Cashews

We had a scare yesterday (July 23, 2015) when we found out Ruby is allergic to cashews!  We spent all day having fun at Centennial Center Park with my mom, Ivaras, and Greta.  The kids had fun playing and then right before we left my mom shared some cashews with Ruby and me.  Ruby ate one and told me, "I like it." Then ate another one and nearly threw up.  She was trying to spit it out I think.  The thought crosssed my mind that maybe she is allergic.  A couple of weeks ago she ate a pistachio and was trying to spit it out too.  Then she seemed okay and was breathing fine and everything.  The kids and I got into the van to drive home.  There are several ways to get home and I was trying to decide which way may be fastest.  My GPS told me another way was one minute faster and that's the way I drove to the park, but I decided I would take 225 instead.  I'm so glad I did because that way I was close to the Children's Hospital.  We were driving down the freeway and I was watching Ruby in the mirror.  She was rubbing her eyes and I knew she was tired from missing her nap.  She fell asleep for a few minutes and then all of the sudden she started throwing up a lot!  Eli started crying and Diego was a little upset too.  I was trying to reassure Ruby that she would be okay.  I asked Eli to get a towel from the back of the car and I put it on Ruby to try to cover up the throw up.  There was throw up all over.  I first thought to pull over and call 911, but then I was so close to the hospital I thought I should just drive there quickly.  I excited Colfax and then called 911 while I was still driving.  I told them I was on my way to Children's and asked if someone could meet me by the door.  I pulled up and a minute later there was a nurse ready for us.  I got Ruby out of the seat and she just looked so sick!  Her eyes were swollen and red and throw up all over.  The nurse got a wagon and I put her in it.  The boys stayed with Ruby and the nurse while I parked the car and checked in.  It didn't take long.  The nurse took her vitals and changed her into a hospital gown.  Then the doctor came in and asked questions and told me they were going to give her medicine.  They gave her epinephrine and a couple of other meds through an IV.  She started looking better and feeling a little better too.  The boys were pretty interested in all the things going on with all the doctors and students in the room.  Cesar arrived and took the boys home, but before they left they cleaned all the throw up in the car and on the Ruby's car seat.  I stayed with Ruby for 6 hours while they could monitor her and make sure she didn't have any other reactions.  She was fine and we finally got the leave and go home around 11 p.m.  I kept thinking Ruby would fall asleep on the hospital bed, but she didn't until 10 minutes before we left!  The whole night she was pretty annoyed with the IV in her arm and the monitors she was hooked up to, but she did pretty well considering.



About a month later, I took Ruby to the allergist and they gave her a scratch test on her back testing for other nut allergies.  She is highly allergic to cashews (obviously) and pistachios. She is also allergic to almonds and walnuts.  She is not allergic to coconut.  She did great with the test and only cried for a minute while they were poking her and then again a little bit when they took blood.  I now carry around an epi-pen just in case she ever has another bad allergic reaction.