Today was a day! I must have experienced every emotion under the sun, and am still trying to process them all. When they hit you all at once, it’s takes a while to find your zen.

The day started off with a visit to the allergist with Ella. I never get my hopes up before an appointment so my expectations were super low. It always makes getting an answer all that more exciting. It started off with the standard allergy test, which checks for outdoor allergies. The nurse who did it was amazing, and Ella happily sat on my lap for fifteen minutes while we waited to see if there was a reaction. The nurse checked in with her often and Ella was having a grand old time.

Those results came back all negative, which I anticipated. We went in to see the doctor next. I told him my concerns, he asked a few questions, and talked to Ella for a bit. Only once did she try and pull his mask off, but only because he got a little too close. He learned quickly he needed to back up. He was so sweet, and she really did love him.

During our Q and A, the doctor asked why I brought Ella in. I explained one of my concerns was the random hives Ella breaks out with. There is no consistent trigger, and they usually only cover one side of her body. That or just one leg or arm. He asked what we gave her to get rid of them, if it worked, and then he tried to explain to me why she got them.

Apparently Ella is part of the one in five people whose body uses hives to fight off infections. They can be active infections or dormant infections. The hives are her bodies defense to eliminate bad cells, and most times prevent her from actually getting sick. I must have been looking at the doctor like he was crazy because he followed up his explanation with a, “no, really, it’s a thing. It’s been greatly studied.”

He asked if Ella gets sick a lot. She honestly used to but has been on a lucky streak for quite some time. I then asked about the elevated temps she randomly gets, and he said that’s all part of what’s going in. He explained that the hives may continue to come in clusters of time, or it could be years before we see them again. He also said people who get these random hives tend to have a rock solid immune system, and are less prone to cancer. All good things.

The afternoon brought a very unpleasant call from the school district, which I promise to discuss when we decide how to proceed. Lots of words and information was shared, on both ends, and we are still trying to process it all. We are waiting on a CSE meeting date,,but in the meantime I will be busy collecting all the data we need.

The highlight of the day, by far, was Ella’s visit from Patti. Patti was Ella’s pre-school aide last year, and she is simply magnificent. Ella made her sweat out the first few seconds of their reunion before cracking a smile and giving Patti tons of love. After that, she didn’t leave Patti’s side the entire visit. It was the sweetest reunion, and we are so glad she came. Caralyn and Gideon too! Jack was having a blast playing with his new buddy.

It’s always so great to see Ella’s face light up when she recognizes someone from her past that she hasn’t seen in awhile. It reassures me that she has developed long lasting relationships and her memory is sharp. Patti was such a huge part of her development last year. I hope she comes back and visits more often. Lately Ella has been having more visitors than anyone else in the family. She’s got quite the social life.

Princess went to bed happy, for the second night in a row. I am hoping she wakes up with the same smile she went to bed with. Her morning mood usually sets the tone for the rest of the day. We all could use a spectacular Ella day tomorrow.

I had the amazing opportunity to catch up with my cousin Christa tonight. I can not even begin to tell you the last time we spoke. She is the oldest of my six first cousins and was always the leader of the girls. She choreographed the best dance routines when we were kids, and could get us to do almost anything. I have such great memories of her growing up.

She is now an assistant principal down in Virginia Beach and has been following all that has been going on with Ella. She was so informative, and provided me with a new perspective on our situation with Ella and school. She also played devils advocate and told me some things I needed to hear. I look forward to many more conversations with her. It’s as though no time was lost.

It was a late night but totally worth every second. I am heading to bed, and praying no one surprises me with an early wake up!

Check us out on IG at:

https://www.instagram.com/zurlnick_five