My Scratch Test

Happy's summary was quite accurate, but I thought I'd go ahead and explain a little bit of the experience from my perspective.

The whole thing started when I went to our doctor and found out my insurance hadn't completely gone through yet. After a few phone calls and talking with the receptionist in the doctor's office, I learned that the doctor doesn't actually do allergy tests. After leaving work early to find this out I was a bit frustrated and called my boss, Rebecca, to let her know. She then called a bunch of allergists and dermatologists to see if anyone could take me today. Finally she found the one in Long Beach (Dr. Ochsner) and we went, after I picked Happy up to go with me. I thought perhaps I might not be ok to drive home after the scratch test.... Good hunch I'd say.

When we got to the allergist there were a few people in the waiting room, so we just sat and read our books for a while. Once it was my turn, Dr. Ochsner brought me in, looked in my ears ("Nice ears!") and nose ("Not so nice nose...") and then listened to me breathe. He asked if I ever have trouble breathing and I said only a little when I'm around cats for a while. Then he explained to me how the scratch test works. It's actually not a scratch, but a puncture... with a needle. As he pulled out six different bottles, he explained to me that he'd test out six different things I might be allergic to. He drew three red lines on my left forearm and then proceeded to stick me with six different needles and substances--one on each tip of the three red lines.

At this point I should mention that Dr. Ochsner was probably easily in his 60s and an extremely kind and friendly man. He definitely had that grandfatherly way about him and I felt very comfortable with him.

Before he started I told him I really don't like blood. He said I should be fine. After the first shot I said I really don't like needles either. He proceeded to tell me that he used to not like them either, but after so many years and experiencing such wonderful things from needles (i.e. birth), he has sort of gotten over it. "Plus," he said, "it helps to be on the other end of the needle!" I wasn't very amused as he pointed out that there were only four more to go! By the third one I said I wasn't feeling so good and could feel the color draining from my face. He said I could put my head between my knees and it would help. I immediately did so, holding my left arm out of my range of vision as he injected me with the fourth substance. Here my legs started to shake and I began to get dizzy. I kept saying, "I don't feel good... I don't feel good... I don't feel good..." He continued with his countdown "Just two more! You'll be fine!"

The fifth and sixth ones felt like they took forever. I had my eyes closed and was digging my right index fingernail into my right thumb to distract myself from the needle poke. It didn't work. When he finished the sixth one he said, "Alright, you can go back into the waiting room with your husband." I staggered out and collapsed into the first chair, which happened to be two seats away from where Happy was sitting. He gently said, "Come sit next to me..." While I did hear him, I didn't respond because I was concentrating on not vomiting or passing out. After a minute he said, "Ok, I'll just move then..." By then I had put my head down again between my legs and was asking where the bathroom was. Happy got up and glanced around, but it was too late. I puked right there on the carpet of the waiting room. Thankfully there were no other patients waiting there.

Dr. Ochsner, as Happy said, wasn't fazed by my vomit and calmly brought out paper towel after paper towel--wet ones and dry ones, for me and the carpet. Happy cleaned it up and could definitely tell I had eaten strawberry yogurt. Interestingly enough, I felt much better afterwards. Dr. Ochsner said it usually works that way. (I think he knew that and was just helping me to get to the point of vomiting!)

After a few minutes the doctor brought me back in from the waiting room and explained to me the welts that were developing on my arm from the shots. Five of them were ones he thought I'd be allergic to and one was an injection that he knew I wasn't allergic to (as a point of comparison with the others). I got a 100%! I was allergic to all five of the injections, but the most allergic to rye grass, which was like a mini-continent on my forearm. The others were just little islands--dust mite, Chinese oak (I think), and tumbleweed were ones I remember. Tumbleweed was the next largest welt. He then brought us outside to the parking lot to show us what Chinese oak looked like. Soon, we learned about all of the trees in the parking lot, from this knowledgeable doctor. Meanwhile, I'm sneezing every 5 seconds or so and in dire need of a tissue, which is waiting for me back inside the office. When we got back inside, I grabbed several tissues and Dr. Ochsner explained my allergies a bit more.

Apparently my nose is super healthy because it has been working 24 hours a day to deal with all the pollen in the air. That, however, means that I am exhausted all the time because my body keeps trying to fight the pollen. He also explained that I have a slight case of asthma, but if we deal with my nose, the asthma should never be much of a problem. So, he gave me free samples of two different nose sprays (Nasonex and Astelin, for those who are interested) and told me how to spray properly (nose to toes and opposite hands). He did one dose for me and then explained that it could make me feel drowsy, but might not. We went home (Happy drove) and I basically felt like I'd been attacked and was indeed exhausted, but not from the nose spray, as I have since learned. The scratch test wore me out.

So, the next morning (yesterday) I woke up to a swollen and burning hot forearm, along with tingly fingers. I went to work, cried on the way (because I called my mom and started thinking I might need to have my arm amputated or drained with a huge needle), and then called Dr. Ochsner when the office opened. They said I could come back in and he'd take a look at it. I did and he gave me Benadryl and said to put heat on my arm to increase circulation. I then decided to go home for the day and conk out with the Benadryl. Over the last few days I think I've slept more than I've been awake! Last night the swelling moved up to my elbow a bit more and the inside of my elbow is a bit fat. But, the redness has lessened and my arm isn't as burning hot as it was yesterday. Still, it's pretty heavy and tight, and I'm looking forward to it getting back to normal! It's been quite an exciting week for me, but the good news is, the nose sprays are helping a lot--and my arm does not need to be drained with a huge needle or amputated :-) Thank you for all your prayers and concerns!