LIVING WITH A LIFE THREATENING ALLERGY
by Vicki L. Bucsis

The realization that my daughter could die from eating one peanut or any trace of peanut products, was one of the hardest and saddest days of my life. She would not have a normal childhood, like going to camp, or exchanging lunches with other kids at school. What a nightmare’ Nothing was going to be simple for her again. Having a child with an anaphylactic allergy is the most difficult thing we as her parents have had to deal with since our daughter was born. Educating ourselves was the first step. We learned that an anaphylactic reaction is an allergic reaction so severe that it can cause death. Its onset is so swift that from time of exposure to death can be as short as IS minutes.

It became evident when she was two months old that she had a problem with allergies. Breastfeeding was a disaster. (she was two months premature) so it was decided to switch her to formula. We finally found one that agreed with her, but by then her whole body was covered with eczema/dermatitis (something she did not outgrow until she was two years old). From there things got worse. When solids were finally introduced (not until about six months), we found that wheat, rye, oan’neal and barley all made her eczema worse. She was oozing from the creases in her legs. Bananas turned this sweet beautiful child ‘into something from “The Exorcist”. I had never seen a baby projectile vomit 30 feet from one mouthful of banana. At that point, her allergist told us not to even try an egg. Luckily she loved all her vegetables. Reading labels became a way of life Because of all her allergies, jarred and prepared baby food was not an option. I made all her food from scratch I had “cook days”, when all I would do is cook and purec vegetables and frwts for a three week supply.

Once we controlled her diet, which meant keeping her away from the things that made her react or breakout, her eczema started disappearing. When I told people that she couldn’t eat eggs, dairy, wheat or nut products, they would ask me “What do you feed her?”. “Healthy food,” I would tell them, rice pasta instead of wheat pasta, Rice Dream instead of milk or ice cream, an egg substitute instead of eggs or tofu cheese in place of cheese made from milk.

One morning while eating my toast with peanut butter, I picked up my daughter, gave her a kiss on the cheek
and put her in her playpen. When I went back 10 minutes later to see her, her hands and face where I had kissed her had swollen up like a balloon. What a sight! Of course, at this point I had no idea what might have caused this. After being told by her pediatrician that ingesting even one bite of peanut butter could have killed her, I knew Katie would always be special. I immediately went home and threw out all the peanut butter, peanut oil, candies, cookies, crackers - anything that had traces of peanuts or peanut oils in it. Then I sat down and cried as I realized the enormous severity of this allergy. How do you explain to a two year old why she can’t have a cookie or candy at a friend’s house, or why she can’t trade snacks at the park. We have to carry one Jr. Epi-Pin for every 15 minute distance we are away from a hospital. We have to read the label of everything that she eats. If the ingredients are not listed, she doesn’t eat it. Going to a restaurant is not always as easy as it sounds. And what about the “what-ifs”? What if she did come in contact with peanuts, would I react m time? Would I stay calni and take charge of the situation? What if I wasn’t there, would her teachers or a friend’s mother know what to do? Could they get her to the hospital in time? Do other people really realize how life threatening this is for my little 2’irl?

This year Katie started school. A huge stepping stone for her, but also for me. The question I have. . . are others aware of the severity of anaphylaxis? I have to trust that the teachers can handle a life threatening emergency, I have to trust that the other mothers are not going to send peanut products to school for snack time, and I have to trust Katie that she will only eat her snack that I have sent with her. The only way I feel that my daughter can have a “normal” school experience, is if everyone is made aware and educated about this fatal food allergy.

Katie is three now and has outgrown some of her allergies. Her allergist says that by the time she is five she will probably outgrow all of them - except peanut. She will always have to be conscience of the food she eats. The older she gets the easier it will be and the more she will realize how life threatening this allergy really is. Until then, a Medical Alert Bracelet and a “No Peanuts” button are permanent daily accessories for this otherwise normal and healthy little girl.