Allergist

Yesterday Belinda went to the allergist! This is Dr. U.G. and it was the first time she saw him. Everyone in the clinic was super nice. Dr. U.G. discussed her diagnoses with us and then ordered several tests. Then we went to the DLO place for a blood draw and a urine test. They also gave us some stuff to do a 24 hour urine catch, which I’d never heard of before. We are waiting until Monday since she will be home all that day. We have to keep it in the refrigerator(!!!) all(!!!) day!!!! I don’t know how I feel about that. My eyes are being opened to all kinds of new things.

He told her to stop taking the antihistamines for now, and in two weeks she will come back in for the actual allergy testing.

After the appointment and DLO testing, which was in Edmond, we took the Interstate north and went to Enid that way. She had a proctored test for Spanish at Northwestern that afternoon.

She said she was going to do schoolwork, but instead she fell asleep and slept for fourteen hours straight. I am so glad! Since she started working at the coffee shop she hasn’t gotten as much sleep as usual. She said that she estimated she had gotten about 25 hours of sleep in the last five days. It’s taking a toll on her too, she’s overwhelmed by even little things right now. I need to remember to treat her with kid gloves.

Ben still hasn’t found a job. It’s so difficult because he can’t even take a small job in the meantime, or Belinda might lose her Soonercare insurance. I know it’s his neurodivergence that makes it hard for him to really go after it with everything he’s got. He has a hard time with rejection, and putting yourself out there like this takes rejection.

Sarah is living with us now, through the end of the school year. I am so glad she is here.

Allergy Testing Scheduled!

Finally! After going through hoops for months, Belinda’s allergy testing has been scheduled for March 13 at a clinic in Edmond that specializes in allergies in people with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. This is one more thing we need to get taken care of so everything is checked off medically before she starts college in Alva in the fall. She’ll also be 18 then, and so she will have to handle more of her medical care as an adult. I will miss having healthcare professionals talk to me without hesitation, since she’s still 17. If we had discovered her issues after August, it would have been so much harder. I thank God that she was diagnosed when she was!

After that, she will go back to the internist in Tulsa on April 17.

It’s hard to believe she will graduate in May. I need to get senior pictures scheduled and start thinking about graduation announcements.

I just realized that her entire high school career has included us dealing with rare disease health care. I pray that her college experience goes smoothly and that the diseases don’t keep her from meeting her goals!