Of Brazilnuts and cat dander... (a status report)

[Baakay]

I've lost track of who all I'm supposed to update with this, so I'll just be a forum-hog and post a little report here.

A number of you were treated to my wet-blanket appearance on the Rubberslug chat site last Thursday night, as the Spouzal Unit took the elder of our two Things, Elizabeth, to the emergency room with anaphalactic shock. (Which I'm sure I just misspelled. Oh well.) She had been snacking on some mixed nuts and suddenly got a really frightening reaction.

This was the second time we've come within a hair of losing the twerp to a sudden and totally unexpected medical event. She can stop doing this any time now.

The update is that after today's trip to the specialist we have a Prime Suspect... a Smoking Gun, if you will. Brazilnuts. What's interesting is that both Nate and I had zeroed in on the fact that she hadn't eaten Brazilnuts before, whereas the cashews, pecans and peanuts in the bag are practically staple foods around here.

She does appear to have at least sensitivity to peanuts and almonds, but the specialist said not to freak over that until we do some blood work.

That's the good news... as Kymaera put it, "without cashews and pecans, life is just not worth living."

The bad news is that she's also allergic to cats. We have three, and darnit all, they have squatters rights and seniority here. There's no way in a million years we're getting rid of the fuzzes. In awhile, it's inevitable that we'll be down to just one, and we won't replace the others when they expire, but dang!

On the other hand, I'm probably allergic too. I'll suffer. My sister's the same way. The Nose that Ran. But the fuzzies stay. ("You're allergic to cat dander." "Tough." )

He did say that ridding our upstairs of the hated flooring -- the Carpet Formerly Known as Beige -- would probably do as much for our allergies as anything else. So YAY!! We now have a Really Good Excuse to do what we'd been planning last year, Shellie!

What expensive kids...

[Cloud]

Where did you last see track of who all he or she is supposed to update with this so he or she will just be a forum-hog and post a little report here.

[kittens]

WOW! What a scarely thing! I have also food allergy (crab) and I went to so many time emergency room So I usually have benedrill (you can use it for quick treatment) anywhere I go.....

I hope she is ok.... (and I used to be (I might be still.... ) allergic to cats as well.... But I did not care even though I got rush all over They are sooooooooooooooooooooo cute Eventually I got used it ::P)

[glorff]

Perhaps you could build a cat house

Glad you are getting this figured out! OUT DAMN CARPET Those HEPA filtered vacuum cleaners are supposedly really helpful too. I am sure you can work it all out

[shellie]

I'm SO glad you were able to narrow down the possible suspects to just a few, Kay. It would have been much worse to have been given the diagnosis, "heck if I know!" I personally believe that life is BETTER without Brazilnuts (they're so yucky!!), and a box of Claratin and Kleenex from WalMart will help out with the rest of the symptoms.

I don't know what it is about cat dander that is so hard on people, but it surely is. My mom and brother's allergies are bothered by many animals, but cats = death for both of them. There are ways to minimize the effects though... if your doctor didn't already give you a million of them, pm me and I'll share a handful.

The next necessary step, and I know this will be painful for you, but it's for the best, is to GET RID OF THE CARPET! heeheehee! Let me know how you like the hardwood!!

So glad that EJ is feeling better.

P.S. You almost killed me with this line: "the Carpet Formerly Known as Beige"

[animeobsessed]

Sounds like quite the scare that ended up alright. At least you know what it is now and isn't one of those food items that is hard to stay away from.

Plus a little remodeling is always a "fun" thing. Great when it's done. lol

[Cloud]

Little as in not too much, or not too big? Thanks for your support. That makes a lot of sense to me, now that you explain it.

[aernath]

What expensive kids...

Perhaps you could build a cat house

But seriously, glad to hear EJ is doing well, and yeah, the Fillberts are always the last to get eaten anyway. And the carpet GOES!!!

Now you can settle down and worry about the really important stuff, like what to do with all the money you'll generate from the cathouse.

[Cloud]

[JWR]

Perhaps you could build a cat house

"How much for the little girl!" John Belushi in the Blues brothers.

Ok Brazil nuts are one things, but given the choice between Kids & Cats....
Oh Well one can always have more kids
"I'm afraid I have no choice but to sell you all for scientific experiments!" Monty Python The Meaning of Life.

And now you must pull up the "at one time beige" carpet , The shame.... Don't you realize who much work your poor cats put in to get it the proper shade of Cat Vomit.
Some people just do not appreciate art.

[Lynxa]

Wow! Thank goodness she's okay!!! How scary!!!

At least you have a good excuse to remodel Let me know how that cathouse thing works out for ya....

*wanders off giggling while visions of Baakay greeting gentlemen callers in a loooong silk gown, boa, and cigarette holder dance through her head*

[Baakay]

*wanders off giggling while visions of Baakay greeting gentlemen callers in a loooong silk gown, boa, and cigarette holder dance through her head*

You do mean nightmares, right?

Been there, done that... well, not the boa or cigarette holder, but I was a hostess/supervisor at a nice restaurant one summer and, as such, had to wear evening gowns. Ahhh, what a bizarre life. I loved doing that until such time as one of the patrons came up to me and dropped an after-dinner mint down the front of the (rather low-cut) dress.

(I am not making this up).


I probably should have mentioned that the positives E had to cat and dog dander, peanuts, and almonds were all very mild and, in fact, might well be false positives, according to the doctor. I think it's really much more likely that this horrifically dusty house has more to do with our respective respiratory ailments than the kitties do. This is where the carpet removal will come in Really Handy.

Plus it'll have to happen WITHIN our lifetimes, now, as opposed to that great abstraction, "one of these days."

[tex-chan]

Oh my ... reading your initial post, I was just terrified, Baakay! I can't even imagine how you felt at having to go through this. I am so thankful that your Kiddo The Eldest was OK!

I can really empathize with your cat dilemma, too. I have a horrible allergy to cats. When I was tested, my reaction to cat dander was so bad that my allergist told me I should never, ever have a cat. Not even an outdoor one. I didn't bother telling him that I had had outdoor cats practically my entire life. At the time, I didn't have a cat, and had no plans to acquire one, so it seemed reasonable enough for me to agree with his "prescription". Then ... a few weeks later, I got adopted by my current feline fuzzy. After that, at each visit, my allergist would say: "You still don't have a cat, right? Right?" To which I would reply: "Right."

...

Well, it wasn't really a lie. I didn't have the cat. She had me. (And still does. She is warming my feet under the desk even as I type.) Eh ... the constant sinus headache is worth it. She's great company, and I love the silly monster. Plus, she adores my daughter. A cat who loves a two-year-old ... now, those are rare!

Good luck with your carpet removal/replacemet project. I'll be interested in hearing how it goes. Along with cats, I'm allergic to just about everything else in the world, including dust. (Oh joy! ) So, I have this dream of doing something similar in my house --- replacing all the carpet on the upper floors with some type of wooden flooring. I've already done the second floor, but the third floor and stairs are more of a challenge --- lots more furniture to shuffle around during the re-flooring process. Still ... I really want to do it, and think it would help my allergies a lot.

Anyhow ... sorry for the super long post! I'm just so happy to hear your daughter is okay! I'm so sorry you had to go through that experience! *sends extra hugs* ... *and hugs for the kitties, too*

[klet]

That's the good news... as Kymaera put it, "without cashews and pecans, life is just not worth living."

How very true . . . I say as my roommate makes a meal of cashews, yogurt, and hot cocoa.

She would like to add chocolate to kymaera's wondrous list.



Anyway, I'm glad to hear that Thing the Elder is alright. That little story reminds me of all the trips my mother made to the emergency room when my little brother would have severe asthma attacks. It got to the point where the insurance company just gave us the money to get a breathing machine for the house. Then there were all the various trips for stitches . . . *strokes right cheek*

Kids were put on this earth to cost their parents money.

[Baakay]

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that Thing the Elder is alright. That little story reminds me of all the trips my mother made to the emergency room when my little brother would have severe asthma attacks. It got to the point where the insurance company just gave us the money to get a breathing machine for the house.

It probably puts the whole thing in even better focus if I say we've had one of those in the house for about 4 years now. Most of the time now it just sits around waiting, but when you need one, you need one.

Yep, Thing the Elder is back to her own surly, cranky, sarcastic pre-teen angsty self. Little witch Good thing she's cute!