There are many reasons to dance for joy at the doctor’s office — a clean biopsy, a positive pregnancy test, or a successful vasectomy all come to mind. But is approval to get a poodle worthy of such jubilation? My kids definitely think so. Our potential for dog ownership weighed heavily on their minds this summer when my son was tested for allergies.
From the moment I became a mother I worried I’d pass on my horrible allergies to my children. When I was in fourth grade I turned into a snotty mess. I woke up every morning attacked by sneezing. I rubbed my nose so hard adults worried I’d permanently damage cartilage. I couldn’t spend the night at my friend’s house because her cats made it difficult to breathe. We discovered I was allergic to dogs, cats, rodents, dust, dust mites, soy, and most plants that grow in California.
This spring, when my 10-year-old started coughing and waking up with a sore throat I thought, “Oh, no. Ten was when my allergies first appeared too.”
We waited until this summer to investigate because allergy testing falls somewhere between unpleasant and wretched. The patient is injected with tiny bits of allergens to see if he has a reaction. When I was tested for allergies I was engulfed in so many hives I had to be drugged.
This July as I watched the nurse prick my son’s back I tried to appear calm, even though I was shaking on the inside. “If I’m not allergic to dogs we can get a poodle, right?” my son asked me for the millionth time.
“Yes,” I answered, thinking it would never happen. Poodles are the only dog my system can tolerate, but they are expensive and require weekly baths so they don’t get dusty.
My daughter crept up and held her brother’s hand. “Be brave,” she told him as the first hive appeared.
I held my breath, waiting for more hives to come. But they didn’t. The only reaction my son had was to the control. Hallelujah, he’s not allergic to anything! The cough was from something else.
“You mean I’m not allergic to dogs?” my son asked the doctor, just to be sure. When she shook her head “no,” both kids started screaming. My son picked up his sister and swung her around the exam room, banging her light-up sneakers into the chairs. “We’re getting a poodle!” they shouted in unison.
I had to admit that I was excited about the idea too. I’ve always wanted my kids to have the family dog experience. Plus, modern medicine and six years of allergy shots mean I’m healthier than ever. Gone is the Jenny who couldn’t leave the house without a tissue in every pocket.
That morning in the allergist’s office, the only tissues required were for my children. They had great big tears of joy rolling down their cheeks.
Jennifer Bardsley lives in Edmonds. Her book “Genesis Girl” is scheduled to be released in 2016. Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, Twitter @jennbardsley or at teachingmybabytoread.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
