Short Term Sacrifices for Long Term Gains!

I think each and every one of you who emailed me, called me, texted me, and left me encouraging messages. I am very blessed that near and far I have so many people praying and thinking of me in what has been a very.... challenging time (best way to describe it).

Yesterday was a pretty good visit with my doctor.... people say I am crazy to drive 3 hours for a doctor.... but it definitely was worth it.

The end result is this.... I do have to go to some specialists.... and in that it is more to eliminate the obvious and the not to obvious to narrow down the causes. The problem with those who suffer from Chronic Uticaria (Chronic Hives) is that the real cause may never be known and can go away on it's own as little as a few weeks to a couple years.... so it could be a long road ahead. However, in the meantime, and trying to figure things out.... here are the next steps:

1. Going on a medication that could very well stop the hives and reactions (Prednisone).
2. Also, going on Prilosec to help with GERD (which I have)... which could be the cause for recent chest pains.
3. Elimination Diet (I am about to be more boring folks.... back to basics and slowly integrating things back in to find any triggers and anything that seem to heighten the issues). No dairy, no grains, no sugar, no caffeine, and no alcohol.
4. Will be following up with specialists here in LA to see an allergist and cardiologist.
    -EKG done and everything came back as "normal" as I will have being that I have Tetralogy
     of Fallot.
5. Ordered blood work and lab work for me to get done here in LA to:
    -Test my liver
    -Test my thyroid
    -Test for lupus
    -Test for other allergens
     
6. On a side note: I have always been prone to freckles and moles and after a couple years of watching a few I have.... will be having them removed as one is cancerous... so that happens in September and at that time we will check in to see how all the above are doing in my getting better.

In addition to this, switching allergy medicines.

So this is progress. It is game plan I can get in-line with. I was so disappointed after going to UCLA and the answer was to just pawn me off to a specialist without trying anything in the meantime... so I am glad I have this plan in the midst of it.

So nothing too exciting, if anything I will be a little more boring. I may be indecisive when it comes to eating.... now it is just going to be easy "Anywhere with salad, protein, and no processed foods"... should be easy right? :)

Thank you all again! It means a lot. I see all of this as a short term sacrifice for long term gain!