The House of Cam

been wondering what the hell I have been doing in life the past few days/weeks....

I have been sick. Just after getting over the flu/bronchitis...I developed a very bad allergy. Last Wednesday, I broke in a serious rash of hives all over my arms and chest. Day in and day out they came and went, spreading all over and then moving to another area of my body. By Sunday evening...I was rushed to the emergency room because I couldnt breathe. My wind pipe had basically closed, and thank god for a good friend of mine, I made to the hospital. Well, after being juiced up with massive amounts of steroids, anti-histimines and glucosomine (this was in the form of an IV), I returned home the next day with a shitload of prescriptions. I took the following day off of course, because I was still fucked up from all the meds.

As the week passed and taking my meds...the hives and the allergy seemed to pass. For the first time in my life, I made a doctors appt with an allergist partially due to the recommendation of the emergency room. (I dont want that bill when it gets here!!).

So today, I go to the allergist and have 30 some odd needles stabbed in my back (which are kinda sore right now not to mention)....well, basically...I am allergic to something that you all may seem is funny. Yellow dye #5. That little bitch is in almost everything that you eat, unless you eat all natural foods...It's a slight allergy that I have to watch my intake on...here is what is known about this allergy...apparently its a doozie to have....

Tartrazine (also known as "FD&C Yellow Number 5" or "E-102" in Europe) is a coal-tar derivative that is used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Tartrazine is also reputed to be a catalyst in hyperactivity/ADD, other behavioral problems, asthma, migranes, thyroid cancer, and lupus.

Here is a list of some of the things that often (but not always!) contain tartrazine:

prescription and non-prescription pharmaceutical drugs
skim milk
yogurt
butter/margarine
orange colored cheeses
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese ("Kraft Dinner")
Orange colored snacks (cheezies, Doritos, etc.)
Candy
Gelatin and pudding desserts
Ice Cream
Mountain Dew
Tang
other artificially colored drinks
boxed breakfast cereals
shrimp
canned fruits and vegetables
pastas
breads, cakes, and other baked goods (especially ones that contain "candied fruit")
wasabi
alcoholic drinks (especially mixed drinks like sours but also some beer!)
shampoo
cosmetics
lotions
toothpaste
vitamins
birth control pills
aspirin


So, as you can tell...I am fucked. I can use these things and eat these things, I just have to make sure that they dont contain that dye.....and all this makes sense now. I have been sick to my stomach since I can remember. Doctors always said it was from my diet...well, in turn (the wrong turn) they were right...they just didnt know why. My body was getting an overdose of yellow #5 and it was doing what it only knew how...PURGING the system! So, if I cut this intake back...or kill it off completly, I should feel great from here on out. Wish me luck!!

But, this is where it gets even better. Since the doctors say that I am 100% healthy, yellow #5 isnt the culprit that put me in the hospital. Right now, they dont know what it is, but I have been given emergency Ephedryn (through needle form called an Epipen that has to be injected into the side of my thigh immediately when the allergy takes place) and a massive dose of Prednisone, also has to be taken right after the Epipen injection. Then, I must be taken directly to the ER.

Sounds like a blast huh? So, from this day forward...I have to carry this shot thing and the steroids everywhere I go now, because of this allergy, and that isnt even the worst part of it all....the worst part of it all is.....I have an allergy that can kill me and they dont know what it is yet.

There are a lot of tests that I still have to go through, but I think this is only the beginning. The main reason for all this scare of meds and shots is to keep me from going into Anaphylaxis (allergic shock). Most people that have this issue have reactions to trivial things like bee stings, shellfish and products containing peanuts....This is not the case for me. I am not allergic to any of those things. They just dont know what it is. ....figures huh?

Life changes so quickly...its funny. Things like this I never would have thought, but I guess shit happens to the best of us. I guess I will grin and bear it, hope it never happens again and pray that they find out what it is...

So, that is what has been going on ... other than work and more work...(I also have been looking for a new place to live, and that is a pain in the ass!).

Tell me what you think of all this..If you have allergies and such, let me know what they are...It's pretty interesting.

until next time...

cam