Day 1 on the journey

Day 1

I managed to get away to the grocery store alone today. What a beautiful thing. I might as well had been at a spa it was so relaxing. Not having to juggle the demands of two toddlers, negotiating for good behavior, and spending extended time wiping down the cart with disinfecting wipes without missing the spot that will end up having a morsel of microscopic milk protein, and inevitably cause a major allergic reaction! Yes it's amazing to just be able to shop and thoroughly read ingredients.

Although Sophia never went anywhere outside of our yard today, she did play with her friends in the neighborhood and ended up having a mild contact reaction on her face and neck. After taking her home and washing her up, the allergy faded then returned after dinner really concentrated around her right eye. It later subsided and appears to be gone at this point. I put so much emphasis avoiding milk proteins in her diet because I can control that, but it's really hard to control the lingering left over milk protein everywhere.

All-in-all I am grateful that today she is healthy and happy and safe in her bed. Today was a good day.

Comments

29, 30, 31

I love rainy days when staying at home has a reason other than recuperating from an allergic reaction or preventing one. Our lifestyle and perspectives are developed with food allergy safety being our first criteria. This is something we have honed in on and it is the greatest difference we have with everyone we know. It's a constant level of decision making that goes beyond general parenting. It's similar decisions that need reevaluation over and over again. We've had family in town and have managed to pull together to have fun and create safe environments while doing it. When people come together to help focus on similarities and not dwell on the differences, life is always beautiful. We are so blessed to have a family dedicated to making the efforts and loving us all through the gray areas. The biggest things we require are patience, understanding that our hearts are in the right place, and effort. We aren't on this journey alone because we all share the same world....

Year 2 begins...

When I originally began this blog, it was my intention to document one year in the food allergy lifestyle. I wanted to expose and shed light on the truths, obstacles and how they're overcome with positive intention. I wanted food allergy outsiders to see what it's all about. I wanted to articulate the difference between feeling sorry for us and feeling apart of it. I always say how I think it's absurd to feel sorry for us. We have a beautiful, brilliant, healthy daughter we are so blessed. If people want to place a feeling they should feel motivated to do what they can to make shared environments safe. The continuous and deliberate efforts, and the acts of compassion that shape and define the growing group of people called food allergy parents, and their children who persevere while creating the new "normal" example of a happy childhood. I have since realized I have more to say because, although we have been at this for 5 years, it is, after all, just the beginnin...

Day 4

The holiday's can be challenging for families living with food allergies. Creating a safe environment, most of the time, means hosting all food events. For my house it also means asking everyone to wash their hands upon arrival and taking off their shoes. There's always that hidden worry that someone ate milk proteins before coming over and there's a morsel lingering on their clothes. But we do what we have to do to keep our family and friend relationships moving on the same path. It's so much easier to isolate your child and yourself but at what cost? Altering family recipes with safe ingredients has to happen because really what's a family recipe when all of the family can't enjoy it? We are so truly blessed to have a family that tries their best and makes things possible for us to be so close. If we can't get through to the one's who love us then how can we expect the rest of the world to listen?

365 Days With A Food Allergy

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