No mice for you!

I went to an allergist yesterday to investigate why my sinuses would be chronically full and pissed off, why I get hives a lot, and why I have several annoying itchy spots of skin that haven't gone away in over two years. Three hours and over 65 tests later, I was told that I am allergic to the following things:

• dust mites
• wheat
• yeast
• MICE

They did a blood test for a gluten allergy as well (it is a different testing process), so I had to endure three needles in my arm before they could get my veins to cooperate. Evidently my veins are "wiggly" -- they're nice and big, and easy to find, but once the needle goes in, they wiggle around or something so they can't get a good draw.

The first woman who attempted to tame my wiggly veins was rough and not very friendly. Even though it felt like she was ripping my vein from my arm and I was complaining loudly, she kept on digging. I suggested that I come back another time and then she called Portia over. Portia was awesome. She was a middle-aged Asian woman with a kind voice and comforting demeanor. She held my hand and said, "Ooooff! You're freezing! Let me run some hot water!" She proceeded to fill three latex gloves with hot water to put on my hand and arm. May I just say that a latex glove filled with water is one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen...all floppy and fingery. A minute later she had stuck the needle in with hardly a pinch and was drawing blood easily. I'm requesting Portia from now on.

So, I've got a CT scan of my sinuses scheduled and a recheck in a month (after the blood test comes back from the lab). It is such a relief to have an actual diagnosis for something after all the mysterious ailments I've been dealing with. No longer will I have to say, "I wonder if I'm allergic to..." because now I know. And it's definite.

Now the question is: How do I kick my mouse-sniffing habit?