Peanut Allergies

[Guest guest]

> Sure is quiet here on the loop with all those " chatty " folks gone to

> Day Camp, isn't it??? Will be glad when they get back and report in

> to the rest of us who were stuck at home!! LOL

> (((HUGS)))

> Clara

I'm anxious to here the reports on Day Camp.

Ok, Clara, I'll chat with you for a little while about my family's

problems. If anyone is not interested in food allergies, just delete

this. This is something that is really close to my heart and I'm

passionate about spreading the word on food allergies. I don't think

this is toooooo far off-topic since we are all having a battle with food

and this subject is food related.

Two of my granddaughters are allergic to peanut products. The

majority of deaths each year from food allergies are from peanuts. I

never knew that until we found out about our older granddaugher's

allergy. This isn't a mild skin rash or tummy ache type of allergy.

Peanut allergies can be life-threatening. Even using an Epi-Pen and

going to the hospital does not mean you will survive an exposure to

peanuts. Even 1/100th of a peanut can produce an allergic reaction.

It's serious.

I just got back from seeing my daughter and her family. We are still

hashing out first day of school tactics and strategies to keep the

kids safe. Starting school is always stressful with the new teachers

unfamiliar with peanut allergies despite having prepared

informational packets and handing them out and talking to everyone

about it giving them as much info as they'll receive or listen to.

My daughter teaches school at a different school from where her

girls attend. The youngest starts kindergarten and my daughter is

sad that she'll miss being the one to take her to her first day of

class and share in the fun excitement of starting school as well as

her anxiety over peanuts. Daddy will have to take both girls and do

what needs doing at school. BUT since both girls are allergic to

peanuts it is a little different for them than other kids. I will go with

him to help answer questions, etc. while he signs forms, etc.

The oldest girl goes into anaphylactic shock from peanut exposure.

Her allergy is so severe that if it even touches her skin she goes

into life-threatening anaphylactic shock, we have to give her the Epi-

Pen and transport her to the ER immediately. Needless to say none

of us have any peanut products in the house.

We don't know how severe the other little one's allergy is since

we've never given her peanut butter. Someone else did several years

ago...AFTER telling them NOT to. WHY do people do that? That

was the only time she had it. You don't react the first time. We've

since then had her tested and she is also allergic. We hope she

never is exposed to peanuts again, but you never know, so we carry

an Epi-Pen Jr. for her also. We carry them everywhere we go.

So we have to be very careful at school (and everywhere else). My

son-in-law or I will go to school the first few days during lunch to

supervise the cafeteria situation to make sure they don't come into

contact with peanut butter. The tables and chairs or stools have to

be washed before the girls can sit down, no one can have a PB and

J sandwich at their same table, etc.

I'll be a room mother to monitor school parties for peanut products.

The peanut allergies have certainly changed our lives. They don't fly

anywhere because of peanuts being given out on flights. We don't

go to Chick-Fil-A because they fry everything in peanut oil. The girls

don't get popcorn away from home because it is often cooked in

peanut oil. We don't go to Chinese food restaurants because they

often use peanut butter to keep the egg rolls from coming apart

during frying as well as the peanut oil used for frying. They can't

have any sprinkles, etc. in a buffet restaurant because of the

peanuts. They don't go to church dinners because of peanuts. I

once got some blue cheese salad dressing at a buffet and found a

peanut someone had spilled in it. I can't tell you how many times

people get a spoonful of peanuts and a few fall off into whatever

container is in front of the peanuts. Dairy Queen treats are off limits

because the people preparing blizzards, etc. will drop a few peanuts

into the other " add-ins " . I could go on, but I won't. Malts at fast food

places are now out of the question because most places are using

mixes and we don't know what's in them. Peanut flour is even in

many nuts and even in sunflower seed packages. I never even knew

there was peanut flour before this. If you check packges of walnuts,

pecans, etc. it usually says " may contain traces of peanuts " . We

don't use them. I'll just say again...it has really changed our lives.

We don't eat peanut products in any form. I'm amazed at how many

foods contain peanut products. We don't buy them. Even a kiss on

the cheek a few hours after eating a peanut product could send

someone into a peanut allergic reaction, although that has never

happened to our girls. We just don't eat peanut products

Tomorrow is promotion day at church and both girls will be going

into new Sunday School departments. I've talked to the teachers,

but will go with the youngest one if her mother doesn't. The older

one is pretty peanut-savvy by now and knows what to avoid. She

usually just turns down all treats or food when away from home.

My daughter and her husband just don't use babysitters outside of

our family. If we aren't available, they either take the kids with them

or they just don't go.

Many people don't believe it is this serious. It is.

Despite the major changes we've made in our lives, we all live pretty

ordinary lives. The girls have well-rounded lives, too and enjoy

themselves. We have lots of fun together. The youngest one is my

" Sgt. Torture " for exercise. She keeps me on the straight and

narrow. I think you can tell we are a tight-knit family.

I will be going " no-mail " sometime tomorrow evening so I can

concentrate on being available for the girls. Their parents both work

so I am the designated " first responder " for the girls in case of

emergency. The first few days of school are always a little rocky.

Besides, I'll be at school a lot or going to school to pick them up

(two different dismissal times!), supervising the cafeteria, etc. I'm

going to be checking the list at Yahoo groups to keep tabs on

everyone! Maybe I'll just go to the digest version. I don't know yet.

Might try that first to see how it goes. I haven't been very active on

the list the last couple of weeks and now you know why. Getting

ready for school.

Thank you for letting me share.

Kathleen