RAPID desensitization Day #1

All the "to do" boxes checked and mentally prepared for a full-day of rapid desensitization we woke up to a morning where winter decided to finally show up in February! Shoveling was just another thing to deal with after having to quickly alter our plans for our older son who tested positive for Strep the day prior. (Luckily we had quarantined him in his room with lots of movies and our allergist said we could proceed if my allergy son felt healthy.) My "I'll do what you need me to" husband woke up early, picked up my mom and brought her over to stay with my oldest and shoveled the driveway all before I had my hair dry. I know he was happy to do it as I had taken the lead on all the preparing and packing for the day thus far. 

I baked chocolate sprinkle donuts the day prior to ensure my son would eat breakfast at 6:30 a.m., as he's a late riser and a non-breakfast eater by nature. He ate most of it with some fruit and then willingly got his boots on and we were out the door. 

After some goldfish and water during our snowy 45 minute drive, we arrived just on time at the allergist's office. Consent forms and a full consultation had already taken place a few weeks ago so they didn't mess around and we quickly got started. 

From 8:35 to 2:46 our little 4-year old patient consumed 21 doses of his life-threatening allergen. The first dose was 1/30,000th of a peanut or something crazy like that. And the last was just about 1/100th of a peanut. Every 15 minutes or so he would consume a liquid suspension of orange Tang or Kool-Aid, (I don't really know what they used) mixed with the peanut powder. 

Yes, we had prepared our son on what was going to happen that day. Yes, I bought new LEGOS, new books, and snuck away some Christmas toys when he wasn't looking and forgot what he had opened for this day. Yes, my husband put down his phone, took the day off work and played with his son. Yes, I baked muffins and packed lots of snacks. Yes, we lucked out with a decent night's sleep. But it doesn't matter what we did. Our 4-year-old pulled through like a champ. He sat up tall; opened his mouth and drank his doses; squished and swallowed water five times after each dose; had his lungs, oxygen and heart rate checked before every dose; and ate applesauce because his doctor said it was good for him even though he hates it. He pulled through in every way imaginable. To top it off, when we got home later he said, "It was fun playing at the doctor's office today." 

My heart was proud of my son and my heart was so happy we didn't experience any sort of reaction whatsoever during the process. I had heard mostly about mild reactions including itchy throat, tummy aches, vomiting, etc. But he kept saying, "I'm fine" and he was!

The long day did catch up to him though and he had some tears that evening. I ended up sleeping with him--which I never do--until about 2:00 a.m. just to make sure he was okay. But when he started kicking me and I was scrunched in the corner of his full-size bed I snuck out to my room. When he woke up, he didn't even remember we had a "slumber party."

I am hoping day #1 will be a blur eventually for us too.