Itching, Sleeping and Eating: An Update

(I actually wrote this yesterday and forgot to publish it. Whoops!)

Well, I thought maybe I should post a few updates on previous events.

I’m still getting over my allergic reaction to whatever it was. I do think it was the oven cleaner, but have no idea for sure. I already use hypo-allergenic soaps, detergents, deodorant. If it comes in hypo-allergenic or all-natural I usually opt for that, because I do have an allergy to some of those things. Or something that they put in those things.

I never had an allergy to anything until David was born. Pregnancy altered my DNA I guess.

So it stands to reason that the oven cleaner would do it considering how toxic it is. I now know that you can use baking soda, salt and water instead, so I guess I’ll try that next time. You know, like in two years when I actually clean my oven again.

Anyway, I finally gave in and went to the doctor today just to make sure it was an allergic reaction, and not some horrible disease. She confirmed that it was an allergy, and explained that the histamine stays in your system long after the allergen is gone. I could be itching and breaking out for another two weeks. I tried taking Claritin, Zyrtec and even Benedryl to get some relief.

I really didn’t want to take the Benedryl because it makes me so, so tired. I was afraid It’d knock me out, and I would wake up to find David running up and down the driveway pulling Wade in the back of his wagon.

Those all helped a bit, but the doctor sent me home with some prescription strength allergy medicine. But you have to take it at bed time, so I haven’t been able to try it yet. Hopefully that does the trick.

I’m supposed to get my hair cut tomorrow. I going to have to explain to the stylist that the ugly, red welts aren’t contagious, or she won’t want to touch me.

In other news…

Wade turns 4 months old tomorrow. On one hand it’s hard to believe it’s been four months already. It feels like the summer just flew by. On the other hand it feels like a long, long time since I got a full night’s sleep.

But a few nights ago Wade slept for six solid hours with out waking up, and I was able to get him back to sleep quickly with out feeding him. He’s eating more and more during the day, and can skip the extra bottle at night. Then it happened again the next night, and again the night after that.

Even better, the last two days I’ve been able to lay him down in his crib still awake at nap time and bedtime, and he’s gone to sleep by himself. Without screaming. I probably shouldn’t type this because I’ll jinx it, and it will never happen again.

Now if I could just stop waking up at 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. when I don’t have to, it would be great.

I’m still on a diet, but I haven’t been getting much exercise lately. You don’t feel like working up a sweat when you can’t stop itching. And you just really need some chocolate when you’re that uncomfortable.

I did get out my Cooking Light cookbook and picked out a few healthy recipes to try. The trouble with those fancy dishes though is that there’s always a bunch of strange ingredients in them that you don’t keep on hand. They also require some planning ahead. Like tonight I was going to make a Turkey Spinach meatloaf. But I forgot to thaw and drain the spinach, and dry out bread to make bread crumbs.  When I realized at 5 O’ clock it was going to take me all night to make the meatloaf, we decided to have fast food hamburgers and french fries instead. Can you say diet fail?

So I’ll be making the meatloaf tomorrow night in my nice clean oven that I paid dearly for. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Now I’m going to bed so I can take my medicine and stop itching. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Wade sleeps through the night again.