Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Oh, Happy Day


Yesterday, I got a completely unexpected present.
It was like my birthday. No, it was better than my birthday. It was like Christmas. Except, wait. It was even better. It was better than Christmas and my birthday – both at the same time.

What happened, you ask? (Well, you don’t ask if you read SRH’s blog, he’s all into stealing my thunder). But if you were to ask I would tell you that…

Zane’s peanut allergy is getting “significantly” better!!!!!!!!

What? Shut up. Can that even happen?

Well, apparently it can.

The doctor said that not only is Zane’s peanut allergy improving, he may be one of the “lucky 10%” who actually outgrow their allergy.

Huh? Shut up. That cannot happen. I’m quite sure of it. People who have peanut allergies have it for their entire lives. They have to be hyper-vigilant because peanut is the most common food allergy causing anaphylaxis and death. And it never goes away.

Or so I thought. But according to this and this and this, it is possible for a child to outgrow a peanut allergy -especially if the child has outgrown other allergies.

Did I mention that the doctor said that Zane’s dairy and egg allergies are also improving?

I know. I am in food allergic mama heaven. Just the thought of decreasing (let alone getting grid of) any of Zane’s life-threatening food allergies is enough to send me into bliss.

Also, what the doctor was most pleased about was that Zane hasn’t developed any new allergies. Which, sure, I’m happy about that. But did you hear that his peanut allergy is actually improving?

Somebody pinch me now.

Anyway, as the doctor is dictating the letter to Zane’s pediatrician, he says into the microphone, “No new allergies shown for Zane. He continues to test positive for allergies to dairy, egg, cats, grass, peanuts, and tree nuts – including almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Blah, blah, blah”

I will admit that my brow wrinkled slightly at that. Prior to yesterday, I had no idea that Zane was allergic to grass, and the hazelnuts thing was totally out of left field.

Whatever. The delight I experienced upon learning that there may be some light at the end of this food allergy tunnel was akin to getting free Dairy Queen for a year.

Ee gads, it’s a good day to be Zane’s mama.

Edit: I can't help myself, I have to add the video that Riley linked in her comment on this post. It just cracks me up.



15 comments:

belsum said...

WOOHOO!!! Fingers crossed!

L. Noelle said...

Congratulations, that is fantastic news! I have officially started a petition for changing the way a prenatal diagnosis is given to new and expecting parents. If you are interested in this issue, please stop by and sign my petition. We can all change this system and get the Prentally Diagnosed Condition Act Passed, introduced by Senator's Kennedy and Brownback. I would love your support! Thank you.
www.jadensjournal.blogspot.com

nancy said...

This is great news! Thrilled for you, and of course Zane too.

Anonymous said...

Excellent news!

Thea @ It's Me Vs. Me said...

OMG! I was so excited that I almost used your real name. I'm so happy for you! However, allergies or not, my images of Zane will always include a bag of BBQ chips...

zulhai said...

You are SO lucky, and I am thankful to your allergist for telling you about it, and thankful that you blogged about it. the whole idea that it could get better, as opposed to worse is quite a relief.

BTW,a lot of European chocolate products have Hazelnut mixed in. "Nutella" comes to mind.

Thea @ It's Me Vs. Me said...

Yeah. Totally forgot to tell you that I tagged you.

Anonymous said...

So, once the peanuts are gone from his list, I think Zane deserves (after he loses his dairy allergy, because why just stop with the peanuts?) a one year treat to the Worthington D.Q. and his first treat should be a Peanut Butter Parfait. Aunt Zingerzapper will even buy! Whooo Hooooo! Love you Zaner and I'm so happy.

Karen said...

that is such fantastic news. what number was it down to? (ie: from a 4+ to a 2+...) i think i would do a freaking cartwheel if simon showed a decrease in his allergies. this time around, he is showing that he's developed a hazelnut allergy. which, sucks. dr. b. said that over half the people with peanut allergies develop a tree nut allergy at some point in their lifetime. GREAT. but seriously? hazelnuts? what random allergy is that? he's never had exposure (knowingly) to hazelnuts! whatev.

i talked to him also about how soon i could see if peanuts were safe for greta, and he said whenver, and gave me the rundown on how to do it. holy crap, if she's not allergic, i will be so happy. simply for the fact that sending her to friends houses and to school will be SO LESS STRESSFUL than it is with simon.

anyway, i am thrilled for you guys. YAY!!!!!

S said...

That is good news!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! That's great news!

Anonymous said...

In honor of this possible peanut freedom of the future, I am sending you a virtual cheer.

jotcr2 said...

Hopefully!!! I can genuinely imagine how much of a hassle it is for you to manage all of these allergies etc. Hope the Dr is right this time.

Zany Mama said...

belsum-
I will cross my toes if that's what it takes! :)

noelle-
Thanks - good luck with your petition!

nancy-
Yeah, it's more thrilling for us right now. Zane doesn't realize the peanut butter-y goodness that he's missed thus far in his life.

lsig-
Most excellent!

thea-
For a minute there, I totally didn't get why you would associate Zane with BBQ potato chips. It took me a minute to realize that most 3 year olds are big into bbbq chips. Duh...

zulhai-
Darn Europeans and their hazelnuts...

thea-
I totally forgot to tell you that you suck.

zingerzapper-
Quit trying to corrupt my child with your illicit goodies. You are such a bad influence. :)

karen-
Down from a 3+ to a +. It was significant improvement.

And I feel you on the hazelnut thing - WTF?! I've never even had a hazelnut, so I'm quite sure Zane's never had exposure. So weird.

Crossing my fingers that Greta's not allergic. Honestly, it's almost impossible for me to imagine raising a child without food allergies. What would I even do?

s-
Thank you. It is good news, isn't it? (I'm smiling right now)

riley-
It's damn awesome, isn't it?

riley-
Zane has been asking us to show him that video over and over and over since you linked it here.

The child started singing the song at dinner tonight.

You've created a monster.

joctr-
Yes, I will admit that I have had moments when I imagine that the doctor is wrong and there was some weird fluke that Zane tested so well this time but that next time we will find out that he's still WAY allergic.

If so, so be it, I guess. But I'm still on a high right now! :)

Karen said...

that's a crazy good improvement.

what would you do? why, feed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of course. :D