My New Allergy World - It's Way More Than a Sneeze

This September Junior tasted his first and last lick of peanut butter sandwich. After taking the tiniest lick of peanut butter I've ever seen, he pushed his sandwich away and wouldn't eat anymore. Five minutes later he had hives going down the back of his neck, his face was swelling, and he started having trouble breathing.

The ER pumped him full of Benadryl, steroids and epinephrine... after several hours of observation we were able to leave with the advice that we contact an allergist and pick up an Epipen as soon as possible.

We've met with the allergist and boy have our lives changed!

Junior is highly allergic to...

peanuts

and

eggs

and mildly allergic to most

tree nuts.

So, now a visit with us is going to be even more exciting than it already was. I promise I will try not to be a nag, but I will have to ask about every product used in the cooking process... right down to your butter - some use peanut oils instead of vegetable.

But, I'll start you off with the basics, so you'll know what to expect.

Peanuts:

Always read every label to see if peanuts are listed in the ingredients.

Always read the label to see if the product was made in a factory that also processes peanuts - if this is the case it's still a "no-no."

Key words in ingredient lists would be:

artificial nuts, beer nuts, cold pressed - expelled - extruded peanut oil, goobers, ground nuts, mixed nuts, monkey nuts, nutmeat, nut pieces, peanut, peanut butter and peanut flour.

Foods that the doctor suggested we avoid (unless we make it at home - completely from scratch - and know every ingredient) include:

African, Asian (esp. Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese), and Mexican dishes

(So glad Korean food isn't on the list - but I can make it from scratch and I've never used peanut oil in what I make)

baked goods (pastries, cookies, etc. - Handsome Hubby is really gonna miss his early morning donut runs for the kids)

candy (especially chocolates)

chili (who knew they used peanuts to thicken chili? I didn't until I came home and found out how deadly it could be to someone with a peanut allergy)

egg rolls

enchilada sauce

peanut flavorings - natural and artificial

nougat

And really there's more, but I think that's enough for day one.

In fact, I thought I'd share my information for each allergy today, but now I see separate posts will be much better.

So, tune in next week for everything you ever wanted to know about egg allergies - some of the info will shock you! It did me :)

The Storms

Sometimes I start to get overwhelmed with life. Handsome Hubby is working on his MBA. OTG Boy has started junior high. The Professor is in his second year of virtual schooling. Bubba has plenty of homework and reading to keep us more than busy. We recently learned that Junior has peanut, tree nut, and egg allergies and I had my first experience with anaphylactic shock - scary! And as if these personal life circumstances weren't enough we discovered water damage and mold in the back bedroom and had to rip out a wall and closet, it's soccer season, and we've been in Primary Program preparation mode... aaaaahhhhh!

But,

as I was reading the Summer 2010 edition of BYU Magazine I came across a thought I absolutely love!

(In fact the entire article is worth a read, "Family Focus: Money Management Myths," by M. Sue Bergin, she shares the ideas she learned from an associate teaching professor Bryan L. Sudweeks.)

Here's the basic idea:

He points out that in the Book of Mormon the Jaredites had two problems when they built their boats... one, they had no light and two, no way to navigate. Sudweeks points out that the first problem was solved when the Brother of Jared prayed and the Lord touched the stones, which could now provide the light.

And now for the part I love!

The second problem was solved by, "sending storms that blew the vessels toward the promised land."

When I find myself in the middle of all of this craziness... I just need to sit back and remember what I already know... The Lord knows who I am and he knows what I need to make me into the best that I can become. I just need to remember that "the storms" will get me to the place that I really want to be.

"Remember the Alamo"

So, I've always wanted to see the Alamo

and wouldn't you know my only picture out front my eyes are closed?!?

Oh well, we had fun.

We learned a lot about the tensions on both sides - how the Mexican Army moved in - and how those trying to hold on to the Alamo really didn't stand a chance. It was a very big build up for a very short battle. A sad story really.

We enjoyed walking the grounds - they were beautiful!

We also enjoyed demonstrations on muskets...

knife throwing...

and enjoyed being serenaded by the Spanish Soldiers.


Someday we would like to go back - hopefully on a day when it's not quite so crowded :)

On the Way Home

There's no way the boys would let us miss this - I think they've talked about this place at least once a month for the last five years...

We stopped to visit the USS Alabama
(a battle ship)

and the USS Drum.
(a submarine)

The boys had a lot of fun touring the ship...

ladders everywhere... climbing all over... it was great.

I had fun, too. But I think the part I enjoyed most was sitting in the A/C watching the USS Alabama commemorative movie - it was a hot morning!

I'm thankful we have places like this to visit - I'm glad that my boys can learn about and I can be reminded of all of the sacrifices our servicemen, women, and their families have made throughout our country's history and today.

Time Flies

OTG Boy was thrilled to sit in this simulator...

5 Years Later...

Still loves it.

Kid, you are growing up way too fast!

Missing Summer

This summer we took the kids on a cross-country road trip to visit Grandpa & Grandma's house! Getting the family from Arizona to Florida seemed a little daunting, but in the end... the kids were great travellers and the trip was a lot of fun!

Here we are with my Mom & Dad and Grandma Y

One of the best things about heading South?

The food. I always eat way too much :)

Destin Beach is a family tradition...

it's where my Dad proposed to my Mom.

The boys had so much fun we had to go back for a second day...

good thing we did - we found some amazing shells and as we were out swimming a small shark swam by. I immediately started enjoying building sandcastles, but my boys thought swimming with a shark was pretty impressive.

Handsome Hubby w/Junior

OTG Boy

The Professor

Bubba


Junior w/Mommy

We also stopped to visit the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin. It's one of our kids favorite places.

Grandpa's an amazing scouter - so he was more than willing to help the boys pass off some of their scout requirements. He helped OTG Boy learn to use a personal camp stove and let The Professor pitch a tent. And of course, Junior was there, right in the middle of all the action.

Grandpa and Grandma also put the kids to work...

Bubba was picking the blueberries...

while Handsome Hubby, OTG Boy and The Professor cleaned up pinecones and pine needles.

Grandpa and Grandma said they appreciated all the hard workers.

And in our family, when you go country...

we really go country.

We always go visit out where Grandma Y grew-up...

you can't get anymore country than that.

(Anyone else think it's kind of funny that my eyewear seems to match my Grandma's? I guess I know what I'll be looking like when I'm in my 80's!)

And of course, the old swimmin' hole at the Blackwater River.

My Grandpa was baptized here.

And yes, very country... while we were standing there something plopped into the water on the other side of the river...

Turtle

or

Alligator?

We'll never know.

The hardest part about visiting family?

Loading everyone into the car to head back home.

Saying goodbye is no fun.

We miss you Grandpa, Grandma & Great Grandma!

We had a wonderful time and hope to get back for another visit sometime soon!

Love You!