Toddlers and allergies..

Allergies suck. There! I've said it. It's completely true.

 People without allergies never seem to realize why I'm such a crazy person about food. First, let me say, I love food! I love to eat food, try new cuisines, go out to eat and generally just consume unhealthy food!  But my daughter has allergies. Not just one severe allergy. No, she has 3.

The big three: eggs, peanuts, and wheat. We discover the allergies in that order.

When our daughter was about 7 months old, I gave her a scrambled egg while I ate my breakfast. I watched her face get a little red and then she started rubbing her eyes. I examined her egg covered face closely and decided to remove her from her high chair. I of course had sat her in her high chair with only a onesie on, so the egg had fallen on her leg too.

I sat my tiny child on the counter as I wiped away the egg revealing small hives starting to form all over her face, hands, and leg. I immediately called her pediatrician, who just happened to be off that day. The nurse then transferred me to a different clinic's phone. I explained the situation again to the new lady who instructed me to either call 911 or get to the closest ER. I packed up her things quickly and texted my husband to meet me and the children's hospital 15 minutes down the road. As soon as I loaded her into the car, the second nurse called me back. She told me that I could just take our daughter to her primary doctors office and meet with the other pediatrician in that office. (Why didn't the first nurse think of that!?)

I texted my husband to let him know the change in plans. Then zoomed down the road to our pediatrician' office. I was sure if I was pulled over, any police officer would understand. I listened to Evie breathe in the back seat, while I prayed for her throat to not close.

When we arrived at the office, I quickly pulled Evie out of the car and ran into the office, telling the lady behind the counter the situation as I opened the door. She immediately buzzed me into the back room where a nurse was waiting to look at my precious girl. Once in the room, the nurse and I removed her clothes quickly. She was scanning my daughters tiny face and arms when the doctor walked it. They gave her a large dose of Benadryl.

Benadryl. A life saver. Benadryl doesn't stop an allergic reaction, but it does slow the effects down significantly.

I sat in the room waiting for my husband and watching her hives go from her face, arms, chest and back. This was torture. Knowing that you put your child in danger. I thought of my error over and over again. Replayed the situation in my mind on an auto-loop. What horrible parent gives their child something that could kill them!? (FYI this is a horrible way to look at the situation. If you beat yourself up about every failure that you make as a parent, you would be black and blue.) finally the doctor returned and gave our daughter a once over and sent us home with a script for an epi pen and a note to buy Benadryl.

Please note: if you're nursing a child that is allergic to egg, please realize that the protein can go through your breastmilk.

I've told you this long story so that you as a individual can understand why I'm afraid to go out to eat. Why I need the allergy menu and the chef needs to be notified. Why I need to see the box of fruit snacks you'd like to give my child. Why I wipe down tables, carts, chairs, strollers and other things when I take my child out. Why it is not okay to give my kid whatever it is that your child is eating!

Please respect me and my child. She has allergies! I don't prevent her from eating wheat because I think it's cool. I'd love for her to make no bake cookies with me, but that will never happen. I want her to enjoy eggs and sausage with her pancakes, but I also don't want her to die.

So please, I beg of you, think before you act.