The Allergy Test

Allergic to EVERYTHING they injected me with...except mold.

For those of you who don’t know, people with really bad allergies can go get a skin test to find out specifically what is causing your allergies.  The doctor has a little sample platter of typical allergens – pollen, cats, dogs, dust, etc., and he or she injects you with a little bit of each of these things and then waits to see what happens.  They do it in a grid pattern, usually on your back.  Once you have been injected, you lay still and try not to touch or scratch your back (even though its itching like  9,000,000 ants are crawling all over it) for about 20 minutes as you wait to see if you have a skin reaction to any of the allergens.

My parents had me tested as a child – maybe around 2nd grade.  Back in those days they did my back and both my arms. I cried the entire time and didn’t understand why I was being stabbed repeatedly with needles and why I was alternately itching, breaking out in hives, or suffocating.  I did get a Barbie doll at the end of my session.  Actually, my mom stood in front of me during the procedure, holding the Barbie just out of reach to remind me to sit still and not scream too loudly.

I had the nurse at my recent testing in 2010 take this picture of my back.  This was taken after about 8 minutes.  After injecting me she said she would be back in 20, but I suggested she come back sooner since I’m CRAZY allergic.  I could tell she thought I was being dramatic but she did come back, about 8 minutes later.  “Holy crap, you ARE allergic!” she shouted, which was a little alarming but hilarious too.

See those big blotches in the center and top right?  Those are cats and dogs.  Clearly my body hates these animals with a passion that may only be matched by its hatred of cigarettes, gluten, and milk products.

Allergies are fun