March 18 came and I was beginning to think this was never going to end. Like anything else it will run its course and go away. I think this is what the doctor hoped would happen also. We began talking about things we may have to do if nothing changed… but he was taking no action to help me anymore than he already had been, which clearly wasn’t working. After these 2 episodes Id had ENOUGH. I swore this would be my LAST visit to the ER. I’m not sure you can tell by the pictures but, It seemed to be that the hives started at my head, face area and worked now its working its way down…

My entire body was now extremely swollen... I could not even see my ankle bones I was that swollen. My body was in so much agony, rings wouldn't even fit my fat fingers. 

If I didn’t get the answers I wanted that Monday, I was going to go to someone else. I had heard all along that the best of the best was The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida. On that Monday, I brought my Me-Me with me to Tuscaloosa. Unsure if Dr. Dishuck would change my course of therapy.

After 15 minutes in a room, Dr. Dishuck, a tall skinny man walked in. When I say this man is tall I mean… You have to literally look up at him. He sat down on his stool and asked how I had been. I told him about these last episodes and he began his speech. This began with, “ I see hives everyday, but I have done all I can for you and there is nothing more I can do for you.” You can only imagine the things racing through my head by now. He goes on to tell me about Dr. Bonner in Birmingham. Dr. Bonner is someone who will try more risky methods he said. He gave me a list and an explanation of 3, Zolair… Tacrolimus… a drug used for gout. Dr. Bonner could see me on Wednesday at 8:00 am. Remember… it is still Monday, so we headed to Birmingham. We spent Tuesday shopping; eating cheesecake and talking about school, what the doctor would do, what he would look like? Just the normal things people would question when headed to the doctor. My cravings for every food in sight led my grandmother to give me speeches about how much sugar I was in taking. That night we went to see a movie… her pick HALL PASS. Just FYI DO NOT go and see this with your grandmother. My grandmother is one cool lady but full frontal nudity isn’t quite appropriate. 

"Light tomorrow with today." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning