Huge News!

Caleb PASSED his milk challenge today!!! How exciting!!

So we got up bright and early, leaving our house at 6:15. We could have left at least 20 minutes later because we got there to Walter Reed by 7:15--there was absolutely no traffic! But you never know-the traffic reports I heard while driving said there had been accidents on the BW Parkway as well 270 that tied things up, so that could have happened on 495 as well. Better early than stuck! Once we parked in the garage, I laid back and closed my eyes for 20 minutes while Caleb chattered on about every single thing that passed through his brain, LOL. Oh well, it was somewhat restful!

We got into the clinic, and he received his first "dose" of milk, just 10 cc, at 8:15. I brought chocolate milk, thinking that he might like the taste of that better than regular milk, which he has never had. He squirted the first dose in from a syringe, and nothing happened. He got a progressivly larger amount every 15 minutes until he had 5 doses (a total of about 8 ounces). Before each dose the doctor and the resident who was with her would check his vitals, skin, and mucous membranes. Everything kept looking good! Caleb did his schoolwork in between doses, and I talked with the doctor and resident, who stuck around the whole time, or read.

Finally, 15 minutes after the last dose, we went out to the waiting room, where we had to sit for 2 hours to make sure no late reaction developed. The whole time Caleb had been sneezy and snuffly, but he was like that when we started. It's the crazy ragweed! He and Nathan have been having a hard time with it, for Caleb mainly because he's been unable to take his Zyrtec for the past week as he prepared for this challenge. I and the doctor also were a little apprehensive that his sneezing would mask a true reaction, but he never got worse or seemed to sneeze more or anything. Several people had asked me why I didn't move the trial until after ragweed season was over. I figured that if he passed now, then we could truly know that he had outgrown the allergy. Any other time, and I would have wondered. His seasonal allergies have always tended to make him more sensitive to his food allergy triggers, so I didn't want him to pass in, say, November, but then have problems in March with milk when the pollen count started to rise!

Waiting the 2 hours was the hardest thing for Caleb! Once he finished his schoolwork, he was fidgety and not really interested in reading. We had a snack, but I was ready to go home too, LOL. Eventually we were cleared to go, and Caleb was cleared to have milk! We finally got home around 12:30, so it was definitely a long day.

I still am having a hard time grasping his being free to have milk! Dealing with his food allergies has been a way of life since he was 7 months old. I remember coming home crying from his first allergy appointment, where he had tested positive to wheat, eggs, milk, and peanuts--everything they tested him for except soy--and thinking, "No one will marry him!" He never really reacted to wheat, so we added that back in first, at about 18 months. By 3 he had outgrown his egg allergy, and I thought that really made life easier! But when he hadn't outgrown any of the nut allergies or even shown any signs of outgrowing the milk one by 5, I had pretty much assumed they was there for life. I really never dreamed it was possible that he would outgrow the milk allergy! He's 8 1/2!

I think it will be a big adjustment for him too. When you have never at all eaten anything remotely cheesy, and in fact you know that it (used to) make you very sick and wheezy, then . . . it is a little bit hard to want to try these formerly forbidden foods. He was okay with the milk, but I think it was because it was almost like taking medicine--all measured out in a syringe or medicine cup. I offered him an M&M from my trail mix (only almonds, no peanuts!), and he was quite hesitant to try it. Finally, in the car when we were almost home he decided to try it. I asked him why he was so hesitant, and he said, "I'm just really afraid I'll react." I told him that he had already had WAY more milk than was in an M&M, but he was not totally convinced, LOL. He eventually did eat it, but he was not all that impressed. "I like Skittles a lot better." LOL!

Also, he's grown up only eating soy substitutes for things--like soy ice cream and soy yogurt. I am not a huge fan of either (well, especially soy yogurt), but he loves them! It's all he's every known! And they taste NOTHING like stuff made with milk! So I think it will be a challenge for him to get used to eating cheesy/milky stuff, and I wouldn't be surprised if I don't have to separate stuff out for himstill, at least for a little while, as he makes the transition. Actually we really don't eat all that much stuff with dairy in it anymore, so it will be more the odd soup and casserole recipe that I still use. Wow, I will be able to look at cookbooks with a fresh eye! Going out will be where it is the nicest. Not having to worry about where milk is hidden is going to be huge. Like I said, I still can't wrap my mind around it! I'm sure I'll still be saying, "You can't have that, Caleb" just out of habit!

After our big and early morning, I came home and collapsed in bed for a nap! I was so exhausted! I think it will be an early night for Caleb too. He kept waking up in the middle of the night. I remember him coming into our room at 4:00 and me telling him to go back to bed, that I had my alarm set! He was a little anxious for the whole thing to be over and done with!

The reason I am having all this time to type out this long post is that Bob took all 7 kids to Nathan's football practice, and I am alone in the house! Yes, he is a saint. I love the sound of silence. But instead of screwing around on the computer, I should be doing something productive . . .