My Allergy Journey: Unstoppable Today

"I'm allergic to nuts—I'm even allergic to myself." (Cue the laugh track.)

Not anymore. 

As of today, I’m no longer seriously allergic to nuts, and I can retire that one-liner, which is almost as old as me.

Now, I am unstoppable—and that's no joke. 

"Unstoppable" is a word that’s very popular at Latitude, the Oral Immunotherapy clinic that I've been going to since last summer. One of their tag lines is “On my way to unstoppable.” They even have a video about someone named Unstoppable Emma, as a way to introduce new patients to Oral Immunotherapy.

With that in mind, I've been waiting half a year to share this video...

Thanks for that smashing video, Sia. As I was saying…

Today, I reached my goal: I can now tolerate accidental exposure to any tree nut or sunflower seed. My body has been re-trained that if I happen to eat something with nuts or sunflower seeds, I won't get sick. I won't need to go to the hospital. And I won't need an EPI-PEN. I'll be fine. 

And yes, I did this at age 68. If you're reading this and have been living a lifetime with food allergies, I hope my story gives you hope.

The Final Session

After my traditional bagel-and-a-shmear, I bought a dozen bagels and brought them to the session for the wonderful staff at Latitude. My heart was racing as I stepped off the elevator into the office. 

After the usual check of my vitals, I was given a single cashew with a vanilla ice cream chaser, and a quarter teaspoon of sunflower butter on a Ritz cracker. I said Shehecheyanu-the prayer thanking G-d upon reaching a major occasion. Then, I ate both. They were quite tasty! A few minutes later, I felt some scratchiness in my throat but that quickly subsided. The rest of the hour went by uneventfully. Boring is good!

And an hour later, just like that, I was done. 

But wait--there's more!

After a brief discussion about adjusting my daily maintenance routine (One walnut and 1/4 teaspoon of sunflower butter every day after dinner) and scheduling a follow-up visit in July, I was good to go. "Don't leave yet," said Nurse Nicole. "We have a little something for you."

It was a graduation party! This is what I saw (sorry, the video is a little chaotic). I was presented with a trophy, a diploma, T-shirt, and a container of Cashews.

Selfie with the staff, including Dr. Brian Novick.

I know the folks at Latitude are reading this, so I just want to say thank you. Your positive vibes really rubbed off on me and helped me through a process that was at times quite nerve-wracking (even if I didn't always show it.) Thank you Dr. Novick, who helped me understand the process and manage my expectations, and to all of the nurses, who were my emotional support humans and the best cheerleaders throughout. 

The fact that they laughed at my dad jokes was a bonus.

This is a major life change for me. For the first time in my life, I no longer will need to navigate a culinary minefield. The ability to order something at a restaurant without fear of getting a severe allergic reaction is huge. I can't wait to eat foods that were once red flags.

To those who have joined me on this journey by reading this series, I hope it was educational. If anyone wants further information for their own allergies or for a loved one, I'd be happy to chat. You can also call Latitude (unabashed plug) to speak with them and see if OIT is right for you.

Summer’s Here And The Time Is Right for Photos In The Street

After the "graduation" ceremony, I went outside into record-breaking heat in New York City with an expected high of around 100 degrees. Sweaty, overheated New Yorkers and tourists make for interesting street photos. 

Previously: Almost There