I\'m in Chandler

Hi Linda, I'm PA in northern Arizona (Oak Creek Canyon) There are a few in your age group with PA kids in the PHX area. I don't know how to put a link here for the recent Arizona thread but you'll find it if you go to 'search' and enter 'Arizona'.

If you come north and want info on where NOT to eat, let me know. Also, AJ, who is often on the boards, lives in Tucson and has kindly shared info on Tucson restaurants.

Likewise, if you know of safe restaurants in the PHX area, I'd love the info. Thanks!

I moved from Ahwatukee almost 2 years ago (in CT now). I didn't know of any support groups while I was there. I also didn't look for them. I already had several friends dealing with various food allergies by the time Jimmy was born, so they were all the support I needed.

I am in Phoenix. I don't know of any support groups here.

Lingling

Hey - i'm in chandler too and I love to join or start a group! I live in cooper commons- cooper and riggs. We moved here last year - my son is 4 and has PA. my other son is 8 - goes to Hull. I'm a stay at home mom- you didn't have an email listed or i would have tried. Lets get together!

My email address is [email]lingling_hua@hotmail.com[/email]. I would like to help to start a local support group. Please let me know what I can do.

Thanks

Lingling

I am trying to get a group going in Phoenix - in june at the south east regional library in gilbert. Either june 18 or 25 around 9 am. If you are interested PLEASE come join - email me- I love the MOCHAllergies.org site and would like to recreate a group like that here.

[This message has been edited by proactive (edited June 09, 2005).]

raising

I am very interested. I live on the North west side of town in Glendale/North Phoenix. I would be willing to travel to east side for a meeting. My email is [email]ahensley11@cox.net[/email] Please email me. I also have 4 friends with PA kids I have just met in the community that also may be interested in coming. Thanks for raising this.
Andrea

Hi Andrea, I emailed 'proactive' - the person who was trying to get a support group together just in case she doesn't check PA.com regularly. I hope you guys can get together.

Last week I ate at the California Pizza Kitchen on Camelback & 24th. CPK is well rated here as being allergy aware but I was really disappointed. The waitress didn't have a clue what I was talking about. But she took my chef card to the kitchen and said they would check my order. There were lots of things on the menu with peanut sauces, etc. I wasn't entirely comfortable eating there but I did anyway with no consequences.

Do you go to restaurants in PHX? Any recommendations?
Many thanks, Adele

Hi Adele,
Good to know someone else here! My son, who will be three this month, is the one with the PA so I don't ever take him with me to resturants except McDonalds, Peter Piper Pizza, and tomorrow we will order Quiznos. Oh yeah, we also get Rays Pizza on Union HIlls and 35th ave at least once a week. They know its me when I order over the phone because I always ask about ingredients. I love them. I have called Olive Garden in preparation for Mother's day last year and the tomato/meat sauce and noodles were okay as was the salad and dressing, but I couldn't find out about the bread sticks because they were baked at a local (Holosum - I think) bakery and we could never connect to see if they used peanuts in that plant. I have a good friend that goes to a local mexican resturant frequently (not a chain) with her PA son, but I will have to ask what the name is again. Do you frequent resturants a lot? I would just love to know safe resturants and or bakeries in town. I have to make dessert at even family function (which is ok) but I would love to be able to pick up treats for school etc easily (besides Krispy Kreme). I think if we started a group - I could easily get a couple of friends with PA children to come to. I live on the Northwest side, where are you? Are you PA or is someone in your family PA? How has life been for you - I would love to sit and talk in person some time. Thanks for emailing the others.

Take care,
Andrea

Hello Everyone,

Life has dramatically changed for us here. My PA son was retested for his allergy in July. His skin prick test was Neg. Blood test then was Neg. So we did an oral challenge in his allergist's office. That was NEGATIVE too. It was a huge long story that I posted on the Main Discussion board a number of times while we were going through it. Very dramatic! We have been living a "normal" life since then. No more reading lables. He eats everything now. We even need to make sure he eats PB to keep him immune. It was pretty difficult at first and now it's much easier...but it still gives me a pause before he eats it. We do not worry about cross contaimination any longer. He's been able to eat so many many things that he was NEVER allowed to before. It's been very exciting for all of us. He's 9 now and we've lived with allergy for 8 yrs. I wish you all luck. I still hang around the Main Discussion board. I probably wouldnt need a support group any longer. Life has changed so much since I posted this. I just wanted to let you all know....there *is* hope for a child to outgrow....many hopes and prayers sent you way.....

Linda

h20baby, Congratulations! So happy to hear that your ds has outgrown PA. It's encouraging for the other members with PA kids.

Andrea, I am in Oak Creek Canyon, north of Sedona. I'm 56 with adult-onset PA. I just found out 7 months ago but it had been making me sick for years. Now I am a NEW woman! Amazing. Tell me about your son's PA. When did you find out and how?

I travel a lot so am forced to eat in restaurants when I'm not at home. I spend time in PHX on the way back from the airport or on a shopping trip so it would be nice to know of a safe restaurant. I'll make a note of Ray's Pizza - isn't it close to I-17? I'd like more information on the Mexican restaurant where your friend eats, when you have time.

When I was first dx with PA I emailed Oroweat bread and was told that they don't recommend their products for people with PA. I called Aunt Hatties breads (they have a bread named SEDONA and another called OAK CREEK CANYON) and was told their plants are PN-free. Even the sunflower seeds in the bread are processed on PN-free equipment. Aunt Hatties bread is probably available at most grocery stores in PHX. I haven't been into a bakery since dx and don't know of any safe ones in Arizona....though there may be.

I shop at Safeway. Safeway products claim to practice allergen labelling including labelling for cross-contamination. I'm not convinced.

Aren't you new to PA? Do you know that it is NOT required by law in the US to disclose on the label if there is a chance for cross-contamination? A new labelling law goes into effect in 2006 but I'm still not sure if cross-contamination labelling will be required.

Shortly after being dx with PA I ate in a restaurant where the manager is PA. He sat and talked with me for a long time. I was afraid to eat anything. The time he spent with me really helped.

I'm still learning how to deal with PA. It controls my life too much. I have to preplan a lot more when I travel, where to eat....what to eat, etc. It also makes me feel like a hypochondriac....always having to think of PA because of the potential consequences. There are lots of other adult PA's here including Erik and ajgauthier who live comfortably with PA. I'll get there!

I hope you get a support group going in PHX. I think you're all mothers of PA kids so you'll have a lot in common. If I can make it to a meeting, I'd like to! Keep me posted.

[This message has been edited by Adele (edited September 04, 2005).]

Linda,
What great news! My dh was very disappointed when my ds PA level went down to 122 or <.65, because it wasn't totally gone. He remembers the allergist telling us that if he hadn't outgrow it by three he probably wouldn't. Now he says there is still a chance and to retest in one year. Can you tell me more about your oral challenge and how often did you test for RAST or spt? Where did you eat out while here in Phoenix. You have valuable information and I totally understand why you don't "need" a support group any longer - hopefully someday we will be there to. Do you mind sharing some PA safe resturants here in Phoenix and some more about the frequency of the testing you did. Thanks so much and congrats!
Andrea

Hi Adele,
Sorry to hear of such a late PA! I guess in this case never is better than late eh? Rays Pizza is about a 1/2 mile west of the i -17 on Union Hills. Very yummy. I have only eaten the pizza there so you would need to check on other ingredients. Also, I will find out the name of the Mexican resturant this week and let you know. I am glad you are feeling better overall and I can't imagine what a lifestyle change this must have been for you to get a PA diagnosis as an adult.

Andrea

Hi to Adele, Lingling and Andrea - Thanks to Adele for emailing me - I don't come to the site too often, more like feast or famine. My emotions go on such a roller coaster here - incredibly excited for happy news and then paranoid about sad news.

I wanted to start a group over the summer but it seemed hard for people to meet. Our school started in July and I've been in a slump since then. I planned on giving out to the school nurses in Chandler a flyer requesting a support group and also advertising in the local papers.

I am ready to set up a date, time, place if you are ready to come. Are weekends better for you?(trying to be respectful to dual working families and families with activities during the weekday afternoon/evenings ) How about Sunday afternoon ~ 1:30 October 2nd? I originally chose Gilbert Southeast Regional Library because there are NW moms who could get there about the same time I could. I live in SE chandler.This gives me one month to mobilize and advertise locally.
The "flyers" were similiar to the ones suggested in the book by Linda Coss - How to manage your child's life threatening allergies. It states: mother of food allergic child would like to form support group for learning,sharing,educating others. then my name, #, email. Linda Coss also suggests having a speaker talk for the first part of the meeting (to help legitimize the meeting? draw interest?) and have a sign up sheet at the door.
Do you know anyone we could get to speak? My allergist and I are not exactly buddies. I have not contacted the Chandler School Nurse, but she Might be interested (that could be a stretch...)It could be hard to get a speaker on short notice and to get one to come on a weekend.
I would like to meet regardless of speaker.My PA son is 5 this month and will enter KG public school next year. I need emotional support/ information now in order to make a 501 and deal with this.
email me [email]markandeya@email.com[/email]
thanks, jeannine

HI Jeannine,
I emailed you privately, but I am interested. Are their NW valley moms on this list also? I can't make the 2nd due to my PA son's birthday party is that exact afternoon, but would definetly come to another/next meeting.
Andrea

I don't have any little PA kids so I wouldn't be of any help as far as schools go. But I'd like to attend a meeting or two as the PA grandma of the group. I can't make it on October 2nd meeting but would like to be advised of future meetings.

I live just south of Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon, just north of Sedona. Next summer, would anyone be interested in a PA picnic at the park? Escape the heat of PHX and head north! (2 hours drive north of PHX) It's at 5,000' altitude so is much cooler.

If you haven't been to Oak Creek Canyon it is really spectacular and within the park is the famous slide, where you can slip down a mossy chute in the creek. Maybe we could convince Adrienne (ajgauthier) in Tucson to come also! Perhaps a PN-free potluck picnic where the kids can eat anything they want!

As Sedona is a tourist mecca anyway, maybe this could be the first annual peanut-free picnic and invite everyone from PA.com. There are a lot of campgrounds in the canyon on the creek and family style cabins or regular hotels/motels in the canyon and in Sedona for those that would like to make a weekend of it.

The park is walking distance from my house. I could get there early and save picnic tables, etc. What do you think?
Any interest?

[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/pakeha/SlideRockStatePark.jpg[/img]

[This message has been edited by Adele (edited September 05, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Adele (edited September 05, 2005).]

Adele,
That is a great idea!!!How fun! Slide rock is great and it would be so wonderful for everyone to feel safe at a gathering!
Andrea

Andrea, glad to hear your response. What time of the year do you think would work the best for those of you with school age kids? We'd have afternoon thunderstorms to worry about after the first or second week in July when the monsoons start.

Adele
we love slide rock park, picnics and any time pnut free! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
my kiddies are on year-round school - schools ends may 31 2006. Any time in june or july is great. But boy, is that water cold !!! Thanks for the invite - plan the date, we'll be there.

Andrea, wouldn'cha know it - i plan on The Date most important to your litte one! Well...I'm flexible! Let's Change the Date! What works for you?
There are some NW moms, with older PA kids I think, on this site. From Peoria,glendale - I emailed a few others from phoenix too - It may interest them to check back on PA.com. we'll see. Try my home email - I'll keep tabs on it now. Thanks, jeannine

OK - let's plan on it! A PA picnic at Slide Rock State Park next summer, probably mid to late June before the monsoon season starts.

If anyone has a time preference, let me know. I can't do it earlier in the month as I will be gone. I'll start a separate post and invite the rest of the PA.com as a lot of people vacation here.

Cheers, Adele