Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
When my daughter was a baby… I worried she would fall and scrape her knee, catch a bad cold and be uncomfortable, be damaged for life crying herself to sleep, etc…..
When my daughter was diagnosed with food allergies…I worried she would eat something and die! When I realized that just a bite could kill my baby, a black cloud rolled over my life. It has been hovering over me ever since. Some days it is darker than others…filled with heavy torrential rain. At any moment my child could accidentally ingest food that could stop her breathing. Food is everywhere like a thick blanket covering the sky. It can not be avoided. I check every label, talk to every restaurant manger/chef, send “safe food”, etc……… But sometimes it is not enough. Accidents have and will happen! That is a fact of life. It can not be avoided like the food which is everywhere.
After years of experience, the only way I have found to keep the cloud lighter is to have a plan. Check ingredients, check them again, make sure you ALWAYS carry 2 epi pens , and keep your fingers crossed. As soon as my daughter was able to read, I taught her how to read labels. As soon as I felt like it was appropriate (a month ago…she is almost 10), she gave herself the epi pen. As soon as I thought it was appropriate, I had my daughter order her own food. Part of my plan is to empower her to take charge of her life. I don’t want her to have that dark cloud looming over her beautiful head.
With a life threatening condition, you can NEVER let your guard down. One bite can kill you. But like all parents who worry about their child’s safety, most of it is out of my control. That is why each day I try to concentrate on what I can control. I am teaching her this life lesson all the time. We can not change her food allergies, but we can minimize the risk of them hurting her.
After a close call or an accident, the black cloud rolls in low and heavy. But I shake it off (as best I can) and concentrate on the PLAN. The cloud will be with me forever….I just need to focus on our plan!
