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| We bought Q one of these for his birthday a few years ago! They are awesome! |
This article is the latter. She is able to get a couple of points across that I haven't been able to put into written word.
First she starts off by talking about how she is in a meeting and someone makes the comment that they should "steer clear of those crazy allergy parents". Unless you are a crazy allergy parent you wouldn't understand how much this hurts. Q and I have been uninvited to playgroup, birthday parties and other events because people didn't want to deal with his allergies.
She then goes on to explain exactly how it feels every day of my life. "Every single day I send my daughter to school, I say good-bye to her knowing that her life could be jeopardized because of what someone else chooses to eat. Every day I wave good-bye to her on the bus I think of the countless ways her airway could be compromised because of someone else’s snack or sandwich. If that’s not enough to make you crazy, I don’t know what is…so yes, I suppose on some level I am a crazy allergy parent. I’m crazy about keeping my daughter safe.”
I dont send Q to school yet, and in the fall when he starts preschool I am sure I will be on edge, so please be patient with me. EVERY DAY I worry about him. Going to new restaurants stress me out. I am on high alert the entire meal and dont end up eating anything myself, because every little cough or scratch sends me searching for my Epi Pen. I dont hire babysitters because I worry that if he eats something on their clock they wont give him the epi pen or realize whats wrong. I also worry about what that type of situation would be for them. So if you can imagine worrying about those things 24/7 for 365 you might understand why we are crazy.
She also mentions that she doesn't want her daughter to be defined by her allergies. I dont want Q's life to be a life of I cant do that, or missing out and only playing with me. I always am willing to bring snacks just for him to parties or playdates. I think he should still get to have friends and experience everything a typical 3 year old boy should, even with his allergies.
Her final thought is that she grateful for her friends and family. I dont think I have said how truly grateful I am for my friends and family. My friends have strengthened me whitout realizing it. They have given me vegan cookbooks, made me vegan meals so I can start making things for all of us, sent me articles about studies they find. They have invited Q over for playdates and deep cleaned their house before he shows up. They have taught their own children to ask if Q can have certain food so that he has other kids looking out for him. These same kids came running when Q took a drink of someones Milkshake to tell me what happened. When I have been in the hospital with him, or just pushed to my limits we have gone to Starbucks for a venting session or just texted me letting me know they were there for me.
I dont think I can say enough how grateful I am for my family. Whenever we go to my moms in California the first thing we do is make sure Q has plenty of options for food, and if we are going to a restaurant that I'm unsure if it is safe for him, we have driven across town for McDonalds and they have never complained or rolled their eyes. They have visited me in the hospital, prayed with me in the hospital and over the phone. They are my strength. I have to name someone- Donald is amazing with Q's allergies. He is always telling people they need to wash their hands or their lips before playing with Q. He is aware of everything that has butter and if someone ate it or touched it, he is reminding you to wash up. It is SO NICE having someone else being the 'dairy cop' and knowing that someone else is watching out for Q just as much as you are.
I know that as Q gets older I will need to have more faith and trust that Q and people he is associating with will be watching out for him. I pray every day that he will be safe and that he will have angels protecting him.
"So please, the next time you feel inconvenienced about packing an alternate lunch for your child on the day of the class field trip, or your child gets assigned to an allergy free classroom, or heaven forbid, you have to bring in an allergy free snack, please stop and think about the possibilities…do you really want to endanger the health of a child to make your life easier? And please… before you complain and start a protest about not being able to serve Reese’s candy hearts on Valentine’s Day, remember…you’re dealing with a bunch of crazies; don’t bite off more than you can chew!"
