Let's Talk About Nuts

Ricky is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and has an epipen. But besides eating it, he has symptoms just being near nuts. We suspected his allergy when he was a toddler - I gave him a peanut butter cracker and he said his mouth was burning and he cried after just one bite. Certain foods would really bother him after just taking one bite. So we had him tested, and sure enough, he is allergic to all nuts, dogs, cats, dust mites, dust mite poop, etc.

In preschool, I showed the teacher how to use the epipen and it was fine. She accidentally let Ricky eat a peanut butter cracker one day and didn't tell me. I picked him up and when I was buckling him into his carseat, his eyes were black and sunken in and he said his throat hurt and he couldn't breathe so well. He told me he took a bite of a peanut butter cracker. So I gave him water and went up to the teacher and asked her if that was true and she said yes, and sorry. So if I didn't go up to her she wasn't going to tell me - she was going to let Ricky have his reaction with me -with me not knowing. He could've gone into anaphylactic shock in the back seat with me not knowing why and maybe not realizing what was happening - so not knowing that he needed his epipen.

I liked this teacher too. She was fine otherwise, I just didn't like how she treated this situation - and it was obvious to me that she didn't fully understand Ricky's allergy.

Now I'm not a crazy mother. I may be a bit overprotective, but I have to be with Ricky's allergy.

Now in kindergarten they have full days - so there is lunch time. I spoke with the assistant principal and made arrangements for Ricky to have a designated seat and to tell the teacher to check the kids sitting near him - that they be moved if they have peanut butter. There are 3 kindergarten classes and one kid in each class is allergic - one to peanuts and the other just tree nuts. But only if eaten. Lucky Ricky also has contact sensitivity. :(

They have snack time too - and the teachers sent a note saying that snacks with nuts or peanut butter may not be brought to school. The worry is that they will get peanut butter on their hands, touch the same toys, or seats, and Ricky will be exposed, and will have a problem. So far, so good. No problems.

Now he is in kindergarten and is invited to birthday parties. Ricky's doctor said he has to have his epipen with him at all times - at play dates especially - she said - because people will accidentally give him something that has nuts or was made on the same equipment, and he will have a problem. So there you have it.

Ricky is invited to a birthday party tomorrow at Chuck E Cheese. Most of the boys at this age navigate their way around that place by themselves or with another pal. Their parents usually drop them off and come back later. Ricky likes me to play some of the games with him. I don't want to be a hovering mom, so my mom will actually take him the party and stay on the sidelines with his epipen and benadryl in her purse. Then I don't have to teach the hosting parents how to use it, etc. ("....and you just push this and stick the long needle at a 90 degree angle into Ricky's thigh - hard enough so it goes through his jeans...") I feel like I should take a break from being there so the boys don't think Ricky always has to have his mom around. Having Grandma hover is a good switch. This way Ricky is protected and I know he's in good hands.

When Ricky is older he will eventually learn how to use the epipen himself and will have to keep it in his pocket while he's at school. In the meantime, since he's just a kid, an adult has to be around to use it. Ricky hasn't been invited to play dates at all this school year - and I'm wondering if the epipen thing is the reason why. We've been so busy, it's almost better that we've hosted.

Besides the teacher, it's come to my attention from being dumped by Mandy that many people do not fully understand the severity of this allergy. I mean, a good friend of mine told me that I was overprotective and crazy for sending Ricky's epipen with him to a birthday party - and that I better not give the parents the epipen at play dates. I mean, she DUMPED me over this. You can read about here and here. What floored me is that she used to be a teacher. Obviously to me now, a crappy one. I realize now that I did a bad job explaining the details of Ricky's allergy to my mommy friends. When we'd get together, it is usually chaotic, and trying to keep up any kind of conversation is challenging. Talk is usually choppy.

When I was going through secondary infertility, I sought out bloggy moms who were going through the same thing. I got ideas from them, and they supported me too. I now realize that I should really try to find others out there who have kids with peanut/tree nut allergies - and learn how they handle situations at school, sports, and every day. So I'll be looking at groups, blogs, and boards. Just like SIF, I'm sure I'll find some people out there with lots of good ideas. I could use some.

Sucking on Meat All Day

I've felt like crap the last 5 days. I get this headache and then my blood sugar skyrockets. I went to my 31 week OB appointment two days ago and my blood pressure was elevated, but nothing to really worry about. I had a 3D ultrasound and actually got to see our little baby boy's face! It was incredible.

So now I am working my last Thursday night at the library before the baby is born. I have our Christmas party tomorrow night to attend - just the 10 librarians in my department - then I work all day Saturday. Then I am done working til after the baby arrives.

I've been running around like crazy - carting Ricky to and from pre-school, errands, and various doctor appointments for me and him. Not to mention the loads of housework that never seems to get done. It's kind of hard to get the rest the doctor wants me to get.

Today I took Ricky to the allergist for the second part of his testing. He shrieked when they put 18 samples of animals and the environment onto his skin. He squirmed in pain so much it drew blood. I felt so sorry for him. It actually made me almost cry to see my baby in so much pain and I felt like a jerk restraining him. So now we know he's allergic to peanuts and any type of nut, mild allergy to milk, bad allergy to dogs, cats, and dust mites. Also mold, pollen, ragweed, etc.

So we have to get rid of his curtains and his stuffed animals - with the exception of one or two favorites which I have to throw in the washing machine in hot water every week! I have a feeling his Pajama Snoopy is going to look pretty pathetic in just a matter of time! We also have to buy special pillow and mattress covers for his bed. Poor kid - needs to live in a bubble. He will need to take Zyrtec every single day.

The other day I baked Nestle tollhouse cookies for his class because I was going to be room mom for the day. I baked them with the chocolate chips and added flour, sugar, butter and the usual stuff and popped them in the oven. I gave Ricky one to taste-test and he immediately told me his tongue and throat were burning and dropped the cookie. I checked the bag of chocolate chips and sure enough, it said, "processed on the same equipment as peanuts." UGH. I gave the poor kid benadryl right away. This means we have to read everything we give him in the house. We have to tell his school, his friends, our family - and anyone who may give him anything to eat. This is kind of scary.

So anyway, I am sitting at work and starving for a snack but everything I want to reach for is a sweet or a carbohydrate. So what do I get to snack on? A hunk of meat or a vegetable?? Yuuuuuuuuccccccckkkkkkk.....