We survived 2 food allergy food challenges

Now there is a mouthful…food allergy food challenge!  Here’s the deal, after being diagnosed with a serious food allergy the only way to be properly “undiagnosed” is to partake in a food challenge.  If  you never experienced a food challenge you might want to check out today’s blog.  Yesterday, at Find An Allergist, my children participated each in one food challenge at the Walnut Creek, CA office.  The challenge was managed under strict medical control-food challenges should always be performed in a medical setting with a board certified physician.  Honestly, you want to be in a medical setting in the event of a serious reaction during the challenge.  Check out Find An Allergist to search for a doctor!  The food challenge is the zenith of good things in my food allergy world.  This day could bring heart break or one less thing on this planet that can harm my child that actually may taste good.  The food challenge is a seriously long test that can make the calmest parent pop a new gray hair.  You will always want to discuss what to expect with your doctor prior to a food challenge, your challenge may be a tad different. Of course, never try this at home either!
My son challenged dairy baked into cake and my daughter, walnut.  Based on previous testing and history, our allergist felt it was time to food challenge these items.  It’s a parent’s dream to have their child outgrow a food allergy that could kill them.  It’s that simple.

Even though we don’t live in the San Francisco East Bay any longer, we still drive 4 hours to see Dr. Joshua Jacobs of Allergy & Asthma Medical Group of the Bay Area since he is an allergist extraordinaire.  He is an allergy & asthma rock star as my kids love him to no end!  Dr. Jacobs has a very calm, kind and understanding personality that the kids adore. Also, his office is near wonderful shopping and I have no shame that my kids are bribed openly and freely with new shoes and games (don’t ask about the shoes…let’s just say my son will make a fabulous husband someday).

Here’s how the day started…
5:30am wake-up call after arriving to hotel the night before.
6:30am hotel breakfast of individually packaged cereal.
8:00am check in at allergy office  after smooth commute (yay).
8:10am Dr. Jacobs meets us after we complete our paper work and both kids have their weight, height and lung function measured. I know the weight is to help with prescribing medications in the event of an emergency.
8:15am the first challenge begins with a skin prick of the food to be challenged to see if hives develop.  If all goes well, the challenge begins.
 
Here’s how the day continued…
Son: participates in a double blind placebo food challenge of cake with dairy baked inside since he is very emotional (I am sure he will be thrilled to read this) and has created allergic reactions in past.  So, placebo was the way to go.  After measuring his peak flow meter readings, blood pressure and heart rate, he was given small portions of one of chocolate cakes.  I baked one cake using soy milk and one using cow’s milk.  We didn’t know if the challenge started with the dairy or non-dairy cake.  When I say small portion, I’m talking about a ½ teaspoon size piece of cake.  After 20 minutes, his vitals are taken again and the size is increased at 20 minutes interval until he finally concludes with a 2×2 inch square piece.  Then, the challenge started all over again with the “other” cake!!  He is happy though since he had a lap top with him and the office offered wifi!
Daughter:  Now is when the fun begins! When Dr. Jacobs first walked in, she started to silently cry hiding her eyes behind her stuffed dog.  Having children and being hip to 8 year old little behavior, he knew she was crying and said the dog might get soggy if she cries too much and then asked her what was wrong.  She peeked out and then asked questions about what would happen if she had a reaction.  Then she unglued only calming down two hours later.
Tears just streamed down her cheeks as the nurse did the skin prick.  The nurses were incredible!  They asked her what was wrong and she said she was scared.  They explained that of course she was scared since all her life she heard that walnuts can hurt her and don’t ever eat them and now we’re trying to get her to eat them!  That little tear maker had three nurses assisting her.  They explained they were only steps away and showed her the “magical medicine” box that held all the good medicines they would use if she felt sick.  They checked in every 5 minutes or so!!!  They explained to her that they are trained to handle any kind of reaction and she is in good hands.  She started off with a kind nurse rubbing walnut on her trembling lip and after 20 minutes she graduated to a mere crumb of a walnut.  Of course, her vitals were taking at 20 minute intervals.  Finally, after she complained about how bad the walnut tasted, did we think to give her walnut and some of brother’s cake together!
News Flash:  Chocolate Cake does cure the world’s problems!  After adding cake to her walnut pieces…she was calm and happy again!!!!  She eventually worked her way up to eating an entire walnut.
Here’s how the day ended…
With both kids enjoying success!  My son is on his path to outgrowing his dairy allergy and is experiencing his first step of tolerating it baked in cake!!  My daughter learned how to move forward through a fear and she is no longer allergic to walnut.  I truly believe her biggest success today was facing her fear and living to tell the story.  Through all those tears, she never asked to stop the test or cried out loud—she kept moving forward.  I am very proud of her.
The day ended with all of us being happy, exhausted and grateful for the amazing support and kindness we received during the test.  Being in true form, we had to say thanks to the staff with the remainder of the two cakes and pizza ordered in.  My friend picked the name Gratefulfoodie for me since she said I am always grateful for food and I express my love and gratitude towards others with food.
So…nothing says gratitude or love like pizza and chocolate cake!