I would like to say that things have stabilized and I am perfectly OK eating and cooking for myself at home. I eat a wide variety of foods, and the only whole foods that I cannot eat are eggplant, fish, and pork. I buy chicken carefully, cook it immediately, and freeze leftovers.

The main issues now are associated with contacts with our medical system. It's also difficult to travel. I am currently on vacation in CA; became caught up with other's expectations; ate carelessly, and then developed a cluster headache after attempting to eat pork. The resulting severe headache required a course of prednisone, which lowered my immune system. I caught a bad cold and had to go to urgent care. I've been coughing all night but not able to take the usually liquid OTC cough medicines. (Liquids can be especially bad and it doesn't say exactly what's in them.)

So the familiar and demoralizing routine: having to explain to yet another set of doctors why an underlying condition could effect my symptoms and I could have a bad reaction to antibiotics. I have to say: In this case they were especially attentive and actually listened. A doctor prescribed an epi-pen when I described the nighttime facial, lip, tongue, and throat swelling that sometimes comes with bad reactions. I cry when I see it. The problems with doctors and getting care are worse than the symptoms themselves and I am especially touched when a doctor actually cares.

It's been 2 years and I should say that of all the practitioners that I saw for this, it was actually conventional MDs who finally believed me and did what they could. It just required persistence, and very detailed descriptions of the foods and symptoms. They operate under a horrible system, don't get much time to speak with patients, and are generally overwhelmed with people who have made crazy self-diagnosis on the internet. But I currently have a PCP, neurologist, and allergist/immunologist all caring for me. It's been an incredible journey.