And the 'winner' is...

Well...we are approximately 98.674% sure we know what is causing my hives and allergic chaos!

I called the allergist today to find out exactly what I tested allergic to during last weeks tests. I left the doctors office last week with the knowledge that I was allergic to: 'trees, molds, and grasses' and was given instruction to take two antihistamines, one in the morning and one before bed. Well, this morning, my sides looked like this:

A week of antihistamines and I'm still breaking out and miserable. What is going on?! Its driving me crazy! 

Today, we got some answers. 

I am allergic to: 

Mold- Phoma

Grasses- Bermuda, June, orchard, timothy, and some more that I can't pronounce

Trees- Oak, Sycamore, Box elder, Birch, and Walnut. 

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present: this massive WALNUT tree in our parking lot and also approx. 50ft from our apartment. 

This explains why my symptoms started a month ago, when the leaves started changing. It also explains why my hands have been broken out so bad, every time I get in and out of our cars, which have to be parked underneath this tree, I was getting walnut tree germs on them. I have inhaled all of the walnut tree pollen and I'm not getting better because it is so close to our apartment. 

So, after talking with our landlords, they are willing to work with us and relocate us to another apartment across the complex that is away from the deadly walnut tree. We can move into the new unit on January 8th. So until then, it looks like I'll be taking pills and keeping all the windows closed, and washing my hands as soon as I can after touching our cars. Hopefully in a few weeks, it will be cold enough to kill off everything on the trees and I'll finally get some relief. 

We have been blessed with great landlords who were willing to work with us on this. I'd just like to say thank you, again. 

Also, if anyone needs an apartment, ours is listed as of this afternoon! I would recommend HP management to anyone in the Edwardsville area! Rent includes water, sewer, trash, cable and internet! 

Oh, and here is Google making the picture of the tree look prettier. I guess Google thought I was taking a picture of it for the leaf color or something. Idk. The tree still looks pretty ugly to me right now

The Allergist - Round 1

I've been looking forward to today, another new experience in the books!  Today was the day I finally got to see an Allergist to figure out what has been causing me to break out in hives, itch like crazy, even have an anaphylactic reaction.

I have been racking my brains trying to figure out what has caused this. The doctor I saw last week told me that it was a food allergy, or something that I ingested. So, I kept a journal of everything I had been eating, and purposely avoided peanuts because those are a pretty common food allergy and a person can develop allergies at any time. Fun, huh?

Also, this has been going on for nearly a month now, so it might be something that I'm continually exposed to?

Have I eaten anything weird? No.
Change laundry detergent? No.
What if I developed a cat allergy? Poor Atti.
Mold in the bathroom? No.
Change medicines? No.
ANY way I could have accidentally ingested penicillin? No.

So today, we got some answers and narrowed it down.

The doctor came in and talked with me, first. We discussed what had been going on, and he looked at my hands (which have been consistently in hives since this started). He ordered full boards of food, environmental, animal, and 'miscellaneous' allergy tests. The assistant came back and wiped down the insides of my arms and proceeded to prick me with the various elements.

We did this twice, and pretty much instantly I was itching. The assistant left the papers on my table, so I spent the next 20 minutes trying to figure out which allergens were where on my skin, and if I was reacting to them. I was definitely reacting to SOMETHING. 

After a VERY long 20 minutes the doctor came back and evaluated me. He gave me an antihistamine cream to help with immediate relief for my arms, and we discussed how I did. 

I passed the food section with flying colors! No known food allergies and I can start eating peanut butter again! Super excited! Also, the animal section was clear. I'm not allergic to Atti! Or dogs, horses, rabbits, or goats. 

However, I didn't do so great in the molds, trees, and grasses section. The worst reactions came from the trees they tested on me. I knew going in that I was allergic to Christmas trees, but I didn't realize I was allergic to like...7 kinds of trees. I'm also allergic to grass (which we also knew) and molds. So basically, everything in the air. That explains why my seasonal allergies are so bad. 

Unfortunately, we don't know what is causing my hives. The doctor says that, knowing what I'm allergic to now, I most likely inhaled several things while at an event we went to, which was outside in a field, and where the symptoms started. 

Going forward, the doctor wants to see me again in a month, told me to take 1 Allegra/Zyrtec daily, along with Zantac, and he spent about 10 minutes talking to me about allergy shots. They will be terrible. And expensive. If I opt to do them, I will have to go get shots weekly for a year, then every two weeks for the following 2 years. (3 years of shots)

This is what my arms looked like leaving the doctors office. 

And this is what they look like 5 hours later (now)

 

The 'trees' section on my right arm is swollen and hard. You can still see every dot where they tested me.

If I am allergic to everything, does that mean I win?

The St. Louis Half Marathon: my first major race

Yesterday I ran my first half marathon.

 I purposely waited until today to write about it, because I knew I would let my emotions get the best of me and not give an accurate account of the race, and those that blessed me during it.

I ran 195 miles to prepare for this race. From July-Nov 1st.

Initially, I was disappointed with myself on race day. I know I am my toughest critic, and I am very very hard on myself, but my problem-some left leg didn't let me finish the race like I wanted to. Granted, the odds were stacked against me from the start- and today, after I've had time to sit on it, I'm proud of myself for doing what I did.

...Ok, race day!

I set my alarm for 5am, but didn't really need it. I woke up probably every half hour throughout the night because I was so anxious and afraid I would sleep through the alarm. I got up and ate a bagel and a protein bar. I wasn't hungry, but I always eat breakfast and everyone has told me not to change your routine on race day.

The race was set to start at 7:30am, and it would take us 35 min to get there from our house. I woke my husband up at 5:45 and we left around 6. The drive over was uneventful, and we parked in the parking garage they had reserved for us, about a half mile away from the start line.

We found a place to sit down, and only had to wait about 20 min. before it was time to line up. I decided, last minute, to join a pace group. The race was put on by a running club in Clayton, and they had some of their most seasoned runners designated to run the race based on goal times.

 I chose the 2:45 goal time-
 1. Because it was one less than I was actually trying for (I wanted 2:30 finish time and the groups went in 15 min intervals)
2. I overheard several of the runners in that group saying it was their first race as well
3. The 'seasoned runner' in charge of us was this wonderful 60-something year old woman who was so full of life and happiness, it was just contagious. I was drawn to her.


After a quick selfie with my support rock, my biggest fan, and my best friend (my husband) it was time to line up and start the race! I was a ball of nerves, standing there waiting for the GO!
The moment passed, and we were on our way. The Clayton police and several other volunteers had taken care to shut down the main street of the city so we could run down the middle of the road and through all the intersections. I wish I would have taken more pictures while running. The sun was just starting to come up, and for the first 5 miles or so, we ran to the east so we could watch the sun come up and dry up some of the fog/mist that was lingering around from the cool night.

My pace setter's name was Rae. (Or Ray, I didn't ask how she spelled it). For the first 5 or 6 miles, we spent time talking. Telling each other about ourselves and looking around at the scenery. I had never been to this area before, so it was all new to me. The other runner's name that stayed with myself and Rae was named Marneen. Marnie for short. This was her first big race as well.

We found out that our motivator, Rae, was running 'only her 12th' half-marathon, but she had just completed her 101st MARATHON. This woman was truly amazing.

The first 5 miles went by pretty uneventfully. Rae told us to alternate water and Gatorade at the stations along the race, and we had been by two of them already.  I was feeling good, and soon I saw the sign for:

Whoa, mile 6 already? Maybe I can actually do this afterall!

Mile 7 went well, but I was starting to feel it..by mile 8 I was ready for the next water station, and we kept going. Rae continued to give me encouragement and also all the runners around us. She knew everyone! The volunteers, several of the runners, she was amazing me more and more.

Mile 9- yep, I'm feeling it. I had taped up my leg before the race, as I knew my Achilles tendon would give me trouble, but it was my knee that was causing the problem at this point.

Mile 10- I'm done. My leg can't do it. I had to slow down and Rae stayed with me. She said we had some time in the bank, and we would still finish around our 2:45 goal time. By Mile 11 I'm limping, and the last two miles were uphill so I had to walk some. I was so mad. I walked about half of mile 11, then at mile 12 I somewhat painfully started up again.

Rae was ahead of me, telling people it was my first race because when I came by to where the volunteers and police were blocking traffic, they cheered for me. I was so honored by that. These people, standing in the middle of an intersection doing their job, are cheering for me?! I got more water and Gatorade at the 12.5 mile station, and limp/walked on. At this point, my knee was shot and both of my feet ached like crazy.

Mile 13. I did it? Wait, I've still got that .2 mile to go. The finish line is right around the corner, my husband is texting me telling me to keep going, I'm limping and surely look ridiculous..but:

As soon as I saw it, I took off. I didn't care how silly I looked limp/jogging along. I finished the race at 2:48:04, and my husband and Rae were waiting for me. 

The top picture is my husband and I, and the bottom is Rae and I laughing after I crossed the finish. 

This race was lots of fun, overall. I loved running and meeting new people! I was mad that I didn't run the whole thing, but I sort of knew going in that I would probably have to walk at some point. Rae kept telling me that today was a 'base line' day. She said 95% of her runners always beat their first race time. Today was a learning day, and I learned what my body could do, and where I needed to work on. You can see my time splits, and sure enough, I slow down around mile 10. 

 Thank you, St. Louis for making my first major race a success. Also, thanks to my parents, my amazing friends, and my husband for giving me encouragement before, during, and after the race. You guys(and girls) make life wonderful! Yes, I was mad at myself for having to slow down and even walk some. But yes, I'm still happy I did the race, and I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to beating my new 'base line' time.