In the news...

I was just reading about a family in Chicago who is suing a Chinese restaurant because their daughter died from peanut residue in the food.  The article from the Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-peanut-allergy-lawsuit-20110318,0,107091.story) states that the 13-year-old had known severe allergies to peanuts.  I am sorry for this family's loss, and think there are a few things that we can all take away from this.

Since the only information I have is from the article, there are few questions I have.  Why was this student eating the Chinese food in the first place?  With a severe allergy to peanuts, it is always safest to stay away from Chinese food, among other ethnic cuisines.  My next question is why didn't she have an Epi-pen on her, so that when she was feeling a reaction, she could use it to save herself (or a teacher to help her)?  Although there are other questions that come to mind, these are the ones that I find most important.

As an Allergic Reactor to peanuts as well as many other foods, I always stay away from ethnic foods.  I may be missing out, but it is one of the ways that I can keep myself safe.  Even if I were to check with a Chinese restaurant, and they said they wouldn't use any peanuts, I would still be concerned about the cross-contamination.  It is just too risky with this kind of allergy!  Better to be safe!

My biggest concern and worry for this student, and for all Allergic Reactors, is whether they are carrying their Epi-pen!  As an Allergic Reactor, that is your lifeline.  In case you do eat something that you shouldn't, you have the Epi-pen right next to you to help open your airways, then a call to 911!  I  can't emphasize enough how crucial it is to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have it with you!  Even if you don't anticipate eating somewhere, the way to keep yourself safe (or your children safe) is to always have it with you!

New website that could be helpful

I came across a new website that could be helpful. The website is: http://www.allergyeats.com/. The site has just started up, but if people start to use it, I think it has the potential to be very beneficial. The website posts ratings for restaurants all over the United States, based on how allergy-friendly they are. So far, there are not too many that have been rated. Maybe in a few more months though, it will be more helpful and informative!

In the News...

Lately there have been quite a few articles about food allergies in the news.  My friend from college who I hadn't heard from in over a year sent me an article the other day on the allergy studies being done for peanuts.  I guess there are some people who will always remember my allergies and think of me!  

There have been articles lately about Northwest and Delta serving peanuts on their flights and the outrage this has caused (mostly in MN),  articles about the peanut studies being done, and about the prevalence of food allergies and the growing numbers of children being diagnosed. These are the main topics I have seen over the past few weeks.  One article I read this morning caught my eye as I was about to leave for work.

The article is from NorwalkPlus.com, a Connecticut news website, and is about a bill being introduced to create uniform guidelines for schools to manage food allergies in schools.  It is something parents should be aware of.  It is called the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2009.  

You can check out the article at: http://www.norwalkplus.com/nwk/information/nwsnwk/publish/News_1/Dodd-Alexander-Lowey-introduce-bill-to-protect-children-with-food-allergies3249.shtml

I will add more about my thoughts on this later...

Yesterday I was out with another teacher at recess.  She told me that a new student was joining her class next week.  "He has a peanut allergy. I've never had a student with one of those before," she said to me.  I told her I had anaphylactic allergies to many foods, including peanuts (I'm new to this school and many people don't know about my allergies).  Then some students were arguing and she had to run over to them, and then it was time to go inside, and I didn't get a chance to talk to her about it anymore.  I want to tell her to ask me if she has any questions about food allergies.  Many of the teachers seem pretty unaware of allergies.  This is a big concern to me!  Teachers really need to be educated.  As someone in this field, I feel like it is especially important that more education happens for teachers.  If they know how to handle food allergies, then they don't have to be worried about having "one of them" in their classroom!  

To be continued... 

Adding To The List Of Unfriendly Consumer Products...

I was flipping through my FAAN newsletter this month, and guess what I saw?  Scotch-Brite scrub sponges with walnut shell in them!  Tissues, sponges...what is next?  According to the studies done, people who are allergic to tree nuts, are supposed to avoid contact with these sponges.  Makes sense!  My question is why is it necessary to add allergens to random products, when there are other moisturizers, or in this case, abrasive aids?  When allergies are rising, why does it seem that there is also a rise of allergen-containing products?

I have a few concerns with this sponge.  One concern is going out to dinner.  I would guess that the odds are not high that a restaurant would buy these sponges to use, but they could.  They could then use them on their dishes, and although the chance would be very small, there is still some possibility of a reaction.  Another concern is eating at friend's houses.  It is more likely that a product like this would be bought by a household I would think.  In that case, if I were to go to my friend's house and eat something, not realizing they used that sponge to clean their dishes (at my age, there are many friends of mine who don't have dishwashers in their apartments), I suppose I could get a reaction and not even realize the source!   

These products seem unnecessarily dangerous.  In that same newsletter, there was a consumer alert from a woman who found almond oil in organic dish soap.  Definitely not a big surprise! This is certainly something to be aware of.  More often than not, sweet almond oil, or something of the variety is used in soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, make-up, and other beauty products.  I just wanted to reiterate this again, because it is important to read the ingredients of EVERYTHING, not just foods!  These examples emphasize the importance of always staying aware!

Nuts are now in tissues??? Come on...

I saw a commercial the other day for Puffs tissues.  In the commercial they advertise that they are moisturizing with Aloe and ______.  Where else do they get this amazing moisture?  The answer is Shea Butter! Yes, shea butter, which comes from shea nut, a tree nut.  Here is the link to watch the commerial: http://www.puffs.com/en_US/games-commercials/tv-commercial.shtml.

I always read ingredients in any product I use, including shampoos, conditioners, lotions, toothpaste, make-up, etc.  It seems crazy to me though that a company would put tree nut in their tissues!  I know people don't eat tissues, but they certainly put them against their face.  What stops someone from breaking out in hives if they are allergic to tree nuts and use a shea butter Puff tissue?  Tissues are everywhere; in stores, doctors offices, schools.  I can't say that I usually look for tissue ingredients.  If I am out somewhere and I need a tissue, I usually just take one.  Not until I saw this commercial, would I have thought that I now need to be careful of the kinds of tissues I use. Who would have guessed that a company would be naive enough to put shea butter in their tissues?  I think this is rather outrageous...!

Along this same topic, let's discuss hair salons.  When I go to the hair dresser (which is more often than not a different place each time, depending on where I am living), I always read the ingredients in everything.  The first words that come out of my mouth as soon as I am taken towards the sink is, "I have a nut allergy.  Can I please read the ingredients in the shampoo and conditioner that you will be using."  Usually the conditioner will have 'sweet almond oil' or 'shea' in it.  I then have the woman who is washing my hair, scouring the shelves in search of a nut free product to use!  Often times, after my hair is cut, the hair dresser will go to spray something or put some sort of product in.  I always specify beforehand that I don't want anything put in my hair, or if they want to, I need to read the ingredients first.  

I'm still astounded by these tissues.  The lesson in this is to read the ingredients, no matter what it is!  Who would have thought... tissues!

    

Complicated Meetings, Chef Cards, and Restaurant Exhaustion!

When you have food allergies, just starting to get to know someone can be much more complicated. Our lives are organized around food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner- the structured meals of our day. This does not account for the snacks between meals, the coffee dates, and the times to meet friends for drinks after work. When you just start to get to know someone, it is often a meal that you meet for. With food allergies, eating is the most complicated part of your day. Eating out can be intricate and exhausting, as my mom reminded me this morning when I mentioned a dinner date I had the following night. "Make sure you bring your card," she said. "It's a lot easier when you have that with you." This is certainly something I know, and always have with me. The card she was referring to has a note to the chef, with a list of all of my food allergies, very clearly written. On the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), they call it a Chef Card. There is even a template to follow. The card is definitely one of the best accommodations I have made for myself when it comes to eating out. No longer do I sit there uncomfortably in my chair, and explain to the server who is barely listening in the first place, because she probably has ten other tables to also take care of, that I need her to make sure there are no peanuts, tree nuts, fish, etc. in the food I want to order. Then, to further tell her that the chef needs to be careful of cross- contamination, can often put someone over the edge. No knives or other utensils can be used on my dish in case they were used in something I am allergic too, etc. It is a long, tedious explanation, and usually at the end of it, I don't even care about the food, because I am so sick of explaining, that it would have been two hundred times easier to just not have gone out! When I started traveling internationally, I made up these cards with my food allergies in different languages. This way, when I went to Italy, I could show the card, and there would be no confusion or language barriers. I realized it was a hundred times easier to just hand over the card, then to try to explain everything. Now when I go out to eat here in America, I give a short explanation of my allergies, what I would like to order, then hand over the card and ask the server to show the chef. I go out rather frequently, so this has made the process much more enjoyable all around. Having food allergies can also be uncomfortable when you are in unfamiliar company.

Last month I was in New York City. I was sitting at a table, enjoying the beautiful weather in Bryant Park. I decided to contact a guy I was friends with and used to date my freshman year of college, to see if he wanted to meet for a drink and catch up. He works on Wall Street, like many other male friends I have from high school and college. Instead of drinks, he asked if I would accompany him to dinner with a client and his client's girlfriend. He said they were our age, and it would be fun. With my curiosity alone, never mind a hopefully free meal, I decided I might as well go, and with no other scheduled dinner plans, I went. I met him and his Parisian client at the restaurant. I was in a skirt and cute shirt, and still felt under-dressed! The restaurant atmosphere was upscale business clientèle it seemed. Almost everyone there had on a suit. As we walked to the table, I saw along one side of the bar was a substantial display of fish. In my mind I was thinking, "Oh great, please have there be something I can eat here!" I was hoping because the restaurant was nice, it would also be accommodating. It had been a while, but I was hoping my friend would remember about my allergies, and I was right, he did. When everyone ordered I told the server about my allergies, handed him the card, and had him go ask the chef about the only two dishes on the menu that didn't involve nuts or fish. He came back and told me that the chicken would be fine, and that I was all set. "Phewww....," I thought. Of course after all the ordering took place, then came the question and answer session. "Have you always had those allergies?" "Yes," I said. "How did you find out you were allergic?" I said, "When I was a year and a half my mom gave me a piece of bread with peanut butter, and just from holding it, I broke into hives." etc. Of course, they were all very nice, but not only did I feel completely out of my element in a nice New York City restaurant with Wall Street all around, but I also had to answer questions from two strangers with strong accents! The rest of the table ordered appetizers with fish and nuts. I sat and watched and talked as they ate, but did not feel uncomfortable. I know my limits and my comfort zone, and if I were to feel uncomfortable, I would certainly speak up. I often ask for the manager when I go out to eat as well, just to make sure my allergies are being taken seriously. When our meals arrived, I double checked with the server about everything before trying the chicken. There were spices on the outside of it, and I just wanted to make sure they were all okay for me. I touched a piece to my lip, then waited a few minutes to make sure I didn't get any hive or reaction, then tried a small piece. I waited again a few minutes, then with no reaction, decided it was okay to eat. It ended up being an enjoyable meal. The server, chef, and manager at the restaurant were fabulous about my allergies. As long as I advocate for myself, I can usually have a safe and pleasant meal out.

This experience in New York City, reminds me of a dinner I went to when I lived on Nantucket Island. I was on the island working for the summer. My old roommate came to stay with a friend of his and his family, who were renting a house on the island. I met my old roommate for lunch on a break from work. He was with his friend and his friend's family. After only briefly chatting, they invited me out to dinner with them that night at one of the top five restaurants on the island. I got dressed up and met them at the restaurant. I went a little early so that I could talk to the chef and server ahead of time. I figured if I explained, and gave them my card beforehand, there would be less questioning at dinner and awkwardness with people I barely knew! When they finally arrived and we all sat down in a private room upstairs in the restaurant, the server was not as quiet about my allergies as I thought he would be. He made a few jokes about not wanting to kill me, which made me feel sufficiently more awkward, because no one else besides my roommate knew what he was talking about. The family I was with was extremely nice and welcoming, so it turned out fine. Sometimes people just don't know how to react to life-threatening allergies though, and need to make a joke about it to make themselves feel better. The meal ended up working out perfectly! The food was wonderful, and they were able to accommodate my allergies.

I have countless stories and experiences to share, and will continue to write about the ways in which I have handled these often complicated situations.