KCEN Story

We were recently interviewed by Heidi at KCEN for a story on OIT. I am always happy to share our successful OIT experience. It was truly life-changing!

KCEN Story

Follow-up Appointment

We had a follow up today with Dr. Wasserman. He said that Calista's IgE level was 55 prior to starting OIT. Today, it's 3. Yeah, I know.

OIT has allowed us to take 2 cruise vacations, flights, countless birthday parties...all without the worries. I am so thankful that this treatment is available. It is well worth the 2 hour trip each way.

Spring Cleaning!

I'm working on a long-overdue cabinet cleaning this morning. I found this Cup-A-Cake holder. We used this for several years at every birthday party, every special occasion. Calista always had to have a "safe" cupcake that I made. Poor girl - I might be the least talented cake decorator ever! They were always yummy and extremely ugly. 

After OIT, we can now toss these. That huge difference is not lost on me. My girl is able to enjoy the simple things in life without a constant fear of food. 

I remember the first time a dear friend realized that Calista was able to eat the birthday cake, just like everyone else. We were both amazed at the blessing. 

An Amazing Vacation

When Calista was diagnosed in 2006, I immediately thought of the things she would miss out on and the trips she couldn't take. 

Well, now she can!

We took an 8 day cruise to 4 different countries and she flew on 4 different airplanes. AND we all survived and had a blast. 

Thank you OIT!

Fascinated by the workings of an airport because she had never been there before. 

Trying new things in the Dominican Republic. 

Grand prize winner in the ship's game show!

So many things that were too dangerous to imagine before OIT. Blessed to have found this treatment. 

It works it works it works!

I absolutely LOVE sharing the news about OIT and desensitization.  I love reading about other families and their success.  I love reading about kids who are now safe.


SAFE.

Safe and pretty stinkin' free. 


It is an amazing place that I never thought we'd be.


So I share our news and I share the news from others.  I share it every single chance I get.  Because it is great and it works.

And my oversharing might just save a child or help a family.

Update: nothing new and that is AWESOME.

Calista still eats her 14 peanut M&Ms every night.

Sometimes she eats peanut butter sandwiches, candy, and other things that were forbidden.

And it's just fine.

We went skiing and ate at any restaurant we wanted.  She attended a sleepover and I didn't worry.  We are planning several vacations (one where she will fly for the first time) and peanuts are not a worry at all.


Life after OIT is pretty fabulous. 

Just normal, everyday life...

I received a text from a friend a few days ago. Knowing that I had been the self-appointed "peanut police" for 6+ years, so asked where she could find individually wrapped, peanut-free cookies. Umm...I don't know. 

I have no idea.

The "individually-wrapped" part throws me a bit, so I offered a few brand names and suggested websites where she could order.  But I started to realize that I haven't read a label in a while. A long while... After 6 years of reading every label everywhere we went (reading every label because Cal's life depended on it), I now can't remember the last time I looked at one. 

Wow.

Sometimes I forget about the day-to-day activities that consumed so much of our lives. The real fear that anything and everything was a potential bomb. 

Now I am only focused on sharing the good news of OIT, the success we've had and encouraging other parents to find out if it could work for their child. Oh, and I have to remember to buy more peanut M&Ms - Calista goes through a bag pretty quickly these days!

Warning - OIT is bad for your health.

It is.  OIT causes weight gain in parents. 

We had not been able to visit an ice cream shop for 6 years. Now, we have COMPLETE freedom. 

Got the call earlier today that Calista has been cleared on all nuts. That includes tree nuts that we've avoided for 6+ years. 

This paves the way for endless amounts of Rocky Road, Nutella gelato (she tried this evening) and pecan pie. 

I'd better up my gym membership :)

IgE numbers

For those who are interested -

IgE - February 2012

Peanut 55.08 (Class 5)

Hazelnut <0.08 (Negative)

Almond <0.08  (Negative)

Pecan <0.08  (Negative)

Cashew 0.30  (Class 2)

Pistachio <0.08  (Negative)

IgE - July 2013

Peanut 8.05 (Class 4)

Hazelnut <0.08  (Negative)

Almond 0.09 (Class 1)

Pecan <0.08  (Negative)

Cashew <0.08  (Negative)

Pistachio <0.08  (Negative)

Almost 1 year already?

Calista has an appointment this week at Dallas Allergy.  Scheduling this appointment has made me think about all that has changed since we met Dr. Wasserman.

Wow.

508  days ago, I sat in a doctor's office and watched a nurse give Calista the tiniest fraction of a peanut (mixed in liquid).  And I was scared.  Out.  Of.  My.  Mind.

But I was cool ;)   - probably not, but I was trying to be.  I was trying to be cool because Calista was a little nervous.  I'd spent her entire life telling her that peanuts were dangerous and then I let a nurse give her some (over and over for an entire day).

Wow.

In hindsight, she REALLY handled that well.

And now -- school is starting and I don't have to have that conversation with the teacher.  You know, the conversation where you tell them all about peanut allergy and how dangerous it is.  The conversation where you show them the Epinephrine and teach them how to use it and teach them the symptoms to watch for.  The conversation where you try not to scare the hell out of them while trying to make sure they realize that your child could die if they make a mistake.  The conversation that makes you think you really should've purchased a huge bubble and placed your child inside (just to keep her safe).  Yeah, that conversation.  And as you walk away, you add "And she needs a little help in math too"  - because the start of a school year has so much more to do with food allergy safety than anything else.



But I won't have that conversation this year.  Yes, she will have an Epi.  I'll tell the teacher about food allergies.  But my girl ate 24 whole peanuts on September 7, 2012 and has had 14 peanut M&Ms every single day since.

So back to school is actually about her education this year.  What an amazing concept :)


I am so very thankful to the entire team at Dallas Allergy Immunology.  OIT works.  It worked really well for us.  Some patients have bigger setbacks, but it is worth investigating.

For more information: http://dallasallergy.net/

410 days since our Day One

410 days ago, Calista and I sat in Dr. Wasserman's office in Dallas.  I tried not to freak completely as a nurse gave Callie poison.  Just the tiniest bit of poison.  But really, poison.  For 6 years, I'd done everything I could to avoid peanuts, tree nuts, peanut residue, etc.  And I actually sat in a doctor's office watching a nurse give my 6 year old POISON.  And I even paid them to do it.

Thank goodness, these thoughts really didn't enter my mind until the night before her first appointment.  If they had, I might not have been able to go through with it.

But it worked.  And we were blessed with very few stumbling blocks along the way.  Some of our other desensitization friends haven't been as lucky.  They have had updoses, had to backtrack, etc.

And now, 410 days later...Calista eats her 8 peanuts every evening.  And it is no big deal.  That's something that I still get goosebumps saying.  To go from "life-threatening allergy" with "no cure" and have to live a life where "strict avoidance" is required --- to eating 8 whole peanuts (or 14 peanut M&Ms) every single day, well I'd say that's pretty amazing.

It is also amazing that Calista can eat birthday cake.  It is also amazing that Calista can play softball and eat the team snack.  So many simple changes that I never imagined.

Bad, bad blogger!

I have been such a bad, bad, lazy blogger.  Well, the good news is that NOTHING exciting has happened in regards to OIT and desensitization.  Calista still eats her 8 whole peanuts every evening for maintenance.

She has also enjoyed a Snickers bar, Butterfinger bar and best of all -- BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES (not made by me).  She has been able to celebrate with friends like I never imagined.

We are very excited about her first real Trick-or-Treating experience EVER!

Graduation Day!

Tomorrow morning at 9:30 am (central time) -- y'all need to be praying for us and thinking about Calista and waiting to celebrate. Tomorrow morning, Cal will have a 24 peanut challenge in the doctor's office. She has been eating 12 peanuts twice a day (without problem) since August 24th.

Only 199 days ago, we met Dr. Wasserman. 175 days ago, we began desensitization. Tomorrow, she graduates.

The joy cannot be conveyed in words, so I'm including her first Baskin Robbins trip picture to give you an idea of how she feels.

She will be on "maintenance" and will eat 8 peanuts a day. I understand that she will be encouraged to add other peanut products to her diet (she has already requested a Snickers bar).

Her blood test showed a small cashew allergy, so we will have a cashew challenge in a month from now. That will open up the tree nut world...

I am so very thankful for all who we have supported, encouraged and cheered us on during this journey. I'm thrilled to have the chance to share the information. I hope all children have access to this treatment someday.

We interrupt regularly scheduled desensitization for a little life...

Well, we weren't able to make our "graduation" appointment on Friday.  Life happened to us.  Crazy enough, desensitization is the easiest, most "normal" part of our lives right now.  The delay has absolutely nothing to do with reactions or treatment -- no issues whatsoever.  She is happily eating her 12 peanuts each morning and 12 more each evening.  We are LOVING the freedoms this has given her.  We are hoping to get back to our "normal" appointment next week.


Continue to share our little blog and the happy news of desensitization!!

Frozen Yogurt

Needless to say...we are really enjoying the changes Calista has been able to make.  Some changes are yummier than others!

A little baseball, a little rain and mint chocolate chip.

My husband, my father-in-law and my girls enjoyed a major league baseball game yesterday.  Yes, there was a rain delay.  No, the Rangers did not come out on top.

But...Calista had mint chocolate chip ice cream!!  And that (as all you faithful readers know) is AMAZING! Even more amazing for me was the ability to let her go, to relax and know she would be safe.

Without Dr. Wasserman and Dallas Allergy Immunology, none of this would have happened.  Without a mom sharing her family's story and giving me the name of doctor, none of this would have happened.  Call this office.  Call another doctor.  Call someone.  Desensitization works.  It isn't easy.  Others have had many more setbacks than we experienced.  It is worth it.  It is worth the effort to make your child safer.  It is worth the time, the travel, the money to see your little girl enjoy an ice cream at a baseball game in a cute little baseball cap.



Again, I'm not a doctor.  I am a mom.  I am the self-appointed peanut police.  I knew nothing about peanut allergy until Calista's diagnosis.  After that point, I learned everything I could and shared the information with every person that would listen (and some who wouldn't).  My daughter is safer today than she was in March before she began desensitization.  Her life is forever changed.

Increase Day!

162 days after her Day One, we are waiting in the office for an increase to 12 peanuts twice a day. From the tiniest fraction of a peanut, to 24 each day in less than six months. Wow!

"Wow" seems like such a silly word and I know I've used it a thousand times in this blog and in conversations about desensitization. But I cannot convey the life changes we have experienced - I just can't find another word.

When Calista was diagnosed (before her first birthday), I wanted to buy a bubble and stick her inside. The allergist told us that her next exposure to peanuts could be life-threatening and complete avoidance of the allergen would be the only way to keep her safe. I really was afraid of everything. The more I read, the more worried I became. You learn about cross-contamination, the dangers of peanut residue on surfaces, the products that have peanut or are processed in a facility, and on and on. We have learned that nuts can be found in the most random things - seed packets, tomato paste, etc.

You learn to read labels, wipe surfaces, educate everyone around about EpiPens. You see the fear in a teacher's eyes when you try to explain this -- when you ask them to teach your child, care about your child, show them the right way to treat others and oh, keep a lookout on any food, treats, etc. and be ready to save her life (if another student's lunchbox contains a bomb).

Next week, we will visit Dallas Allergy for a 24 peanut challenge. After that, she will be on Maintenance. Maintenance will require her to eat eight peanuts a day. But, she will be free to eat as many additional peanut products as she wants.

That means playdates will be okay, ice cream shops will be okay, cupcakes at school will be okay.

Wow!

Putting it all in perspective.

70 months since Calista was diagnosed.

22 appointments at Dallas Allergy.

22 days of school & day camp missed.

22 days of work missed.

4,840 miles driven.

1 little girl's life changed forever.

155 days in

155 days ago, Calista and I arrived at Dr. Wasserman's office to begin her Day One of desensitization. Today, we will increase to 10 peanuts every 12 hours.

She started 1st grade yesterday. We didn't need a peanut free classroom. We don't need a peanut free table. We don't have to spend every second waiting for the phone call about her having a reaction. Now, the school secretary may get a nice response when she calls me :) I always worried and almost hit panic mode every time the school phone number showed on my phone.

I'm so thankful we found Dr. Wasserman. This treatment has changed our lives in so many ways!

Back on track and an exciting first!

Tomorrow, we visit Dr. Wasserman to get back on our regular increase schedule. We enjoyed our vacation, but it's time to get back to business. Calista should increase to eight whole peanuts tomorrow.

While we were on vacation, Calista had her first taste of gelato (and she enjoyed it so much that we make a second trip the next night). Calista was diagnosed as an infant, so she has never been to an ice cream shop. A joyous occasion for our entire family!!