Food allergies suck. Let’s just start off by being totally honest okay? They not only suck but they indeed BITE. And you know what?
I’m scared.
There, I said it. It only took 5 years and several bottles of gin to work through this, but alas, I can admit my weakness. Even sober.
Our little guy, affectionately known as “E” to you (or Jekyll and Hyde, Houdini or “d#mnwhatdidyoufeedthatkid” by anyone else who happens to meet this lovable little maniac) has severe food allergies that can be life-threatening as well as life-altering. I won’t go through the whole story AGAIN (incase you’ve heard it once or twice or one hundred times already), but for anyone new here that might want to know – it’s right here.
So since he was a baby, we have had to work through food elimination diets, steroid dependency, creams that we used all to find out they could cause cancer, an overnight at a local children’s hospital, lots of tears and exhaustion due to middle of night itching, and an Emergency Room visit for an anaphylactic reaction. Whew. Sometimes I look back and just do not know how our family got through it all.
I remember some advice I received from my awesome father-in-all,who’s sort-of a cross between Dr. Phil and Jennifer Aniston. Though he’s not a woman and definitely has more hair than Dr. Phil, he does give great advice and I just adore Jen An so that makes him like them in a weird smilinggreenmom kind of way. Okay stay with me…I am going somewhere with this.
So he told me one day when I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed with it all “you need to put one foot in front of the other each day honey” and since then I am reminded of the power in this statement. We all have hurdles, but we just have to have the strength to take it one day at a time and have faith that we can and will get through this. I have said a lot of prayers about this and I am hoping that the coming year will be one of happiness and good health for our family and both of our children. And I just want them to enjoy being kids, to play hard and sleep even harder…to live carefree, to laugh a lot and to run barefoot through every puddle they see.
And that God will keep our little boy safe from allergens as he begins Kindergarten…away from me. Away from the protective “blanket” that I have placed around him for these past five years. Away from the walls of our home which shield him from the dangers of the outside world of allergies. Away from my comforting arms that he has cried within when feeling “alone” in his own personal journey. Away from me.
And this scares the sh#t out of me.
Mostly, I worry about the other kids. I worry that they might touch him after eating peanut butter or melon or sunflower. I worry that they might tease him. I worry that just by sitting next to these foods that we have never allowed near him, might cause a reaction. I worry about the volume of kids and the low teacher to student ratio and that a reaction might go unnoticed. I worry that he will feel left out, alone or not “normal.” I worry that he will worry.
Ugh, the agony of it all.
Thank you for listening to me release here. I am so grateful to have all of you – all of my online friends to help encourage and support me. Did I mention how much this sucks? Yeah. But I will remember my Dr PhilAniston’s advice and will be putting my foot forward every morning as I do the mom drop-off for my babies. I have talked to the school principal, lunch ladies, his teacher and some random kid in line next to me at registration. I am making my presence known and will be at all class parties to “help” out 
I am such a helicopter parent – yuck. I feel like I have to be though, but maybe not. Maybe I am really am just driving myself crazy with it all and he would be totally fine without my hovering.
Poor kid. He not only has to deal with food allergies, but a crazy lunatic mom who wants to come to lunch with him every single day until he’s 18. Oh and on his dates too. You never know what kind of food allergies might be lurking on his dates. But that’s not over-the-top, it’s totally practical and necessary.
Okay, seriously! I have met Dr. Phil and been on his show, so we are tight! He would tell you to BRING the strong cocktail TO a therapy session! Yup, that’s my professional opinion. That said, I can’t imagine the fear as a Mom that you go through, especially with your child leaving for school soon. My son was on a “special” diet at one point and I stressed enough about someone giving him something that he shouldn’t eat, but it had been possibly life-threatening, I would have been a mess and carried a flash with me at all times and had a shrink on speed dial. Not kidding. YOU have done and still do all that you can for that little boy. You have told the people that need to know and he is able to communicate his needs as well.
Another idea? You could buy a laptop and become a work-from-your-son’s-side-at-school-all-day Mom! Now, there’s a title!
Big Hug to you mama! I know this sucks. I do, but breathe….and put one foot in front of the other!
Great proofreading! A FLASK, I would have carried a flask!!
Yes, definitely necessary! My daughter has a dairy allergy. Not life threatening, but gross when she gets a hold of some hidden dairy!! Best of luck of a safe and great school year!
Oh Cathy – you are just the best! I mean it – you made me smile AND gave me goosebumps! Good thing you didn’t give me the hiccups cuz then mama would have YOU on speed dial! Just kidding. I needed that – thank you. I feel like I have covered my bases and I meet with the principal tomorrow again. Ugh, it is heart-wrenching. You are right, I have done all I can (at least I hope so!) and I think that is what scares me most. The rest is not in my control. Thankfully he is old enough to know and understand, but it’s also hard to convey to him what “could” happen without making him an emotional mess with me. I LOVE the idea of work-from-your-son’s-side-at-school-all-day-mom! Wow – you are GENIUS! Guess that would make me not a WAHM but a WFYSSASADM? Woah.
XO and thank you for the never-ending giggles
Lynn,
Woohoo!
I’ll be praying for you and E as he heads to school! We’ll have to plan a get together soon…even if it is just the mamas!
Absolutely!!!!! XO and thanks for the prayers
He is precious
I hope everything goes great at school! He does need to learn to be away from his momma some time 
LOL! So true Emily…and mama needs to learn how to be away from them too :/
Just came across this post…..i can tell you that I have had every single thought, every emotion that you wrote about. My son is going into 3rd grade and has life threatening nut allergies. I can also tell you, having been there and done that, is that your son will amaze you. The school will do it’s job keeping him safe and your son will learn to take care of himself.
You are by no means a crazy, lunatic mom-or maybe I am one too?? Hang in there…..show up for class parties, be a room parent-whatever you need to do to see that he is safe.
Oh, I am so happy to “meet” you! It is always so nice to find others who can understand and support these emotions. As much as you kind-of “get used to it” day by day, there are still moments of feeling the worry and the fear. I thank you for the encouragement and you are right – there are some amazing and caring staff that have already gone out of their way to reassure and watch out for him
I am really happy that you stopped by and left such kind words!! Come back again 