Sometimes I feel like the writers for SNL. I have a great blog plan. Just need to wrap it up. And then life happens, and I just write about that instead, because it’s too good to pass up. This week’s example: Birthday phone call with my brother. Him: What are you up to? Me: I’m making egg-free key lime bars, like pie but without the allergens. Him: So you still cook all weird and stuff, can’t crack an egg? Me: Yep. No signs of change yet. Him: Well, I’m allergic but I eat eggs anyway. Me, thinking about how his possibly high blood work from 1983 that worried a doctor enough to delay one MMR shot but came with no history of a problem eating eggs ever does not constitute a food allergy: Well, that’s nice for you. Later in the week, at my brother’s house for a birthday party. Me, taking out Jo’s vegan/nut-free chocolate cookie cake with peppermint icing that I made 2 weeks ago and froze just for these types of occasion: Are we just about ready to sing and have cake? Him: Ew, what’s that? Me, after going through this same scenario for every holiday and party and cookout for the past 9 years: Jo’s cake so that she can have a treat to celebrate, too. Him: Gross. Me, putting away the extra slice that I brought him because he likes brownies and cookies better than store cakes with lots of icing: [nothing, because I learned my lesson after 9 years of aiming for education and ending up with debate, arguments, hurt feelings, emergency treatments, and more]. This past year has been tumultuous for us in health but we have found that, sometimes, extended family members surprise you with their helpfulness and that, sometimes, family becomes the important, kind, trustworthy people around you instead of just the people you share genes with. That’s not always how you think life will turn out, but the support we do find is still a blessing and a source of strength. We made it through the birthday party. I'd like to say we made it through carefree, but that might be a bit of a stretch. Jo liked her cake, though. :-) There’s no real point to this blog. Except maybe that, throughout the week, this has been on my mind: Doctors and other professionals who insist that kids with food allergies can safely participate in sports, hobbies, sleepovers, and more don’t really think beyond the actual safety risk of touching/eating allergens to the larger social issues. No one is comfortable for long when they are misunderstood (at best), insulted, or excluded. Sometimes I think those social issues like the birthday party moment happen much more often than anaphylaxis, or even milder allergic reactions. These "soft" problems shouldn't be overlooked. It's food allergy awareness week, and I've watched the amazing professionals, advocates, parents, and others support food allergy safety, education, and research. They are movers and shakers, and I'm always grateful and often in awe of their nonstop efforts. I think, perhaps, the larger community of allergy and asthma health professionals often overlooks the role that dieticians, psychologists, and counselors can play in their practices for their young patients, though. I’d like to see that partnership grow to help kids of all ages navigate life with a limiting, but not debilitating, condition.
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Hi, I'm Nicole. ABOUT THE BLOG An apothecary is a person or a place. Either one implies healing and relates to pharmacy in its truest sense, as a source of treatment and advice. This blog is my way of uniting my pharmacy training with my efforts to provide a healthy and safe lifestyle for my family. In true apothecary form, I research and prescribe alternative ingredients that work just right in each specific recipe, and I would like to share the results with anyone who needs help making their own family’s kitchen allergy safe and heart healthy. Categories
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I made the 2017 Top-40 Food Allergy blogs!
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