Peanuts...and allergies. Here we go again.

Anything pertaining to allergies automatically catches my attention. We have many of the most common allergies in one or more of our children. Including dairy, eggs, shellfish, seafood, peanuts and tree nuts. The latter two being anaphylactic reacting. We also have intolerances, including gluten and others. If you've read my posts on allergies (go here), you know a bit about our families various reactions.

Recently I came across this video: with what I hoped would be some good information. And, in fairness, it does have some great info, such as allergies to animals coming from secretions from the animals. (Take that you people who did not believe my son's face had swelled up after being licked by a dog! I knew what it was, but the reaction was blamed on 'something he ate, something in the air and - most hilarious of all - something in my car', because the dog is "hypo-allergenic".) But it also ignited in me that little angry bubble! Watch the video and you may pick up on it! (Now is a good time.)

Ready? Here's my issue. The doctor discusses how we, as a country have self inflicted allergies. Which I do agree with in part. The part I don't agree with is the possible insinuation that people who have allergies have inflicted them upon themselves because "We don't live off the farm anymore". In part, I agree! But what I don't think people might realize is that this is a generalization being made here! She is not saying that people who have food allergies are the ones not "eating off the farm" or the ones who are "coo coo over germs". She is saying that this is a national problem! Other countries do not have these "western food allergies". I DO believe that we have done this as a nation by over protecting ourselves, and our kids from exposures to germs, etc. What I do NOT want to see happen is a finger pointing to those with allergies by blaming it on the person, or the child's parents.

So let me tell you a little bit more about our family. We live in a little house in the country. In the fields directly adjoining our backyard, cows and horses are free ranging and grass fed. This being our choice in beef.

The view from our backyard.

One fourth of our property is devoted to a plentiful garden, so we do eat off the farm! We have free-ranging chickens. They eat grass and bugs and we eat their fresh chicken eggs. At least the ones who are not allergic to them!

Our kids play in the dirt, mud, grass, and outside all day long. They also play in the irrigation water once a week in the summertime. And yes, I've been told how that could make them sick so many times.

Picking peaches from our own fruit trees.

The boys playing in the irrigation water.

Our kids get dirty!

Feeding the baby goats.

This is my baby crawling around in the dirt and I am not an avid user of hand-sanitizer, so chances are he ate some of this dirt before he was cleaned up.

Our house is never perfectly clean! There goes the idea that kids with allergies are living in sterile environments.

 So there you go. Although I agree that we as a nation have created a bunch of overly confused immune systems causing a dramatic increase in allergies, it doesn't mean that the people who have them are the biggest germ-a-phobes out there.  Just my take.

It scares the beegeebees out of me!

This is a picture of Olivia's allergy skin prick test.

For those of you who do not know, a drop of protein serum is placed near a cataloged black marker dot. The serum is then pricked with a two pronged needle and if a hive appears within ten minutes, it means you are allergic to that food/grass/animal, etc. Reactions are then graded according to size of the welt. Anything over the size of an m&m is a 4+ and considered severely allergic.

The dog and horse hives in the picture above were about the size of a dime. The peanut one: the size of a half dollar. And that was at five minutes of testing. The nurse even wiped off the serum saying that the welt was "scary big". Really?!

Now comes the part of the post that I want to reach: I am ashamed to say that at one point in my life, prior to children, and certainly prior to children with food allergies, I remember a conversation I had with someone as we discussed how inconsiderate a person was to ask a plane full of people to please refrain from eating peanuts/peanut products while on the plane. How rude! If they can't have peanuts, then don't ride on an airplane! Why should everyone else be punished?!...Now, I have a darling little girl with a deadly, anaphylactic reacting, peanut allergy. And to complicate things, she has asthma. The pair of reactions that make food allergies even more deadly. Karma has come to bite me in the butt!

Note her Epi-Pen in her back pack pocket?

People, please! PLEASE! Do not underestimate the dangers of food allergies! They KILL people!  They kill children such as sweet Natalie Giorgi.
(I am not talking about food intolerances. In my book, they are different things. And I should know because we have them both in our family. I know so many people who claim an allergy when it is an intolerance and as a result, people are brushing off actual, anaphylactic allergies as "oh, everybody is 'allergic' to something these days.").

We feel as if we are sitting on a time bomb just waiting for Olivia to eat jelly on toast at someone's house, not realizing that the jar of jelly had a knife dipped into it that had previously spread peanut butter. Or a well meaning friend to offer a bite of safe vanilla ice cream never knowing that a lone peanut made it's way into that carton of ice cream at the manufacturer. Or that the child in the shopping cart before us was eating peanut butter ritz crackers and wiping his hands on the handle. We panic to think she might leave her epi pen at home on the day that "it" happens.

I am in no way saying that the world should ban peanuts or peanut butter...or milk or eggs or bees or any other thing people are allergic to. What I am saying is that food allergies are real. Please do not dismiss them as something in our heads, or something to get attention over (I've heard these claims). Please do not be like I was and think that people are inconveniencing others with their allergies.

And if you ever come across my child who has a few hives and a possible peanut exposure, PLEASE help her use her epi pen. Or do it for her! I won't sue you. It's epinephrine. Also known as adrenaline. The drug will hurt her less than the actual shot. Even if it was a false alarm. I'll probably kiss you... because you may very well save my child's life!

Winnie the Pooh!

Back in February, the 4 younger kids all auditioned for a production of Winnie the Pooh (Spencer didn't want anything to do with it. Oh well. To each his own.). Just by trying out, anyone under the age of 7 got in. But Olivia and Jacob landed main cast roles! Olivia was cast as "Rabbit" and Jacob was cast as "Roo". Honestly, I was quite surprised! Olivia is so quiet and a bit on the shy side. But when we went to the first rehearsal after casting, they told me that she "blew them away in her audition"! So whatever she does when I'm not looking on, 'You go girl'!


 Over 80 children between the ages of 2 and 14 were in the cast. Quite the feat!

 With our cute neighbor, Brigette, who was one of the narrators.

See the flower on her hat? She refused to be a skunk, claiming "they are stinky", until we showed her Bambi and Flower. From then on, she told everyone she was a "Flower skunk"!

 Off to dress rehearsal! Avvy was amazing! She stayed in her place and on stage not only for the entire show, but for every single practice. Well done sweetheart!

 Ready for the show! With flowers for the directors!

 Trying to not fall asleep on the way to the final performance.

'Christopher Robin' adored Jacob!

 Loving this group of kids!

I got in my traditional sobbing as soon as the curtain opened for dress rehearsal. What can I say, I'm a mom!!

 What a good sport! He was so sweet and encouraging when he was cast as background cast, congratulating Liv and Jacob on their roles. He reminded me that he had had his turn in "The Nutcracker". What a kid!

 Olivia was reported to have "stolen the show"! She was definitely the most expressive in her lines and actions. And you could hear her without a mike!

 Jacob was the all around favorite! His adorable little voice and darling smile had people seeking him out for pictures with him!

We laughed that these were kind of like Disneyland pictures with grown ups posing for pictures with characters!

They have had so much fun these past two months! Learning lines and songs and actions. They have worked so hard and we are so proud of them! I think it says it all when Olivia told us this morning that she is sad that it's over. I agree...Now, on to the next show!!