Someone posted this on Facebook yesterday and I thought it described us! As people who manage life threatening Food Allergies and/or Asthma, I think our reality is a bit difference from the rest of the world. Our reality kicks off with some sort of event, often life threatening, that says, “hey, something is very wrong here”. Then it is followed up by diagnosis, (hopefully), then that dumbfounded moment of “what in the world do I do now?”. You know that moment in time in which your logical brains is desperately trying to wrap around the concept that a cookie crumb could kill while your emotional brain screams out in terror of that everyday items will certain wipe your child out. Then, your common sense kicks in and says, “okay, we can deal with this. We can get a game plan, create some rules and live life to the fullest”. With our challenge, we gain strength and our children gain coping mechanisms that make them stronger.
We felt the pain.
We felt it at birthday parties.
We felt it as we sat out playing basketball to catch our breaths and take a puff from our inhalers.
We felt it standing in the grocery store isles trying to find safe options.
We felt it as we left friend’s houses due to animal hair aggravating our asthma.
We felt while we explained safety measures are needed for play dates.
We felt the strength!
We felt the strength at birthday parties when we learned to bring cool looking safe foods.
We felt the strength when we controlled asthma with maintenance medicines and strategies.
We felt the strength at the grocery store and online when we found safe foods.
We felt the strength when we avoided asthma triggers.
We felt the strength when we invited others to our house for play dates until the other parents felt comfortable enough to take over the play date reigns.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..