All aboard and focussed obsessively on getting off in France and not Belgium #winning
almond and pistachio, you say?
October half term seemed like a good time to visit Lille for two new nut challenges: almond and pistachio. Almond and pistachio, you say? A second and third nut, you say?
HELL YES!!!
It would be a lie to say I wasn't very excited and VERY NERVOUS about this! OIT for more than just peanuts? The very idea made me feel like I was (nervously and) Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before. Yes, yes I know I'm hardly the first - but I was still ridiculously excited. And nervous. Did I mention nervous?
OIT for more than just peanuts? The very idea made me feel like I was Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before.
our second clinic day
And so, 25th October 2021 we rocked up to Lille for our second clinic day: this time, an almond challenge. One of her smaller skin prick swellings, it was anticipated and hoped that this nut could be excluded from her list of allergens. And so we began the same way as before.
step one - cannula
(It turns out Abi loves the gas option for this step more than the numbing cream. Hmm...)
step two - specialist
A chat with the lovely Dr Pelletier de Chambure to learn about her expectations for today, and also to discuss our second day which was booked for later in the week. (Pistachio day! Still nervous-slash-excited!)
step three - more skin prick tests
This time the reactions were a little smaller; some were significantly smaller which blew my mind. "Possibly because of the OIT," I heard.
Some reactions seemed a little diminished
step four - doses
This time we seemed to speed through the doses, with Abi suffering zero symptoms at each level. By 1.30pm we had completed all nine levels and it was time for the hospital lunch!
step five - review
Dr Pelletier confirmed the good news to us - almonds were to be introduced into Abi's diet. Proactively in fact, as this could have a positive influence on her other allergies. Frankly, it felt like we had been blessed with some kind of miracle. Utter music to my ears. I left feeling tired, hopeful... and frankly a little bit dazed.
keep going!
And so now to focus on our third clinic day - Thursday, in three days' time. Pistachio Day - a biggie like peanut. Deep breaths, Josephine. It's going to be fine.
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