Life is a Highway

One of the biggest challenges of Sydney’s OIT journey has been the actual journey.  She and I travel 9 hours each way, twice a month, from Florida to North Carolina to see Dr. Nash.  The first question I always get is, “Are you crazy?!”  The second one is, “Isn’t there a doctor in Florida that does this?”  The answer to both is, quite emphatically, “Yes!”

Choosing to be treated by a doctor so far from home was not an easy decision.  There is one doctor in Florida who has experience with milk OIT but, at the time we wanted to start, no peanut experience.  Call me crazy, but I wanted to stick with the doctor with the most experience and the most scientific, conservative protocol.  Dr. Nash provides and weighs all doses of peanut flour and sends me home with precise amounts.  Some protocols mix a small jug with Kool-Aid and flour, telling the parent to shake well and pour out a measured amount.  Other protocols involve eating peanut M&M’s in increasing amounts.  I know many moms who handle these systems just fine, but I just didn’t feel confident in myself to be precise all the time.

So, that’s the long answer as to why we load up and hit the highway so often.  The drives are pretty simple – literally a straight shot up I-95 nearly the whole way.  We have our routines already established.  The same exits up and back in GA and SC.  Thank god for Starbucks along the highway too!  They've saved me more than once.  

Our favorite exit in GA - Starbucks and Krispy Kreme in one building!  

Between the caffeine and the sugar, we won't fall asleep for days.

Fortunately, we both have similar car trip styles (i.e. music, rest stops, food, etc.).  Unfortunately, the ride has proven to cause a delayed stress explosion for Sydney.  The entire ride is fine.  But, more than once, she has let off steam upon hotel arrival with a burst of crying, yelling, or just plain meanness.  No, it’s not being a teenager.  This is totally out of character.  (She is really an incredible and kind person.)  So, we are trying to come up with a few relaxation and calming rituals for her upon arrival.  So far nothing has worked, but we are open to suggestion.

One way we stay sane on these endless road trips is to convince friends to travel with us.  Sydney has some wonderful friends and a pretty awesome boyfriend.  Twice we’ve been lucky enough to have company for the ride.  I’m not sure these poor kids know what they’re getting themselves in to when they decide to come, though.  “It’ll be FUN!  Piece of cake!  9 hours goes by SO fast!”  (At this point, I don’t think they’d believe me if I told them the sky is blue.)

Visit to the mall and PF Chang's with a friend.  

Sydney wore a Lolita fashion dress she created.

It's de rigueur to stop at South of the Border.  

If nothing else than to marvel at the ghost town.

During Nut Watch 2013 in December we learned that our 10 year old, beloved Honda Odyssey was definitely a Florida girl.  She did NOT like the cold weather and protested repeatedly (cruise control wouldn’t work until we hit GA again, doors slid open reluctantly, ice formed on the inside of the windshield, the radio refused to squawk – not cool with a teen in the car!).  I knew we would have to replace her before next winter, but she had other ideas.  In late April and early May she literally started falling apart.  The timeline had to be accelerated (much to my husband’s dismay) and on Mother’s Day, Scarlett was born.  Scarlett has a complex personality and we are still learning how she operates.  It’s become a joke that every week I still find something new.  I’m thankful to have such a safe, reliable, and comfortable ride for the next two years for our insane amount of traveling!  

Meet Scarlett.
She's already carried us 8,686 miles in just 78 days.