Level 10.5

 I can't believe we are here! Carter's peanut trial has just become part of every day life. Each morning, I measure out the exact amount of peanut butter for him to get he takes it with breakfast.  We have been on level 9 for almost a year and a half! 

Wednesday afternoon was his level up appointment where he skipped level 10 and went straight to a peanut butter M&M! This felt crazy! For reference.. we were just doing level 9...

His appointment was at 2:30pm. He can't have been sick in the last two weeks, no vaccinations recently, no stuffy nose or cough, no rashes on his body and cant have taken any antihistamines in the last 4 days. Basically we try to keep him bubble wrapped leading up to this appointment. These appointments are booked months in advance so if we have to cancel for any of those reasons, it gets delayed a lot. In fact, this March appointment was actually a cancellation from another patient. We got lucky. 

We were asked to bring in the peanut M&M's and to make sure our epi-pens were not expired. I bought two new ones this week for this appointment. We were both nervous. 

First, they did his vitals and skin allergy test. His heart rate was elevated in his vitals but we all figured it was because he was nervous to eat this much peanut butter. It was a big jump. 

His arm definitely had a reaction too. From top to bottom.. 1st hive is the histamine. This one will be a hive no matter what. It just shows that his body is working as it should. Next dot is the negative control, we just ignore this one. 3rd hive is from peanut oil... definitely a reaction. 4th hive is from physical peanut butter, also a reaction. 

So, although he's showing signs of allergies to peanuts still, his anaphylactic is less and less and gives us hope that his body will eventually be ok with peanuts in any amount.  Fingers crossed. 

It was a mind over matter situation for Carter taking this M&M but he trusted that he was in good hands, which he was, if a reaction happened. 

He ate it and we waited! 

His tongue felt a little swollen at first but subsided within a half an hour and the doctor said that was normal and still in the safe zone. I tried not to panic while sitting across from this sign and eying his epi-pen going over and over in mind of how to use it, just incase, even though we were obviously in a medical office with 100 people who would take care of Carter if anything went sideways. 

Everything went great. After 30 minutes they re-checked his vitals and they were looking even better than before! He crushed it. I am so proud of Carter for conquering another level, another trial and getting one step closer to peanut freedom for the rest of his life! You're amazing bud, keep it up!