Psst.. Thanks Mom…

6 Reasons Food Allergy

Moms are the best.

They Do Better Research Than the CIA and FBI.

And Their Cases Are Just As Stressful.  

I have two sons, the older one with 3 severe food allergies and the younger one without any at all. When I want to try new and exciting foods with my younger son, it’s easy and convenient. Here ya’ go son, try it out. With my older food-allergic son, there is a process. Of course, I always read the label thoroughly (3 times), and proceed to look on the bag/box for any small warning that may be hidden somewhere. But a!er that, If I’m not familiar with the company, I end up calling them and playing 20 questions. It’s a lengthy, and in my view, very necessary process. Then comes the stressful part, testing the food out. I make sure the epinephrine is within reach and the phone is ready to dial 911 should the worst happen. I sit, nervously waiting the 5-10 minutes a!er he’s taken a bite to make sure his throat and tongue don’t start to swell and he’s not itchy anywhere. I drive my son crazy asking “Do you feel normal?” every 30 seconds. If all goes well, once the pressure is off I grab a beach towel to wipe my brow and write the product down on my “safe list”. Phew…

Has It Been 10 Minutes Yet?

They Make Sure You’re Included.

Image  courtesy  of  Pinterest  

A food allergy mom will spend countless hours baking cupcakes and goodies for upcoming birthday parties their kids are a#ending. They’ll make sure that if there’s a school function where food will be served, their child isn’t le! out of the fun. Food allergy moms know that their children probably already feel a bit alone due to their allergies and no parent wants to see their child excluded. Food allergy moms don’t mind going the extra mile to make sure their children are safe.

We Dig You Too, Mr. Gosling

They Prepare You For Whatever Life May Throw Your Way.

Photo  credits:  www.picturesof.net,casstrelle.deviantart.com  

Look, But Don’t Touch. That’s an oldie but a goodie. We all know the usual safety tips we give to our kids. Don’t talk to strangers, look both ways before crossing the street, know your phone number in case of an emergency, etc. For kids with food allergies, the danger is literally everywhere. Most places people gather has food kicking around somewhere. I know I have drilled the basic rules into my son’s head about his allergies.

§  Know what your allergies are §  Know how to identify your allergies §  Never touch anyone else’s food §  Never let anyone else touch your food §  If you feel funny a!er eating, alert someone immediately §  Etc., etc., etc. (If I listed all of them, we’d be here all day).

It may seem like a hassle now, but you’ll thank us later, kids!

They’ll Go To Bat For You. Whenever, Wherever.

You don’t want to mess with a food allergy mama, we’re feisty. Look, most of the time we’re docile, calm and co-operative, ready to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure the happiness of our children and sanity for ourselves. But make a snide comment about our children’s allergies, or endanger them in any way and you will see a wrath worthy of rivaling Richard Sherman’s post Superbowl interview.

Not A Good Look.

Photo  credit:  Parents  Magazine  (Aug  2012)  

They Think About Their Kids All The Time…Seriously.

I Think We’ve Single-Handedly Kept Tylenol® afloat.

Honestly, the brow furrowing and eye-twitching that ensues from years of worrying about whether or not your food-allergic child made it through lunch and snack-time alright, is enough to drive anyone to a migraine. I remember when my son was in daycare, what seems like many moons ago, I would have an alarm set for when lunch-time began and nervously await a phone call, hoping not to receive one. Paranoid, you say? A li#le. But a!er seeing him in anaphylactic shock 3 times by that point, I allowed myself some paranoid tendencies. A!er I knew lunch-time was over, it was like a weight was li!ed from my shoulders, until the next day of course. Just thinking about it now is making me…where’s that Tylenol® bo#le again?

They’ll Be There Through Thick And Thin

Our food-allergic kids are terrific. There is way more to them then just their food allergies, we know that. They are our joy, our heart and we love them more than anything else on earth. Which is why, while we love to have fun with them and see them grow and succeed in life, we also have to deal with the tough times that inevitably come from dealing with food allergies. The toughest of them all being anaphylaxis. For those of you reading this that may be unfamiliar with the term, anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. My li#le dude has unfortunately experienced it 5 times in his almost 7 years. While I hated doing it, I’ve stuck him with the epinephrine needle. While it was hard to watch, I rode with him in the ambulance, held him down with they put IV’s in his arms, and listened to him scream from being so scared. While it was difficult, I’ve waited the 12-24 hours holding him in my arms, waiting to be released from the ER. Do I hope it never happens again? Always. Would I hesitate to be there for him every time? Never.

Never Fear, Mom is Here!

You Rock Our Socks, Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day.

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As always, AllergyAble™ aims to help people with allergies live better lives, at home, at work and at play!

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