Backing Away From the Ledge

Did you ever want to slap someone for leaving out a very key element to something that has upset you greatly - only you're too happy about hearing that left out element that you completely forget to do it? Me too!

I spent this weekend curled up in a ball thinking about how radically my life was going to change since being told that my allergy levels for cow's milk and yeast were extremely high and the test papers I received said I was to eliminate these foods completely from my diet. It even had a bunch of exclamation points after it - you know, like high voltage!!!! or rip tide!!! or soccer mom crossing!!!! - all warning you of a very dangerous situation. And so I took it to heart - really!!!!!

That is, until this morning when I phoned the allergist's nurse to ask the result of other tests. We got to talking and through a series of questions that I, the non-health professional, asked, it seems that instead of being at risk for going into shock, my system was simply overloaded with milk and yeast and that's what raised the reading to such a high level. I asked if this elimination requirement was a life sentence or did I just need more balance in my diet? She said I just needed to avoid these foods and be retested in 6 months but that I could certainly enjoy these foods again at some future date. And you were going to tell me this when......? Oh, and she laughed when she said that so many people react the same exact way. Really? Is that so? Well, I guess that means that you're just scaring the shit out of people unnecessarily by leaving out such major pieces of the puzzle.

So as I back away from the ledge of a life without hot fudge sundaes or bread, join me in a rice milk toast as I enjoy the breeze of the just dodged bullet.