OIT Day 1

Tucker's first official OIT appointment was the day after the Fourth of July.  Friends were going to Cleveland on the fourth for an Indians game and we decided to join them and spend the night so we could wake up and drive the short distance to the appointment.  Nerves were running high the day before but I'm glad we did something fun to take our mind off it.  Tucker swam at the hotel with his friends, cheered on the Indians and watched a spectacular fireworks show.  It was a great night.
  We arrived at the doctor's office and were taken to a large room with a table and several chairs.  We knew the day would be a long one so we had a small suitcase filled with games and toys as well as a bag of snacks.  The nurse came in and talked about what we could expect over the next few hours.  Tucker would be given a very small, diluted dose of dairy.  He would be monitored for a time period and if he was symptom free, he would be given another dose.  Throughout the day, the dose would slowly increase but still remain very small and diluted.  Tucker was listening intently to the nurse and I could see his anxiety rising.  When she placed an epipen on the counter and told us it was going to be there all day "in the rare event it is needed", Tucker immediately whispered in my ear "will I need it?"  I was reassuring Tucker while internally questioning myself.  Was this the right decision?  How can I knowingly give my son dairy?  Shortly after, Dr. Silver came in.  He was calm and reassuring and walked us through the plan again.  I could tell Tucker felt relief listening to Dr. Silver tell him how great he was going to do and how it was a very small amount of dairy.  We had a quick hug and it was time to begin.  Tucker took his first dose quickly and said it tasted like water.  My husband and I watched him intently while we spread out on the floor with the suitcase of games.  I kept waiting for some sign of distress, but nothing came.  Before long, it was time for another dose.  Again, no symptoms.  As the day progressed, we relaxed.  We played cars and games and watched a movie.  A few hours in, Tucker complained of an itchy throat.  The doctor talked with him and listened to his breathing.  Everything appeared ok and a few minutes later, Tucker said it was back to feeling normal.  We continued on.  Before we knew it, Tucker had taken his final dose of the day.  I couldn't believe it.  Leading up to the appointment, I could only focus on Tucker taking that first dose.  I didn't allow myself to look beyond that because I didn't want to get my hopes up.  It felt like a huge accomplishment that he had made it through the entire day.  Dr. Silver gave us a bottle of the diluted dairy solution that Tucker would be taking every morning for the next 3 weeks until our next appointment.  We went over the protocol.  Tucker had to eat a carb heavy snack/meal before taking his dose.  He had to have a 2 hour rest period after taking it.  We needed to monitor for symptoms during the rest period but also beyond that, as some people have delayed reactions hours after dosing.  Although I knew that dosing at home would not feel as secure as it had in the office, I was too excited about our first day to worry about it in that moment.  Instead, we packed up the car and drove home victorious.  Because even though there will most likely be hurdles and setbacks in the future, that day was a victory.