SC - Allergies in general OT OOP

[Jehanne Argentee]

On allergies... 

Not sure why more American's are allergic, though the genetic diversity
idea sounds right to me.

I was born with a severe (read: Nearly killed me several times) allergy to
milk. No way my work environment could have caused that one. ;) It also
makes me lend some credance to Nanna's theory on why there are no/few
Icelanders with milk allergies.

DO NOT TRY THE FOLLOWING AT HOME! SEE A DOCTOR FIRST!

Sorry about that disclaimer. Under the supervision of a physician, my
parents got me -somewhat- acclaimized to cows milk. Every day for the first
week they would take out one drop of soybean milk using an eyedropper, and
replaced it with one drop of cow's milk. The next week, I got two drops a
day. In this manner, over YEARS, my parents built me up a tolerance, so
that instead of going from being fine to convulsions and not breathing, I
go from feeling fine, to being lightheaded, to feeling feverish (though I'm
not) & sweating, to vomiting, to convulsions... Not sure if I could drink
enough to make me stop breathing, and I'm not about to try.

I watch what I eat carefully, and keep myself below the danger line. My BF
watches out for me too, and asks me if I've had any milk today when I
realize that the restraunt has Tiramisu for dessert. He especially watches
out for me if I reach the "lightheaded" stage... I act pretty much as if I
was someone who was a "giddy drunk" even though I haven't had a drop of
alcohol. :P 

Between my own battles with milk, and a drug allergy doing my sister
permenant harm, I treat all allergies with healthy respect.

Jehanne

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