Test results

Well, two weeks to the day we got the test results. It's taken me a few days to get my head straight. So, here we go. The results are good. Her numbers are low enough that the Dr. wants to skin test. That is the next step in the process. If she breaks out in hives from the test then we are done and we carry on as we have been for the past four years. If she does not break out then we will schedule food challenges. This means going back into the office for every tree nut and apples too. She will eat increasing amounts. The amounts increasing about every 20 minutes or so unless there is a reaction, in that case the food challenge is over. I can't let myself look too far ahead. I need to just keep my eye on Monday. One test at a time. I can't let myself think ahead to watching her eat walnuts. They almost killed her four years ago. How do I let her eat them? What if all her allergies are gone? We go back to a normal life. What is a normal life? I don't even remember what it's like.
Oops...just got ahead of myself.
Lets get through Monday first. Fingers crossed.

I am not a runner....my thoughts on Boston

Boston. A city, in a series of cities, stuck now in our minds forever. Another city marred by extreme violence. Another national tragedy that I have to explain to my children.
I am not a runner. Never have been never will be. It is just not my thing. I am in awe however by anyone that runs for any distance. 26.2 miles? That's amazing in my book. I am sure that this horrible event has rocked the running community to its core. I do hope that those of you that are runners continue to run. Don't let it stop you from training and meeting your goals. Don't let whomever did this win. We will win, good will win, love will win, peace will win. One day.

fundraising

Do you have any experience in fundraising? My background is teaching. I taught pre-school and kindergarten age children before I decided to stay home. After my little one was diagnosed with life threatening food allergies I felt as if I couldn't sit home and do nothing about it. I was motivated to get involved. I feel like I have to do something to raise awareness. Also, a cure will not be found without researchers and those researchers need money. So, I because involved with FARE. Food allergy research and education. Formerly FAAN, the food allergy and anaphylaxis network. Anyway, we hold a walk every year and the money raised goes to research.
Fundraising isn't easy and it makes me uncomfortable to ask people/companies for money. Here is a link for the types of fundraisers that can be done with FARE. Do you have any other ideas? Have you been to a charity event that you thought was great? Share the details.
http://www.foodallergy.org/fundraising-events

Great video

Here is a wonderful video for your Sunday viewing. It's all about super nanny Jo Frost, her food allergies and the Food allergy research and education walk program.
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPaleIQONPU

Too many ideas

I did not have a planned post today not because I didn't have any ideas but because I have too many ideas. I have so many ideas on what I want to do with the blog, more books to write, etc. etc. I am a very organized person but I'm having a hard time keeping track of all my thoughts. I have been reading a book about blogging called Blog Inc. which is very interesting and it is sparking lots of ideas.
http://www.amazon.com/Blog-Inc-Blogging-Passion-Community/dp/1452107203/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365781525&sr=1-1&keywords=blog+inc

Does your brain ever get over run with ideas? What do you do about it, how do you organize everything?

I have found that Pinterest is full of great ideas! I can spend hours at that site.

Do you have a home office, is that where you blog from if you blog? How do you keep it all organized?

I hope everyone has a great weekend. It is going to be beautiful here. My oldest will be camping this weekend and my youngest has her first golf lesson, they are both super excited!

The waiting......food allergy testing

The waiting is the hardest part......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMyCa35_mOg

Enjoy the music!

I would love to know why blood test results take so long. Why does it have to take two weeks. I am very impatient about stuff like this. I have been staying very busy but my mind wanders often. What if her levels are worse? Well, that means that nothing changes. We carry on as we have been for the last four years. What if her numbers went down? That would lead us to the skin test. The scratch test. That won't be fun for her but I don't think it will be as bad as the blood draw. Once they do the test we will have to wait for about twenty minutes to see if she reacts. Hives, redness, welts etc. If she does react, then we are done and we carry on as we have been. If she doesn't react...if she doesn't react....I'm afraid I will faint, cry, do an embarrassing happy dance in the allergists office. That will lead us to many food challenges, "the gold standard" as they are known in the allergy world. We did a coconut food challenge a few years ago just to make sure that she could have it. It took forever. I was so stressed and this was a test to a food that I knew she was not allergic to. They checked her vital signs and skin first. Circling some eczema spots on her skin in pen (she thought that was awesome). Then she ate a tiny amount of coconut and we waited. The Dr. came back, checked her vitals, and then gave her some more. This went on for a few hours. I can't even begin to imagine how many food challenges that she will have to endure for tree nuts. OK, I just looked through her past test results and there are ten nuts that she would have to food challenge for. 10! I also can't imagine letting her eat nuts. How can I watch her eat walnuts when that is what almost took her from us?
I am so getting ahead of myself. I hope I haven't set myself up for major disappointment.

In today's news.....

I have a mish mash of a post today for you-

Rejection number two came yesterday. While waiting in the car pool line I checked email. There it was a lovely form letter, no book published yet.

The NC epi law has four senators that have signed on.....
http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2013&BillID=sb+700&submitButton=Go

If you have not written your Senators, please do so. If you have written your Senators, please write the other ones, share this with friends and family. We need your help to get this passed!
Thank you!
Here is all of the information-
Senate Bill 700 (Non-Specific Epinephrine in Schools) was referred to the Health Care Committee today and the Committee needs to approve it, so the whole Senate can vote on it. Please find the members that represent you and email them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. FORWARD THIS, FACEBOOK THIS, SHARE WITH ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY! If you can't find your county listed, just email the three chairmen of the committee, Sen. Hise, Sen. Pate, Sen. Tarte. A sample email is at the bottom of the page. Thank you all so much for your help getting this very important legislation made into law, PAK Coordinators!

Co Chairman: Sen. Ralph Hise (Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey) ralph.hise@ncleg.net
Co Chairman: Sen. Louis Pate (Lenoir, Pitt, Wayne) louis.pate@ncleg.net
Vice Chairman: Sen. Jeff Tarte (Mecklenburg) jeff.tarte@ncleg.net

Members:
Sen. Austin M. Allran(Alexander, Catawba) austin.allran@ncleg.net
Sen. Chad Barefoot (Franklin, Wake) chad.barefoot@ncleg.net
Sen. Stan Bingham( Davidson, Montgomery), Stan.Bingham@ncleg.net
Sen. David L. Curtis (Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln) David.Curtis@ncleg.net
Sen. Don Davis,( Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, Wayne) Don.Davis@ncleg.net 
Sen. Jim Davis, (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain ) Jim.Davis@ncleg.net
Sen. Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr., (Cabarrus, Union) Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net 
Sen. Neal Hunt,( Wake) Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net 
Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird, (Chatham, Orange ) Eleanor.Kinnaird@ncleg.net
Sen. Floyd B. McKissick, Jr., (Durham, Granville) Floyd.Mckissick@ncleg.net
Sen. Earline W. Parmon, (Forsyth) Earline.Parmon@ncleg.net 
Sen. Ronald J. Rabin, (Harnett, Johnston, Lee ) Ronald.Rabin@ncleg.net
Sen. Shirley B. Randleman, (Stokes, Surry, Wilkes) Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net 
Sen. Gladys A. Robinson, (Guilford) Glads.Robinson@ncleg.net
Sen. Bob Rucho, (Mecklenburg) Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net
Sen. Josh Stein, (Wake) Josh.Stein@ncleg.net
Sen. Tommy Tucker, (Union) Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net
Sen. Trudy Wade,(Guilford) Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net 
Sen. Mike Woodard, (Caswell, Durham, Person) Mike.Woodard@ncleg.net

Dear Senator:

I am a resident of ________ County. As my representative, I am urging you to fully support and help sponsor Senate Bill 700. My child/My grandchild/My dear friend's child has severe food allergies/bee allergies and this could save his/her life at NO COST to the state. 13 states have already passed similar legislation. 

You may recall, an elementary school girl 100 miles from Raleigh, died from anaphylactic shock at her public school. Her school did not have an Epi Pen and deadly reactions happen so quickly, paramedics didn't get there in time. The death was completely preventable! 

Please help the children of our community. If you have any questions or if I can be of further assistance, please contact me. 

Sincerely,

XXXX YYYYY





Last topic for today-We went to a new restaurant! Well, it is new to us. Buffalo Wild wings. They have an allergen menu online and the manager and wait staff were very helpful. We had a great time and the food was good too!
Here's the information on the allergen menu in case you need it.
http://www.buffalowildwings.com/Global/bww_allergen_list.pdf


I hope everyone has a great day! The weather is amazing, it went from winter to summer again. Will we ever get a spring?