Allergies that come & go

Had a very excited granddaughter on the phone telling me about her visit to the doctor and him pricking her arm. She can now have chocolate - her treat for being so good all these years - chocolate fingers.

For children born with allergies, it's a nightmare when it comes to food. Both my grandchildren were born lactose intolerant.

They had to go for tests every six months - doctors kept saying they might grow out of it. My grandson was cleared just after his 2nd birthday but my granddaughter's case has dragged on. Now over 3 years to be cleared of her milk allergy is great - she said no more Soya and she can now have some of my friend's Jaffa cakes which are hidden in my cupboard. Funny girl.

Sadly her peanut nut allergy will probably be for life. She loves marzipan on cakes so almonds are obviously not a problem.

Must be honest I have to admire the way they have both coped with it - they have never complained. It is difficult to make young children understand that something they may eat could make them very ill. It's worrying for parents.

By sheer coincidence went to the doctors myself for the results of my own test. Seems I've also got the all clear. I was told I have developed a wheat allergy and since I was 14 anything oily or milky foods have always made me feel sick so I've avoided them as much as possible for most of my life.

What I don't understand is how dangerously high cholesterol levels can drop back to normal without medication. I was given Statins last year but they made me so sick and mentally confused I just refused to take them. Don't think the doctors really believed me when I told them. I don't cook any fried food - there is only olive and sesame seed oil in my cupboard. Nor do I drink dairy milk of any kind. All I have done to change my diet is to drink Soya chocolate milk as a substitute for chocolate sweets and deserts. Then reduced the amount of carbohydrates to try and lose some weight.

As I'm at an age when doctors send you appointments for government approved tests for all sorts, I've given up trying to fight the system because if one doesn't attend the appointments the letters just don't stop - the docs told me that they keep getting reminder letters from authorities if patients don't comply. For now they have my co-operation at least to stop all the useless paper that comes though the letterbox.