Food Allergy Awareness Week

Happy Food Allergy Awareness Week! :>)

Many of you know Luke is allergic to peanuts and that he suffers from cronic eczema. Over the last year, we made significant progress identifying additional food allergies that aggravate his eczema because they caused an itchy mild rash. He is moderately allergic to eggs, apples (birch tree), and mildly allergy to soy (that we mostly ignore). I'm fairly certain Luke ate either eggs and/or apples every day. By modifying his diet and finding a new home for our dog we have been able to dramatically change the quality of Luke's life (and mine for that matter).

Working with a dietician and putting Luke on a systematic elimination diet was a turning point for us. The traditional medical community by and large were not helpful...and actually hindered his treatment. One Dr told us our dog wasn't the problem, but Luke has a level 4 dog allergy. Another Dr. tested for an egg allergy, but didn't feel a level 2 allergy was significant to inform us and until I saw a copy of the results (on a fluke) we assumed he was negative for eggs.

Each turn of the key to unlock his allergies has taken painstaking diligence, and I can't imagine having made the progress we've made with his allergies and skin had I not been home full time with Luke and able to cronicle every morsel that went into his mouth. I still think there may be more, but I think we got the biggies.

The picture above is what his legs and arms used to look like. And that was with applying ointments and prescription creams daily. His skin is basically clear now, and his flairs are easily controlled with prescription medications when needed. Thank you, Jesus.

He's still itchy. He'll always have sensitive skin. But, we're no longer chasing the symptoms that were creating an out of control itch cycle. He's a different kid. We're a different family.