Adventures in Allergy Land

We got our allergy test results back and the doc who was reading the list said, you might need to grab a pen. I just held back a laugh...I know the list. I have it memorized. I've been scanning packages for years for main ingredients and hidden ones too, I'm sort of a pro at that now.

SIGH.

We still have all the allergies. AND we now know they are ALL considered SEVERE and that she is having anaphlyactic reactions and that her reactions could and might get worse each time and that it is POSSIBLE one of these times they could be life threatening. So I am now the proud owner of the Epipenjr. and am carrying it and Benadryl in my purse at all times. No exceptions.

He was kind (this wasn't our allergist, but another doc at the same office), and I am grateful we know and thankful that there is nothing new food-wise (we found out about a cat and dog allergy) but I must admit I fell to the ground after I hung up from talking to him. I thought the best route was to just be thankful. It was a painful, gut-wrenching, why this, kind of thankful. I am sort of numb in the midst of it. I think of it as a not great thing that is in our life, but that is for our betterment spiritually and so it is something God has given me to be thankful for today. I often think of Job. How little I have to complain about...and how even though he suffered and hated every minute of it, yet he loved His God and was thankful for God's Will.

As we move toward Thanksgiving this month I pray I can deepen my thankfulness for the "not-so-pretty" things in my life. Food allergies are definitely on that list. I'm not so lovely as I panic when my son takes off running after lunch or I'm even ugly when I see a strange child run at my daughter and grab her arm with the possibility of a terrible rash or a night of wheezing looming in my daughter's future. I think these not so wonderful moments are when I most experience God's love. I know He loves me in the dirty, dusty, grimy and even ugly parts of my day and I'm assured that it is in these darker moments that He is giving me more grace than I may even realize. I'm certain it is His love and grace that keeps me from spontaneously combusting after being out in public or anywhere that people eat, or go after eating; which is mostly anywhere.