Allergy Test September 24, 2005

Hannah had her blood drawn for a food allergy test this morning. OMG, what a nightmare! The doctor who ordered the test told me that I could pick whatever allergens I wanted tested for along w/ the standard food allergies (includes milk, soy, corn, wheat, egg whites, shrimp, clams, and a few others I can't remember). I checked a LOT of boxes since I have absolutely NO concept of what it is that is causing her eczema. On the top of the paper it said that one tube of blood is needed per 20 tests, so I figured that since we were going to have to draw 2 tubes anyway I might as well add everything in her diet that was listed. Apparently that isn't the case on the amount of blood needed. The tech at the lab told me that the standard food allergy test takes 2 tubes of blood and she would find out how much else would be needed for what I wanted done. After an hour of working on this, she said it would take 3 extra tubes of blood. I decided that we should at least TRY for that. Hannah and I go back to the "blood letting" room, and I sit in what looks like a dental chair with Hannah on my lap. The tech look for a good vein on her left arm... nothing. She looks for a good vein on Hannah's right arm and thankfully finds one. The second tech who is there to hold Hannah's arm still brings out a small "St. Mary's Hospital" bear for Hannah to hold. Hannah does a fantastic job while they poke her with the needle. She stays remarkably still and only whimpers a bit. Her blood just isn't coming out... just a few drops at a time... then it clots completely. One tube of blood down, BUT they have to stick her again. The two techs never found a decent vein in her left arm, so they had to go back to the right and find a new vein to stick there. This time Hannah yells, screams, and cries with all of her might, but she still holds her arm pretty darn still. Finally, they get 3 tubes of blood and call it good. I left holding a sweaty, wet-haired, pasty faced kiddo with a sucker in her mouth, clutching a bear in one hand and a sticker in the other. It was a pretty pathetic sight. Oh, and she was crying for her Daddy, which never happens... so I really felt like the bad guy! The only good news is that in a week, hopefully we'll know what is causing Hannah's terrible, itchy eczema!