Allergies - Smallergies

I spent 3 hours in a doctor's office in Idaho Falls yesterday morning being pricked with needles on my back to find out the things that I am allergic to. When we left San Jose my allergist told me that he thought I would have a couple of years that would be okay and then my old patterns would emerge again. Well he turned out to be right and I have been progressively worse until finally my family doc gave me the referral to the specialist.

For anyone who has not gone through the torture let me describe - 50 or 60 little needles prick the skin on your back and then the nurse waits 20 minutes to see which ones make red welts. I could feel my back getting hot, stingy, and itchy. She marked which ones were positive and then used another round of allergens (the solution 10 times stronger this time) on my left upper arm (another 30 or so) so make sure which would be positive so the correct recipe of serum would be mixed for me. I looked over to see little drips of blood on my arm where she had stuck the needles in. They got hot, stingy, and itchy too.

The good news - I am not allergic to any foods or molds. The bad news - I am allergic to Southeastern Idaho. Basically everything that grows (weeds, trees (very allergic to the many aspens in our yard), grass, animals, etc). I started my injections yesterday and will make the trip up to the hospital 3 times a week for a shot for the summer to build up to maintenance. I am on an antibiotic and a steroid for a sinus infection that was just beginning. The goal is to be antihistamine free by fall - Yes!