Samuel's Allergies According to our New Doctor

I've shared before about our ongoing struggles with Samuel and his allergies.  Last week, we went to meet our new allergist now that we've moved, and we weren't really sure what to expect.

Even though it is always good to get a second opinion on things, sometimes it's hard to know who is right! 

We like our new allergist (who happened to be the asthma/allergy doctor David's sister had when she was young).  He is very kind and clearly knowledgeable on things, but between doctor to doctor, everyone just does things a little differently.

Since Samuel tested positive for 13 of his 18 "scratch" tests two years ago, the doctor thought it would be good to re-evaluate and do many of those same tests again.  I think it's safe to say the news wasn't "good" or "bad", but basically confirmed a lot of things we already knew.
Peanuts still registered positive, though Samuel has yet to show any sign of a direct reaction to eating peanuts.  It seems weird, but we're not taking any chances.

I had pinpointed the pesto reaction he had a few weeks ago not to pine nuts but to cashews, and sure enough, that was his most violent reaction when we tested him.

Dogs, grasses, and trees no longer registered as severe reactions, if at all, but dust mites were right up there with cashews. 

Samuel is not old enough or severe enough right now to be classified as having asthma.  We will likely test for that at some point in the future but for now are supposed to use the words, "bronchiolitis" and "rhinitis" (which I guess are fancy terms indicating that he sometimes has trouble breathing and something to do with his nose??).

The conclusion from the doctor was that Samuel is a "highly allergic child" who may grow out of some but will likely develop new allergies as he grows older.  That means we'll always carry epi pens, inhalers, Benadryl, and prednisone with us and must monitor him carefully for a reaction.

But then again, we know two things.  First, God not only already knows our allergy struggles, but He created Samuel to be this way.  We will continue to trust that He has a plan for us all through it.  And second, Samuel just gets older and more aware of his situation with each day.  It is comforting to know that he is finally able to vocalize an oncoming attack and he keeps track of his backpack that contains all his rescue meds.

We are thankful to have a doctor in the area and for modern medicine!

Everyone Has a Mom

I've been really challenged lately to take a second look at the meaning of today, "Mother's Day". As I sit on the couch eating ice cream and watching Bob the Builder, celebrating the day by enjoying my three children to the max, I feel completely, humbly blessed.

It seems like God has just brought all sorts of reminders across my path recently that have begged for this second look, this extra thought, regarding a day that many people see as joyous.  I never realized how many don't. 

So, to all of you . . .

To the moms with toddlers who make you want to pull out your hair,
To the moms with high schoolers who make you want to pull out your hair,
To the moms whose children have left the nest, recently or long ago,
To the single moms who are barely making it through each day,
To the single dads who are in the role of both parents,
To the girls who desire to be married and have children one day but have not yet been given the opportunity,
To the men and women who have recently lost their moms,
To the moms who have tried and tried, but are unable to have a baby,
To the moms who are celebrating a first mother's day with a baby or who are expecting,
To the moms who are waiting on a phone call for an adoption,
and to everyone who has a mom,

Happy Mother's Day!