First Dose - Home alone

Sept. 17

We are out of school for fall break this week. We thought this would make a great time to start the actual peanut dose because I could have my eyes on him 24/7. My husband is in Vegas until Friday for his company's user conference and my teenage daughter is of course asleep.

So Rich and I get his jar of peanut flour and the grape juice he picked out. I also had an Auvi Q and a box of fast melt Benadryl on the counter. I had already made sure I had a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon. I gave him a stack of club crackers and a banana. Even if I am told that we don't need to eat it, I don't think I would dose him without it. I have read too many blogs and helpful Facebook posts from more OIT experienced parents than me who swear by the banana before. I took the peanut flour in the spoon and made the top level with a knife. As I put it into the grape juice, it started clumping. I didn't think it was going to mix in, but it slowly disappeared.

I could tell Rich was nervous as was I. To think that I am sitting in my kitchen alone with my 12 year old so many emotions racing through both of us. I didn't know if I was going to laugh, cry or throw up. So many years of avoiding the poison that could take his life, and I am sitting in my kitchen acting like everything is going to be ok.

Of course he grabbed the glass and drank it down quickly. I had told him I was going to put another swig of grape juice in his cup to get any residue. There was nothing in left in the cup, but I did it anyway to set a precedence.

Two hours. Two hours away from video games on his break. Two hours he must sit and be watched by his mother. We set the timer on my phone. He has a couple of projects due in October for school so I made him sit downstairs with me and work on them. I think this will be a positive routine for him when school starts back. He usually knocks out his homework on the bus (where he sits behind the driver who is trained and knows Rich has at least 2 epis on him). This will be his study and project time.

Four hours after his dose, he came downstairs and said he couldn't believe nothing happened. He didn't taste the peanut flour, his nose didn't run and he didn't need the epi or even the Benadryl.

GREAT DAY!