In elementary school, I ate peanut butter and fluff sandwiches almost daily. There was no such thing as a peanut allergy. If there was, no one had one.
I've become keenly aware of food allergies since both my children suffer from life threatening ones. I've never had a food allergy in my life (except cilantro, but I’m thinking that’s not a real one.) Nor has my husband.
Yet here we are, parents of two allergen boys.
I first found out about my youngest son’s peanut allergy when I encouraged him to eat peanut butter and jelly on Matzah during Passover when he was close to 3 years old. After his nap his lip was swollen.
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An hour later his eye swelled shut.
Being the astute mother that I am, I figured it out rather quickly. I rushed him in for allergy testing the next day.
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“Just to let you know,” my amazing pediatrician told me, “it may come back positive but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s severe.”
Not only did we find out he was allergic, but deathly allergic. I'm lucky all we dealt with was a swollen eye.
Our oldest had a reaction to scrambled eggs at the age of four, I was clueless this time. I just thought he had a bad reaction to it.
I know: mother of the year.
So, my life consists of carrying EpiPens, dropping off EpiPens at play dates, confirming to said play dates mother or father that my children have allergies, confirming at birthday parties that the cake is safe for him to eat. If not safe to eat, I need to bring safe cupcake to eat so as not to feel excluded.
I also talk to people behind the ice cream counter and ask them to use a clean scooper when scooping ice cream, as well as check with waiters to make sure food is safe to eat, check at Disney World buffets to see if food is safe to eat. I rememeber to carry Benadryl with me, just in case; to carry a second EpiPen when traveling on vacation, to carry a third EpiPen when traveling on vacation, just in case two children have reactions and just in case one EpiPen doesn't do the trick.
(I admit; I’m a bit neurotic, but I’m hoping you mothers of allergic kids can relate to this.)
So for those of you who can relate to my world - you aren’t alone.
For those of you who have kids who can eat anything in site - consider yourself lucky.
I'm so tired of reading ingredients on packages (especially now that I’m 43 and it requires me to take out my reading glasses!)
Nuts are making me nuts!
