avoiding them as much as possible. However, the likelihood of him actually dying now is pretty slim (well, for peanut, milk, and sesame anyway--gotta still avoid those tree nuts). Plus, he can still have serious GI reactions to these things, particularly milk, which is notorious for producing severe GI issues in the allergic crowd. But not LIFE-THREATENING issues, which is what has given us all ulcers for the past year and a half. He likely still has an oral allergy to apples and pears, and a GI allergy to soy, which sucks, but hey, we can live with that. So can he--literally.

So it would appear that he is outgrowing his life-threatening allergies, including very possibly cashews and pistachios, whose numbers have dropped since the last time. He's still young, things can still change, albeit very unlikely that they would, so we still have to be careful.

But do you have any idea what this means for us in the next few years? He will be able to go to church. He can go to the playground. He can touch a grocery cart handle. We can go out to eat again. He can go to a baseball game. He can sit with other kids at the school lunch table. He can have a cupcake at school parties. He can go on an airplane. He can visit my family. He can go on a mission. Someone will actually want to marry him. The deadly toxins they warned us he would not outgrow are disappearing. I can't even convey how happy I am right now. I'm so relieved I could cry and feed my kid peanut butter. Well, maybe just the first one.

17 comments:

Serin said...

I don't expect to get teary-eyed coming to your blog, but I am. SUCH great news! Congratulations!

Annie said...

Hi Abby, I've been lurking here for a while, but decided today was the day to comment. As an adult with severe tree nut allergies I'm THRILLED for your family! Tree nut allergies are totally manageable, though I do my fair share of complaining. (I'd still stay away from the cupcake at birthday parties though!) Congratulations to Peanut!

Holly said...

Yay for your Christmas miracle!!

Jody said...

So shocked and happy to hear the news!!! Congratulations!!! That really is such great news. Who would have thought...

Heidi said...

Hooray!!!!! I'm so glad, I can't even express it. I just spent the day at a friend's house whose boys have life-threatening allergies to tree nuts and pineapple (of all things) and she was telling me how hard it is not to go anywhere, and I thought of you and Peanut. Thank goodness for the power of prayers!

Jacob and Mindy T. said...

YAY!!! I'm so happy for you guys! Having a kid with allergies had to be TERRIBLE! My best friends son is TERRIBLY allergic to just about life itself and she has to watch him like a hawk. That just sucks!! Good luck!

Kristin said...

That's wonderful Abby!! The same thing happened with a friend of mine. As her kid gets older the less he is allergic to things, she actually has to give him small doses of some foods to keep up a tolerance (that's how she explained it). I'm so glad for you guys. It really is life changing, for Patrick and you!

Stephanie B said...

Was I the Stephanie you were talking about? I would never say such a thing. :) I'm so happy that he's getting better. Screw your family - now you can come and visit me!!!

Bonny said...

HOORAY!!! That's SO exciting!!!

greta said...

oh abby, i too didn't think i'd come to your blog to get all emotional but dang it i did. you have just no idea how absolutely ecstatic i am for you and your little boy. holy crap, we may actually be able to see that smiling beaming face out and about AND at church. no words can describe such excitement! HOORAY!

Ryann said...

that is wonderful Abby! Such a relief! So happy for you guys!

it's just lisa said...

Holy SMokes! I could cry too! That is wonderful news. You made me a laugh and laugh as I read. You are a funny girl.

Want to set up a playdate?

Karie said...

What a blessing! Now I can send you a case of peanut butter without reservation--how awesome!

elesa said...

Oh, that is so great! I am really so happy for you and your little boy you named after the nut that would kill him. This is the best thing I have heard all month!

Gwennifer said...

So, the pistachio-almond trail mix I was planning on feeding your children next time I babysit is still out?

Crap.

Anonymous said...

Fred and Ethel said... I can't tell you have happy we are for you.

Abby said...

Thank you all for your kind and sweet words. We are very thrilled here, believe me.

Yes, Stephanie, I was talking about you. You had that dream where you fed Peanut peanut butter and he was fine, so you told me I was over-reacting. Some friend.

We're not totally out of the woods yet, and you won't be seeing him at church for another year still, but it's still a large step in the right direction for sure.