Boo: A Halloween surprise (hint: it wasn't candy)

Husband and I left work midday and both went to see an allergist Friday (Halloween). This was something we'd been thinking about doing for quite some time but kept putting off, and we finally made appointments and drug ourselves there. We are both plagued with sniffly noses and watery eyes due to a variety of perceived allergens, and we went to identify exactly what those allergens were and to arm ourselves with some kind of medication.

The nurses performed our scratch tests at the same time. Husband and I had both had scratch tests around similar ages when we were younger (I had mine in the sixth grade). On children, the test is performed on their forearms, but on adults, there are a larger number of scratches made on their backs (55, to be exact). Once scratched with various allergens, an excruciatingly itchy fifteen minutes must pass before the doctor can return to evaluate the results.

When I was tested eleven years ago, being the weak, wheezing child that I was, in addition to my asthma, I was found to be allergic to cats, ragweed, and unbaked flour. Husband wasn't allergic to anything when he was originally tested (lucky fellow). The results Friday, however, were quite different. Husband showed allergies to quite a few naturally occurring triggers (like grass and some kind of mold that grows in corn...he should probably think about moving from Indiana to a desert...). I added a few new similar allergens, but the biggest disappointment, in addition to my already well known allergy to cats, was a new allergy to dogs.

DOGS! *weeps with anguish*

I had always resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to have an indoor cat as a pet. The saving grace to this sad, sad reality was that I would be able to have a dog! An adorable, cuddly, purse-sized dog! BUT NO MORE. Thank you very much, Dr. Clayton, for stomping on my pet owning dreams. And then stomping some more. And then pissing a little.

At least he gave us prescriptions for Flonase.

Of course, I am currently living at my in-laws' home with their miniature poodle, Kasey. He's very lovable and is always in the mood for some attention, but I try not to touch him too much, and he gets a firm talking to if he jumps on our bed. Silver lining: at least poodles don't shed?

So now I need to console myself by beginning to repair my dream and think up a new plan to welcome some cuddly bit of fur into my future home...

...do bunnies have dander?