coconuts too...seriously??

Am I a complete idiot? I had no idea that a coconut was actually a nut. Which is pretty idiotic since I am the monther of a kid who is seriously allergic to nuts. I feel so uninformed. To be honest, it didn't even occur to me that a coconut would be a nut until my sis asked me if she could give Forrest a cookie with coconut in it. I SAID YES because I thought a coconut was a fruit. Forget the fact that it is called a cocoNUT.

OK, I just researched the matter and it appears that a coconut is not a nut and it is not a fruit. It is actually- are you ready for this- a seed.

Well, I learned at the allergist's office on Wednesday that Forrest is allergic to coconut. I guess that would explain why he didn't eat the cookie I gave him a few weeks ago that was choc full of coconut. It would also explain why he wouldn't eat the chocolate cake with coconut frosting I pushed on him on Quinn's birthday. Taking a bite probably made his throat itch or his mouth tingle or something. As a kid who loves food and sweets, him not eating a cookie or cake should have clued me in. I really need to be more careful.

Thankfully his allergy to coconut is not as serious as his allergy to peanuts and cashews which cause him anaphylaxis. For the record he is also allergic to walnuts, almonds, and the allergist said he is most likely allergic to pistachios (apparently that allergy goes hand in hand with the cashew allergy). She also advised me to give or throw away any pistachios we get over the holidays because the allergic reactions she has seen to them have been worse than to the dreaded peanut.

Why am I boring you with this information? Because I love my little Forrey more that life itself and the thought of him having a bite of a PB&J or picking up a reeses pieces off the floor and eating it keeps me up at night with worry. The thought of sending him off to school nearly stops my heart from beating. At least I have a few more years before I really need to worry about that.

While at the allergists office, I also had to hold Forrest in a reverse-full-nelson (refer to WWF for a picture of what that looks like) while he screamed bloody murder so a medical assistant could scratch little bits of various allergens on his back so we can see what other array of foods when ingested may close his throat making breathing difficult or impossible. Here is a picture of what his back looks like today (his appt was Wednesday). Those little red bumps are the remaining reaction to the diluted peanut, walnut, coconut, and histamine scratched onto his back.



Here is a picture of our new epipens (used to scare away any potential babysitters):



The stuff nightmares are made of in our house:



Here is a picture of my adorable little boy with this lame allergy:




On the bright side I learned from the allergist that about 20% of kids with the peanut allergy do outgrow it (I am keeping my fingers crossed). I also know 3 adults with a severe peanut allergy so I know it is possible, even likely that he will survive this.