My Visit to Dr. Alexander

Jayden's allergist, Dr. Alexander, is now my new allergy doctor. She is such a great doctor and I am looking forward to getting my new set of allergy injections! After 5 years of injections from my old doctor, no apparent improvements were made. Dr. Alexander is sure that her injections, which are much stronger, are going to help. Now I just need to figure out how to fit her injection hours (8:30-4:30 Mon-Thurs) into my schedule.

I visited with her for two long hours tonight and after 42 test pricks of allergens, she quickly discovered how allergic I am to......everything! I even developed a new allergy to peanuts which surprised me. Previous to my visit, I was instructed not to take any allergy medicine for 10 days before testing. Yeah right. I cannot live without allergy medicine. My last dose was on Sunday, so you would think my reactions wouldn't be as bad as they were! Wrong!!

Due to the immense swelling---after only a few minutes (I had to wait 15 before I could wash my arm, which is STILL swollen)---she gave me a dose of predisone (steriods). This means that Aaron, Jayden, and I were all on steroids this past month. Aaron had a run in with poison ivy, Jayden's milk reaction, and now mine! At least this all didn't happen at once!

She told me everything I know that I am allergic to: very allergic to cats, dogs, cockroaches, mold, dust, very allergic to dust mites #1 & #2, very allergic to pollen & ragweed, grass, trees (which causes my weird reactions to carrots, celery, and bananas). Maybe I need to hire a housekeeper??? My peanut allergy was the biggest surprise, but she told me to pay attention to food with peanuts in them and see how I react. I have not eaten peanut butter or peanuts in such a long time that I don't even know how my body would react.