Just Call Me "Queen Itchy"

This morning I went for my scratch test with the allergist. They did the test on my back...43 pricks with 43 different allergens. Almost immediately I began getting itchy. I had to wait 15 minutes before moving to allow any reaction to occur that was going to. Oh my goodness...that was the loooongest 15 minutes of my life! I was so stinkin' itchy and irritated and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I was stuck in the small room with nobody else around...not even a TV (I may offer a humble suggestion to put a TV in the room for distraction purposes). I tapped my fingers, bounced my feet, sang quietly to myself, and ultimately consciously counted each chew of my gum. Finally the nurse came back in and as soon as she opened the door her eyes got big and she said, "whoa!". I was sooooo allergic!! Once she documented the results she told me that I reacted to everything except maybe four or five allergens, and most of the those reactions were a "4" on a level of 1-4, with 4 being the highest. She was kind enough to apply calamine lotion and give me a strong anti-histimine to take home. They'll be calling me soon to set up my first shot visit. I don't know yet how often I'll have to go, or how may shots each time, but I'm sure happy to be on my way to a better quality of life.

I had planned to run errands after my appointment since I was without the children, but no way! I raced home to jump in the shower and grab my Benadryl itch-stopping cream. Once I got home I checked out my back, which I had not yet seen, and was pretty disgusted with what looked like a checkerboard of huge hives. I invited my husband to join my pity-party and he certainly did. :)

I'm much better now, especially psychologically. A few people who will read this may remember the craziness I went through in May, June, and July as my allergies began manifesting themselves through my skin. I seriously thought I had scabies and I was completely grossed out. I visited the regular doctor many times and even made them give me the medication to treat scabies. I know so much about that particular condition now because I would research it constantly on the internet...which made the power of suggestion even worse. I would feel so guilty every Sunday holding the babies in the church nursery thinking I would be passing on an infectious condition that would make their little lives miserable. I would turn my house upside down vacuuming and washing tons and tons of laundry. It totally consumed me. Yet I never got a diagnosis for any such thing. Finally I asked for a blood test which came back positive for so many allergens. Still, I thought I had some gross condition that made me itch fiercely from head to toe. I think I am now completely convinced I don't have any gross condition. :) I have a back full of allergic reactions to prove it!