The Power of Food Allergy Baking! Part I

Okay, Friday’s post did not make it even remotely close to the normal time!  This week has been exciting (Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Blog Contest) and just painfully long.  My father had very minor surgery that resulted him not being able to pee. Yes, this has now been publicly posted on the Internet, thankfully, he is not an Internet junkie and won’t read this post.  As a result of what my friend Laural is calling Pee Watch 2012, in the last three days we’ve experienced the grand total of 1 outpatient surgery, 2 ER visits (think pee issue…the man must pee), one primary care visit and the need for eight dozen nut free, egg free, dairy free Vegan banana muffins.   In the same day, in between the surgery and ER visit, I baked the food allergy friendly muffins.
 

The muffins were needed for my son’s school eight and ninth grade breakfast.  In all the medical commotion, it never dawned on me to not bake the  Vegan banana muffins.  The school called as I was pulling out the last tray and said they can purchase muffins given that they had just become aware of my dad’s surgery.   Truly, my son could easily have not eaten the muffins and been fine.  My focus was to get those muffins baked and then off the ER to bring my dad relief!  Last night, I couldn’t stop chuckling at myself when I realized I was on food allergy baking auto-pilot, I’ve probably made a few thousands of those muffins by now (think 12 years of food allergy baking).  It was automatic to bake safe foods in the midst of Pee Watch 2012.
 

I realized that in my little food allergy world mind, baking safe foods is as natural as breathing and that food allergy baking is such common place for me.   Of course, I was baking while forcing my poor old dad to drink water in hopes of “making things happen”.  I think when we manage chronic conditions, we create patterns to meet our needs.  Somehow, there are things we seem to do without thinking that make living with a life threatening condition just fine.  Such as, checking to make sure we have epinephrine as we walk out of the door and baking before a school event for me.  The habit of baking is also very soothing to me too, so I think the muffins helped with the natural stress of the day.
There is a comfort in knowing that our patterns, habits and systems keep our personal little worlds moving forward.  Of course, my family was happy with the baking since I made extras for them to enjoy!
Do you have a habit or pattern that keeps you sane, safe or healthy you can share?  Please comment below!

On Monday, I will post the Power of Food Allergy Baking Part II-control or therapeutic?

Have a great weekend–Caroline
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