Fair Warning: This is continued from a previous topic, see Bumper Sticker Moms and Food Allergy Fun, Part 1 for the beginning.
So we did go and get that blood test on Peanuts, right before we left on our 10-day road trip to Texas for Aunt 'Ria's wedding. Figured it'd be nice to know, right? Also on it was the Celiac's panel, and just for shits and twiddles, a test for type of histamine over-reaction type thing.
I went crazy for a few days researching, preparing, separating and marking RJ's food. Here's pictures of my insanity:
The full spread of packed snacks for everyone else. Fruit mixed in with the carby-kid treats that we usually don't buy, like Cheetos, BBQ Chips and Peanut-Butter TastyKakes.
RJ's peanut and tree-nut and gluten-free food is in a separate large lunch tote, in baggies marked with big Sharpie X's. I feel like an idiot doing this, but if I'm gonna do it, better do it right. I shop that crazy aisle in the store and try to match up the "look" of the snacks with stuff his sibs are getting so he doesn't feel left out.
We started out on a Sunday morning, 2 bottles of Benadryl and 2 Epi-Pens along for the ride.
RJ wouldn't eat. He barely drank anything. He throws every snack offer on the floor. Was he just pissed because he wasn't used to the foods that were gluten and nut free?
He fussed a bit, and we thought - wow, this is going to totally suck major ass if he cries like this for the whole trip.
But he didn't.
The DVD player that came with the car, that we didn't want but knew would be FANTASMIC on long road trips, was a lifesaver for the little guys. Big kids can totally do without movies on the road, even for hours (although you wouldn't think so based on all the moms who pop a movie in for EVERY car ride...). They can read, do crossword puzzle books, sing songs, listen to music, etc, etc, etc. But kids under 5 have a much tougher time, a lot in part to due with the fact that they are stuck in one position in their seat. So, yeah, animated Disney movies especially, are super great for keeping the car quiet and parents functional on long car trips.
We spent our first two nights in Sapphire, NC at a Wyndham Vacation Resort (finally using those racked up points!) that offered Gem Mining on site (see... science... who needs school?)
It had it's own ski hill and lift. We didn't ski. We didn't bring clothes for that. We were trying to get AWAY from the snow. We hit the indoor pool instead and Rog and I took turns relaxing in the hot tub.
Later that day, I accidentally ate one of those TastyKake peanut butter cakes that I just KNEW were going to be a problem (meaning I knew I couldn't NOT eat one), so when RJ got up to nurse in the middle of the night, I was ready for it. Low and behold, he turned red, got benadryl and still yakked all over the place. Throwing up directly after coming in contact with the offensive item. He throws up only his last intake when this happens, so other chunks, no previous stomach contents, and has no diarrhea. Just like before. Totally fits with the PB thing, right? Making sense for a PB allergy, except that he tested negative.
Day 3 we headed further south into Georgia. Not until we crossed the state line did we actually see grass. It took 11 whole hours south to get away from the snow. This was an exciting day as we were meeting Aunt Heidi and cousin Brayden at Legoland:
and then going back to Aunt Heather and Uncle Jim's house to stay over with another cousin, Jackson. Legoland was small, but fun for Lego-lovers. We built and raced cars, played in giant Legos, and big kids attended a workshop on how to make the SuperBrick. My stepsister Heather made an awesome dinner for everyone and Chase and Indigo went to have a sleepover at Brayden's house.
We woke up and prepared for a day at the Aquarium with Aunts Heidi and Connie, Tia (also known as Aunt Chelsea) and Brayden. Atlanta has a HUGE aquarium with lots of cool and even rare sea animals.
We watched the dolphin show which was a major hit with all of us. After hours of fun there, the Atlanta locals split off and us Northerners went to visit the Coca-Cola Factory, something I remember doing from my childhood. It was, of course, totally redone from 18 years ago, but very cool and interesting. The tasting room was everyone's favorite part, except Riley, who had no self-regulation, as seen below with a yucky-feeling belly.
Day 5 we woke up and learned that 3 of the people we had been in contact with the day prior were sick - some sort of stomach flu it seemed. We didn't know if they got it from us (although none of us were sick yet) or if we were in imminent danger of the yak-attack. We said good-bye and thank you and headed on our way - off to New Orleans, a place even I had never been to.
Somewhere in Alabama, Riley decides her belly doesn't feel well. We put a towel on her lap and keep going. 7 hours from Atlanta to New Orleans. Flat roads and sunshine.
Riley makes it to right about the state line from Alabama to Louisiana and throws up chunks (including the gummy sharks from the Aquarium gift shop - seriously, those things NEVER digest) all over the towel, her shoes, the car floor and a few board books. Pull over, clean up, get moving. She yells again shortly after and we squeeze into the Louisiana welcome center. She and I run, and she barfs in front of the welcome center door. It's bright green. I consider taking a picture for my sis-in-law who loves bright green, but I decide against it as we're out of time. She barfs a few more times on the way to the bathroom. We clean up, she says she feels better, and we even manage to snap a picture of all of us with a statue of the state of LA. Riley's smiling pretty good for just involuntarily giving up her $3.79 gummy sharks.
An hour from N'Orleans, Indigo is lying down... and turning shades of green.
Well guess what, folks? We'll be ordering in tonight. No sight-seeing in N'Orleans for this carload. The girls spend their evening yakking, sometimes at the same time. Thank goodness we are staying at another Wyndham resort in a two-bedroom, two bath unit. We order the works from the place recommended for authenticity by the front desk crew, since we won't spend any money seeing the town. Alligator sausage, Fried Catfish Po-Boy, rice and beans, jambalaya, etc.
Seriously, the place was gorgeous.
The girls obviously don't eat, somehow I manage to enjoy my meal in between jumping up to hold little girls' hair over the can. New Orleans looks pretty cool from out the window... and it's 78 degrees.
Riley's belly is empty by bedtime.
I put together the Kid Bags to keep the kiddos busy at Aunt Ria's wedding, which is in two days. It was easier to pack the ingredients separately rather than the completed bags, that's why I did it a few days in.
I'm whooped. Hard to go to sleep wondering if the barfers are really done. Indy pukes for the last time at 2:20AM. She knows it, she says, "I think I'm actually done. There's nothing left."
5:20 AM Chase comes stumbling in my room holding his stomach and moaning.
Fan-friggin-tastic.
I give him dramamine... not sure if it will work, but worth a shot. He suffers the car ride to Texas (6 hours) feeling crappy, but never barfs.
Somewhere mid-drive, I got a call from the allergist. RJ's blood work is NEGATIVE for peanuts (WTF??) and the labs are NEGATIVE for gluten, bacteria, etc, etc - basically anything that could be making him have chronic diarrhea. So we've got nothing, except that sometimes he reacts. To food. And turns all red. And benadryl makes it better. So SOMETHING is going on. She mentions how confusing this all is. (Honestly, I don't appreciate the thinking-out-loud from my doctor. If you're confused, can you please keep that to yourself? I'd like to have a little confidence in your opinion.) All she can come up with is that he might still be allergic to peanuts, even though the testing shows otherwise. She changes my follow-up appt to a peanut challenge. The receptionist then hops on the phone to tell me that my appt will now take HOURS. Great. Because my last appt there with him went SO WELL.
We arrive in the Lonestar State at last. I text Pat, mother-of-the-bride, and say we're in town but we're not coming near anyone lest we spread the nasties around.
But we suck at timing, and we run into everyone (I mean, EVERYONE) at the hotel anyway as we check-in, and rudely run away from hugs and smooches.
Saturday morning, day of the wedding, guess who doesn't feel well... ME. I take dramamine, and feel like a major loop-head all day as we check out the Gulf of Mexico and see some things around town..... like oil factories. It helps tho with the barfy feeling, and thankfully wears off just as we're getting dressed up for the main event.
We go, the wedding is lovely. It's pleasant and simple, and beautiful, which is a perfect reflection of Maria. Jacob is a sweetheart too, they sing to each other during the ceremony and it's really cute. Somehow Roger keeps RJ mostly quiet. Head out to the reception. As I hand out the kid-bags (just bags full of crafts to keep kids busy at weddings) that Maria asked me to put together, the girls I talk to are saying, "Yes, M'am" and "No, M'am".... wow... yeah... I remember this from traveling in the deep south when I was a child. I mean, my kids are pretty well-behaved, but I gotta get me some of that!!
An hour into the reception, RJ, who's choosing not to eat again (and BTW he's now so skinny that I've made a doctor appt the day after we get back JUST so I can get him weighed on the same scale as before we left) throws green beans on the floor and sticks ONE small piece of pasta in his mouth.
After eating the pasta, Aunt 'Ria comes over to say hi. "Why is he red?," she says. Urrgh. I peer into the dark room to see, and yep, he's red. 30 seconds later he's screaming. Rog picks him up to try to console him, and he barfs liquid all down the front of both of them. It's dark enough that no ones else sees, and we run to the bathroom to clean up. We leave the big kids with family and ski-daddle the heck on out of there. We did get to eat cupcakes, cuz we did that first (awesome!) and dinner (beef, mashed potatoes, green beans... double awesome). AND - they had some craft beer there. Pretty much triple awesome on the food and drink.
We leave Sunday morning, heading out for our longest drive - 15.5 hours to Seviersville, TN, to another Wyndham. We really did pretty awesome with our points useage this year! Here's what quiet looks like:
We picked THIS Wyndham due to the awesome fact that it's connected to the Wilderness resort, which has it's own indoor WaterPark. Wyndham guests get a wristband and free admission.
Waterpark was a BLAST. We rocked it all day.
Indy on the ropes course outside of the waterpark.
We order the special from the deli on our walk back to our room, a 42 oz hot fudge brownie sundae. Skip the nuts, please. We don't really remember why RJ was so mad about ice cream, but he was.
The advantages of waterparks are immense.
Next day, sad to leave the waterpark but knowing we will definitely be back someday, we head out for a 10 hour trip home. RJ is eating a tad bit better, but just a tad. We haven't had hives since the wedding 2 days prior.
RJ's weight check appt is early the day after we get home, and his peanut challenge is scheduled 7 days out. I still think a challenge is silly based on his results, not to mention a waste of my time. I'm considering just feeding him a peanut while sitting in the hospital parking lot with my Epi-Pen. Doctors everywhere probably hate my rebel attitude.
To be continued...
Look for Food Allergy Fun, Part 3
