Allergic to Petey

A lot has happened in the week since I've posted, but I'm not getting in to that since this blog is about Petey not me. There was one thing, however that happened this is directly related to Petey - I am allergic to him. For the record, I'm allergic to everything the allergist tested me for, except Sycamore trees. Go figure.

The allergist is a very sympathetic and realistic doctor. He knew we'd never get rid of Petey so he suggested a few things to help with the symptoms. Some of those things are fairly easy to implement like vacuum and dust more often. It is real easy for me because he told me not to. I don't need any more exposure to the allergens. But he also said that Petey could no longer sleep with us. That, dear reader, is a much larger challenge.

Petey has beds all over the house, but is preferential place to sleep is with someone, wherever they are. For the longest time John and I were strong and we didn't let Petey sleep with us. Petey would snuggle with me in the bed while I read and John did his evening routine. When John came to bed, he would put Petey in the floor and tell him to get in his box. Petey would, but not before a lot of forlorn looks and attempts to get back in the bed. Obviously, it is difficult for even the strongest of individuals to face that night after night, so for a while John would get in the bed for a little cuddle time before putting Petey in the floor. And in time, he stopped putting Petey in the floor. Petey never has stayed all night. We joke about him waiting until we go to sleep and getting up. Since we are asleep we don't know when he gets up but we both have the sense that it isn't very long after we go to sleep that he gets up. We're probably not good company asleep.

The allergist told me that letting Petey sleep in the same bed as me was like sleeping in a lawn of freshly mown grass. My body doesn't know the difference, it just reacts to the allergen at hand. So...the first night I took Petey to the middle bedroom and tucked him in the bed there. I tried to make a big deal out of Petey's special bed, that lasted maybe three minutes. John was up watching TV so he got Petey to sit in the recliner with him. The second night John took him to the middle bedroom, that worked better. John is number one right now, so he has more power!! Last night, though, Petey had apparently had his fill and would absolutely not be dissuaded from getting in the bed. I relented. What is a little sore throat and sinus pressure compared to Petey's hurt feelings? I'll be starting shots soon anyway...

UPDATE:
Petey is doing fairly well not sleeping with us every night. He does, however get on the bed during the day.