Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Griffin's Allergies (Overdue)

Griffin went to the allergist in the middle of September. (That seems like forever ago. Really. You have no idea how long ago that seems to me. Okay. Back on topic.) After a few things that happened this summer and speaking to the doctor at his five year check-up, I had a sneaking suspicion he was allergic to dogs. Let's be honest. I knew he was allergic to them. Should have been a doctor.

Or not.

When the doctor walked in, he asked me to tell him "Griffin's story." I was about to get all long-winded on him before I realized that by story he meant, "why are you in my office with your five year old son?" I explained that twice over the summer I had to use Griffin's nebulizer on him after he was around dogs. End of story. To be clear, I seriously thought this was going to be an easy appointment. I figured we would find out he was allergic to dogs and maybe cats, get some medicine for when he is around those animals, and we would be set to go.
Um. Or not. Good thing I'm not a doctor.

After sharing Griffin's "story," the doctor responded, "Well, I can tell you right now he is allergic to more than just dogs." Oh really? How so? (I should have never asked). Basically the doctor rattled off numerous things about Griffin's appearance that I had been oblivious to. All signs that point to suffering from allergies. And not just animals you see every now and then. Gee. Thanks, doc, for making me feel like the worst mother ever. I'll put my award next to the one I got when I slammed Grayson's finger in the door, and he had to get stitches.

After talking to the doctor, Griffin had to go through pin-prick testing. That didn't work so well because Griffin wouldn't relax enough for the teeny tiny needles to poke through his skin. So guess what the next course of action is? Individual shots in both legs of what the doctor thinks he might be allergic to. You can imagine how fun that was. Not sure the nurses (or the people in the surrounding rooms) can hear perfectly anymore.

The results? My son is allergic to a lot of outdoor and indoor things. He is on multiple inhalers, Zyrtec, eye drops, and a nasal spray. We have steroids on hand if he ever falls into the "red zone" on a breathing test we have to administer every day. He has medicine at school and an emergency plan on hand if his allergies get out of control and affect his asthma. My house is the cleanest it has ever been (minus the week we left for Cancun), and our towels and sheets get washed multiple times a week.

Griffin is taking it in strides. The one medicine tastes absolutely horrible, but he takes it like a champ. There were many tears the day we had to throw away all of his stuffed animals, but he hasn't complained since. It's only me who complains...

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