Go time! Are we really doing this?

So, we really are going through with this. I have a couple of friends doing this with their kids and am feeling inspired. I've done the research. We (the parents) have had the discussions. We have asked Mason if he's ready to do this. It is such a weird concept to all of a sudden be putting this "poison" into his mouth that we have spent almost 9 years avoiding. Having emergency interactions with this allergen and now we are saying "here, drink this!" Takes some time to wrap your mind around, I know.

So here is what happens in that first appointment: Mason received a concoction of his allergen (wheat, so some flour) mixed in water, a specific solution. He was given this by syringe in his mouth every 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes was up, vitals and skin were checked, asked questions about how he felt etc. Moved on to the next dose which was slightly more. We went from 1ml to 5ml and it took us 3 hours instead of 4 because it went very smoothly for him. The last dose of 5ml, we waited an hour instead of 15 min, since it was the most and that was the goal ml for the day. So, in total he had 11ml of this. We were sent home with the glass jar and syringe to dose him once a day at the 5ml for 2 weeks. To be even more specific, there is 3mg of wheat flour in every 5ml dose of water. Every 2 weeks we will go back and get "updosed" wait an hour (wont have to do the every 15 minute thing again, that was just to find his threshold.) Then go home with his new dose to do everyday at home for those 2 weeks and so on. At some point it will switch from this liquid solution to solids. The whole thing should take about 9-12mo and he should be able to eat freely. He will have to maintain and eat it everyday (no paleo, keto or whole30 for this guy 😂.)

They will tell you to bring lots of things to pass the time at this first appointment. We did homework, ate snacks and played on devices. Hey, whatever works.

The dose is just the 5ml syringe seen here. For now anyway.

He was a little nervous about putting this concoction into his body that we have spent so long teaching him to avoid because it is literally life and death for him since he goes into anaphylaxis. We all were/are. Going to bed that night was a little scary. There may be setbacks along the way if he reacts at a certain dose, but we will take that as it comes. If he is sick at all, we can't updose because his immune system is compromised. Again, we will cross that bridge as we get there. The goal here is to not fear for his life and be able to live a normal life as he gets older. It's all scary, fascinating and exciting but we are cautiously optimistic.❤