Mom, she's poking me!

My highly-anticipated visit to the allergist is now over. The past couple of years I've suffered through a couple really rough weeks of allergies in the Spring, along with usually feeling a little miserable when I'm outside a lot in the summer (like camping). When I described this to the doctor before we did the testing, she said I probably had some grass pollen allergies. 

So, the testing began. Thirty pokes in the back with different things to see what you react to. Immediately, my back started itching. The doctor came back in about 10 minutes later and was really surprised at the results. My back was lighting up like a Christmas tree with much redness and many large welts.

There were a couple things I didn't react to, so for those they do an additional test by injecting some of the chemical under the skin on your forearm. Two of those four also became very itchy with large welts and redness.

As it turns out, I am really allergic to grass pollen, but am also allergic to tree pollen, dust mites, mold, and cats.

The cat thing was a surprise, since I do have a cat (Charlie, who just walked across my lap as I typed that and is now trying to get to my cereal bowl), and he's never bothered me. My Mom and both of my siblings are allergic to cats, however. I did not react to the cat one on my back, but did have a big reaction when they injected it under my skin.

The doctor's take on this is that if my allergy symptoms start becoming year-round, it could be because of Charlie and I may have to keep him out of my bedroom, for instance, or use that special anti-allergen shampoo on him.

My take on it was that I shouldn't inject Charlie under my skin. 

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