It has been a slow couple of days around here, at least for A2 and I. We were scheduled to receive our allergy shots, LDA, yesterday. Something we both look forward to and for three days, A2 dreads. He doesn't always dread it, but this time was one of those times. For 24 hours before and 24 hours after getting this special allergy shot, we have to follow a very restricted diet.
A2 is allergic to about half of the foods on the list and refuses to eat the others. Think sweet potato with just sea salt, fish with just sea salt, celery chunks, lamb, ostrich. He ate them when he was little, but just is tired of it and has lost the taste for them. Neither he nor his sister will even eat sweet potato with brown sugar and marshmallows when they aren't on shot time. There was a company that made special tapioca bagels that he could eat during this time. I tried calling to order and the number was no longer any good. Looking up things on the internet yielded the same discontinued number. So the 14 year old growing boy sustained himself with glycerin water, one bite of buffalo burger(which he lost as a viable option last year by reacting to it during shots) and a couple of celery chunks. His 24 hours after is up in about 15 minutes and in his "starving" state this morning when he got out of bed, he figured out when he needed to start his rice so he could have some food. He didn't ask me to cook it for him, either, but started it all on his own. Poor baby, but in his defense, he is also going through a growth spurt and has been eating everything in the house, except the kitchen cabinets. He is also looking forward to some applesauce this afternoon as well.
I, on the other-hand, still have to wait until tomorrow to wait for my foray into regular non-allergic foods. Yes, believe it or not, I have a rice allergy and apple allergy. This makes for an interesting 3 weeks to come as my grains do not match his grains. It also makes me so very thankful for the availability of these allergy shots which allow us to eat what we want, go where we want and do things we want and need to, while they are working, without having any reactions. As a mom of 2 with allergies and allergies herself, cooking a rotation diet for 3 with no overlap in the rotations, would mean 12 different meals each day. This has been a life saver for me and for the kids too.
So while, I rest for 3 days, eating sweet potato, white potato(A2's very favorite thing in the world to eat-but allergic to), buffalo burgers, celery chunks and some cooked carrots; read books and watch netflix with A2. I will be thankful that at this time God has allowed us to be able to receive these shots that help us all so very much. He has also allowed us to be an encouragement to others just starting out on this path with their allergies. Being able to do that makes it all worth it.
A sister and brother were waiting yesterday as they had just received their first shot and they were in conversation with another young man who was being tested for allergies. They were all wondering about how well they worked and what was in store for them. We were able to let them know that the restrictions and prep they are going through are worth it. That in time getting ready for "shot time" will become routine and the diet will be old hat. The best part will be that they will feel better longer and longer between shots. Right now they have to start out at 8 weeks apart, A2 and I are at 9 months, A1 is shooting for 13-14 months this time around.
His time is up! Even now I hear humming coming from the couch next to me as the rice he cooked is being inhaled. Life moves on and he really didn't starve in the true sense, but for a growing boy, I'm know it sure felt like it. I have all kinds of fun things for him to eat the next 3 weeks. I hope I have enough as he is growing, again. I think I'll go make a potato, probably a sweet one. I just don't think it is very nice to the kids to eat their favorite things in front of them when they can't have it. The rest of the family isn't starving or deprived either. Typically, whoever isn't on "shot time" gets to go out with Andy for supper one night. Enjoy your meals for the next few weeks. We will be, just different ones than normal.
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