Halleluiah!!!

Monday morning I had a GREAT visit with my allergist. A good visit would be foods coming back negative. I.E. not having to add any more lines to the business card I pass out when I'm at restaurants stating all known food allergens. Some days I think I should just order a nice glass of water and some plain romaine lettuce to chew on while I wait for a peanut/tree nut free, mostly fruit free desert to eat. Ok, so it's not that bad, but sometimes my emotions get the better of me and I start to throw the pity party. Well today I got one better. I CAN ADD GRAPES BACK TO MY DIET!!! To some that might not seem the most exciting thing in the world, but when I've taken out a good 25 or 30 foods from the line up, adding one back is the biggest gift!! I tested positive for an allergy to grapes about 3 years ago. But I could still eat raisins and drink wine. thank goodness!! 3 years ago I wasn't quite as up on all the allergy stuff as I am now. I didn't quite "get" cross contamination. I think I bought a fruit bowl (all fresh) from the local deli and had the nurse skin test me for all those fruits, who knew cross contamination was so easy to achieve!! Today I brought plain, washed grapes with me. ALL CLEAR - that and Diana BBQ sauce - good to go.

I am so happy. Now if we could only add peanut butter back to the line up. Ummmmmm, peanut butter. Though to tell you the truth, after all these years of being afraid of it, I don't think I could eat it again. I am thoroughly and completely brainwashed. Even the smell of it (which does not cause an allergic reaction for me) - actually scares me. I like call it a "mental aversion to a sensory perception, leading to a physical reaction" - said physical reaction being to get as far away from the smell as possible!!

Cheers to small victories in life. Let us eat grapes and drink wine!!