Quote:Originally posted by Peg541:
[b]She can roll her eyes any day she wants because that sort of person I DO NOT have to please.[/b]
Peg, this has become my adopted motto these days. I have always considered what everyone else would want & think. But, they are all not responsible for my kids. It is something that I have come to understand at the ripe old age of 28. I want to look back & know that I gave my kids the best guidance, but it was my guidance. It is especially rewarding when at only 5 my DS asked the waitress the other night if the bread had his allergens. It is something I have read about on here & personally saw first hand with Rae's DD, but to see my baby ask & realize he couldn't have the bread & was just fine with it that I know that I am doing what I need to do. I have made many mistakes regarding PA. I would like to say that I have learned from them. But I know that I am doing the best I can do & putting my faith & trust in my God to guide me.
Take care,
mandi

I just discovered this website, and it's so great to find people who are dealing with the same issues I am. I don't have kids--I'm the one with the allergy to soy & peanuts, and I developed it in my 20's. I'd never been allergic to anything, airborne or food, and I couldn't figure out why I was suddenly growing hives all over my body. This was happening at least once a week, but I actually didn't think it was due to allergies. My first episode of anaphylaxis happened while I was driving! I had a choice of stopping at a medical clinic that was nearby, but of course, I chose to drive home instead! Thank God I had called my office before things got really bad, and my guardian angel there called my husband. After that, we decided it was time to get tested. When the RAST test came back with the highest possible score for soy & peanuts, I still didn't get it. I remember saying "well, I don't need Chinese food anyway", and the doctor telling me that it wasn't going to be that easy. I thought I was being vigilant, but soy is hidden in so many thing and I didn't know all of the names for it. Of course, I was also having at least one reaction a week, which varied from hives to other unpleasant things that you all know about but I don't want to mention, to anaphylaxis. Then I had a really severe reaction to a fruit juice drink (I was so swelled that the ER staff used me for show & tell). I had read the ingredients and didn't see anything. I took the bottle to my allergist, and he explained that soy & peanuts aren't always called soy & peanuts. So, I bought "Food Lover's Companion", and I can't believe how many times I've needed it.
Of course, there's the issue of eating out and cross contamination, and the time my co-worker ate peanut butter and I ended up in the ER. Now I carry printed cards that I hand to the waiter, and all peanut & soy products are banned from my house & office.
So, I guess the point of this long post is that if it's hard for me as an adult, I can't imagine what the little ones go thru. I'm only responsible for myself and I still mess up, so my heart goes out to all you parents dealing with this every minute of the day.
Not to mention all those like the nurse that rolled her eyes. I think that's due to food allergies being the "disease of the day" for a while.
OK, time to stop! For all those who read this all the way to the end--I'll take any suggestions you have!

Bumping up for new members

My mistake was eating grapes and pretzils that were on the same table with a bowl of peanuts. People touching peanuts, touching grapes and pretzils. That was how I learned about cross contamination. I became allergic to peanuts when I was 26 years old. Took a long time to figure out what was going on with my symptoms because they were different then the usual symptoms and have gotten worse with each exposure.
Also always trust your instincts.

Quote:Originally posted by Peg541:
[b]
If I do not stand up for them when they are small and defenseless then who will? . . .
I throw that word "anaphylaxis" around to anyone who will listen. Also "shock." If they do not understand I say "DEAD" and they listen. . . .
She can roll her eyes any day she wants because that sort of person I DO NOT have to please. . . . [/b]
<>
Even after 6+ years, I need to remind myself of the best, most effective way to advocate and ALSO what type of response will just shut down the other person & any reception . . .
Peg, [i] thank you [/i] for earning any and all gray hairs you *might* have [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img] & for blazing the way for so very many of us.
[b] [i] Thank you. [/i] [/b]
~
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~Eli[b]Z[/b]abeth,
Mother to 2:
DD age 5, NKA, treated as though PA/TNA
DS age 8, PA, possible TNA
(PA diagnosed & ana reaction 1999)
Member here since 2000

What a great topic!
After reading the stories of throwing out the PA I just can't do that (yet). My 11yr old only eats PB he is a very picky eater. That is his only protien. My 4yr old is a 48 on cap test. We are very careful and my older boy knows to wash his hands. However, if 4yr old does have a reaction I know that is when I will change my mind about having PB in the house. Right now we are being VERY CAREFUL!

Trusting the professionals and not doing my own research. I know it sounds awful but they didn't make a big deal out of it so I really didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't know that he might be allergic to more foods. I didn't know about cross contamination or residue. I didn't know that there were other names for foods. I didn't know I could give benadryl. I didn't have an epipen or even know what one was. I was told he might have hives on occasion and if he stops breathing to call an ambulance. On the one occasion I should have used an epipen, given benadryl, and called 911 I just kept telling myself he's still breathing so he's ok. It wasn't a new food and it wasn't one he had been tested for. That's when I decided that I needed to teach myself.
Not to people please. It's hard for me to speak up sometimes but I've had to learn that my son's life is more important than whether so and so thinks I'm crazy or not.

A LOT of our mistakes were made when my son was first diagnosed, over 9 years ago...just not knowing enough, keeping PB in the house for us, not even knowing about may contain food at that time...Now we are old pros at this, but there are still things I learn all of the time, some, thanks to this website. This website gave me the power I needed to learn, and educate myself, and my kids..We are a household without any may contains, period. Thanks for the idea!
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Amy (mom of 2)
Son PA/TNA
Daughter PA/TNA

Hi everyone! I was doing an unrelated search and stumbled into this post, and had a question i was hoping someone could answer.
many of you said that you would never drive to er, ALWAYS call 911, i was wondering why this is? is it just because the ambulance can get you there faster, or another reason? In my case, the fire station (obviously where the ambulances dispatch from) is located further away than the closest ER, so it would actually be faster and easier to get myself to the ER before the ambulance would even be able to arrive.
my 2 cents on the rest of the subject:
no matter how careful you are (or think you are), peanuts in a home with pa children is like playing russian roulette. my sons 1st (and only, knock on wood) ana reaction was at age 3 months, when i ate a pb cup (knowing of allergy), washed my hands 2x with different soaps and scalding hot water, and then 20 min later made him a bottle, with my finger over the nipple to shake. my 12lb (*maybe* - he was teeny!) baby got prescribed an epi pen at the ER that same day. having pn in the house is NOT SAFE under ANY circumstance.
and also his 1st reaction, at 2 months was just atopic - he got hives bc i ate something i didnt realize had peanut oil in it. peanuts are everywhere, be diligent reading labels!

Getting to the ER faster is one reason...but also, ambulances are equipped with life saving equipment and medications that can be adminstered enroute should the reaction become more severe prior to arriving at the hospital. For me personally, if my child were having a severe reaction I don't know if I would be in the right state of mind to drive him myself to the hospital...we would probably get to the hospital in the same amount of time from our house if we drove vs calling 911, but the possibility of a more severe reaction occurring enroute is not a chance I'd want to take. We have (thankfully) never had to do this, but the protocol my son's allergist gave us was to administer the epipen first, then immediately call 911 and state that our child is having an anaphylactic reaction, that epipen was administered and we that we need emergency personnel. I don't know if that answers your question or not, but I hope it helps.