Allergies a la Anna

For a number of reasons, we didn't seem to notice that Anna had such substantial seasonal allergies until this past spring, summer, and oh-my-word fall.  So since then, I have been meaning to get Anna to the allergist and have him pin down exactly what her allergens were and how best to manage them.  Today ended up being the day we did that.  I loaded up Noah and Anna and we braved the below freezing weather to drive across town in a wintry mix to see Dr. Babe yet again.  It really threw Noah off to be there for Anna and not himself for a change.  That place has been a second home to him for years now.

Anna was loving being the center of allergic attention.  She takes her allergies VERY seriously. :}  How can she not with such an allergic older brother?  And how is it possible that she is so cute even in yellow light and a hospital gown?!

And how is it possible that she is even cuter from behind with alien-looking markings all over her back?  This was just after they administered the skin test.

By minute 20, Anna was itchy and ready for it to be done.  Spread across the top was proof that every single tree around here hates her, as do a number of grasses and weeds.

Just for good measure, we went ahead and had her tested for mold, dust mites, dog, cat, and a couple other weeds.  This test was like a TB test ... had to be done by skin prick.  Anna screamed enough to frighten every person within earshot.  She screamed enough to earn a toy from Mrs. Tracy in apology for her drama-inducing needles. :)  Mercifully, she had no reaction to any of these.

Would you like to know what all my love is allergic to? I had to have them print it out for me lest I forget it all - Oak, elm, maple, hickory/pecan, birch, ash, cottonwood, pine, walnut, mulberry, sycamore, red cedar, hackberry, and any of another 8 common eastern-trees mix.  In the grass department - alfalfa, red clover, and any of a common 7 grasses mix from around here.  Oh, and a weed by the name of English Plantain.

Uh huh.  Well then.  We have a whole regimen of seasonal allergy/steroid meds for Noah on any given day, why not just throw Anna in the line-up?  Ha!

For the medicinal record, she will continue with Allegra and Benedryl as needed and will start taking Flonase.  If that doesn't help much, we will add in Singulair.  Both of these we are familiar with already.  And if we see after this year that it IS going to take a steady dose of 3+ allergy meds, we'll likely sign the girl up for allergy shots herself as the allergist suggested.  That thought alone exhausts me after the almost 5 years we already have in the books with Noah, but what can ya do?

Life.   Just thankful that there are meds and treatments left in our arsenal of ideas.  Welcome officially to the allergy community, Anna!