Food Appreciation: Starbucks

If you were in your local Starbucks a couple weeks ago, and there was a vaguely woman-shaped parka (it was -30 Celsius OUTSIDE), sweating and squinting at food products, sometimes cursing, and snapping photos…it was me. Well, it might have been me. Maybe it’s a thing kids do these days…I’m pretty out of touch.

You see, I’m on a mission for readily available snacks on the go. Fun snacks. As I’ve mentioned before, our current options for snacking expeditions are limited, so I’m trying to be proactive.

At this point, we’ve got our daughter convinced that an alternative grocery store down the street is a “destination” for treats. Fortunately, right now, she is way more into chips than sweets, but we walk by a couple restaurants, a bakery, a café, a gourmet chocolate shop, and a gelato place on the way. I’m not sure how long the novelty of going to a grocery store that smells like incense and fermented food products will hold up. Her poor older brother, who is not allergic to anything, looks longingly at all the places we pass and tries to be subtle (as only a 5-year-old can) about when we can take just him out for a real treat. He’s a sport about it and doesn’t want his sister to feel bad, but he knows he’s missing out.

We also, at some point, would love to travel with our kids. We’ve never even braved an overnight in a hotel. As it stands, to do so would involve planning and schlepping all our daughter’s meals for each day, along with all the snacks. Other than a grocery store (which IS a possible solution), or a few places that prep fries in a dedicated fryer (see Food Appreciation: New York Fries), we don’t have any reliable places to grab food, especially in unfamiliar territory. It’s doable, but it doesn’t feel like it would be fun.

So, I’m looking for a big chain, that’s widespread, with consistent product offerings and practices. I started with the biggies, but McDonald’s is waffling and taking steps backwards in allergy practices. Everything in there is covered in dairy or egg anyway, so it’s not an option for us, but in terms of supporting those who are only allergic to peanuts, Mick Dick’s has really kicked them in the shins lately.

Others, like Swiss Chalet/Harvey’s have some general policies and lots of information available. They even have some specific products that could technically be consumed by someone with my daughter’s allergy set, but individual franchises aren’t necessarily obligated to follow anything, and we’ve literally been laughed at when asking (after driving 20 minutes out of our way based on website info) about cross-contamination, so in practice, it means nothing.

I did however, have a glimmer of hope at Starbucks the other night. I was, admittedly, solo and scarfing down a very non allergy friendly pretzel dunked in caramel and chocolate, but I took the opportunity to survey their prepackaged selection of goods. I was not overwhelmed with what I found, but I wasn’t necessarily disappointed either.

As noted above, I was lurking around the shelves at a Starbucks in a bookstore, squinting at packaging with poorly contrasted label lettering, in dim coffee shop light. As a general point, prepackaged food is a good place to start. The ingredients are listed and there’s less risk of cross-contamination through handling. If the place that sells cake pops for my son and caffeine for me, ALSO sells snacks the little one can pick out and enjoy, I’ll count that as a win.

Here, are my findings:

Smoothies and Juice – They’ve got a good selection. Because I’m a pretentious yuppie parent, my kids still think juice is a treat. The smoothies are helpful. (But I forgot to take a picture. It was really hot in there.)

Beef Jerky – Not sure how easy a sell this is to a preschooler, but despite her largely vegan needs, she’s a carnivore at heart. Could do. Maybe I’ll tell her it’s bacon.

Apple Chips – I thought these would be good. They aren’t. I don’t know how they screwed them up, but…Ugh. Neither kid would keep them in their mouths, let alone chew and swallow them.

Kale Chips – I don’t care how many times Pinterest tells me Kale chips can be “soooo good.” These ones tasted like socks. Most other brands also taste pretty bad. And I really WANT to like them.

Kale Chips – Cucumber Dill

Kale Chips – Zesty Nacho

Marmite-flavoured Popcorn – I’m willing to try these, but haven’t yet. I enjoyed the toast version of this in my backpacking days though, they should be pretty savory, and salt IS my daughter’s favourite, so there’s potential here.

Sweet Potato Chips – This works. Plain chips of most kinds usually do. Not exciting, but they exist, which is good to know.

Flavoured Potato Chips – What?!?! YES! Flavours without whey powder?!?!! Hallelujah! Still…it’s chips…but it’s not PLAIN chips. Whoot!

Potato Chips – Salt and Vinegar

Potato Chips – Barbecue

And of course, being Starbucks and all, the obvious offering here is coffee. Rich, bitter, delicious, invigorating, but generally frowned upon in the hands of a preschooler. I need the boost, she already rocks and rolls all night and parties every day.

In conclusion, while I’m not excited about the options, and a meal is definitely out of the question, in a pinch, Starbucks might just work. I’d much rather support the amazing local, home spun cafes in my area (and any area really), but a family’s gotta do what a family’s gotta do. I’ll take the kids for a walk this weekend and see how the experience goes. If nothing else, next time we’re stuck en route and the snacks run out, or maybe someday if we’re travelling, well, pretty much anywhere in the developed world, Starbucks will be there with…something.

February 7, 2018 0

We like to party.

We like to party…we like, we like to party.
I apologize for invoking the Vengaboys, but even after 18 years, I STILL hear that song every time someone mentions a party. It’s terrible, but catchy as hell. You’re welcome for the ear worm.

It’s true though, we do like to party. We just have to manage things a little differently than we used to.

Or, from time to time these days, though I hate to admit it, we avoid them.

When we do bail, it’s generally a combination of situational factors (e.g., number of people, if there are kids, if the place is going to be filthy with pizza and ice cream, if there are little old ladies with good intentions trying to give our kid ice cream), and location (e.g., an Italian restaurant, an indoor playground smeared with years of pizza and ice cream residue, a cottage or camping event where emergency services may be unreliable).

We’re not any less social than we used to be. Life is busy, but we love the people in ours and we want to actually see them in a social capacity.

However, sometimes it feels a little overwhelming. Layered in with the factors above, is how much effort we feel like putting into prep and surveillance.

The prep, I’ve talked about before. (See Sesame Seeds of Doubt with regards to events at restaurants, and Excursion Essentials for going pretty much anywhere else.)

The surveillance is something all parents do when we’re fresh to the job and helicopter-y, but it generally fades as kids get bigger and more independent. With our son, we’re at a point where the right party, at the right house, allows us to release him into a toy-filled attic or basement along with all the other kids and it’ll all turn out ok. Our daughter is two and a half so she’s gaining a little independence, but usually wants to stay nearby, and we’re ok with that because the eight-year-old kids aren’t quite babysitting age (though some of the eight-year-olds we know are waaaayyy more grown up than some of the 38 year-olds we know).

In general, we’re pretty relaxed and will team up to check on the kids, bring them in line if needed, feed, water, change, etc. However, in certain crowds, at certain events, we have to kick things up a notch. Not surprisingly, when food comes out, our roles…intensify. While we haven’t gone full secret service yet (those ear piece communicators are expensive), we lock eyes, exchange hand signals for placement in relation to our charge, and establish clear sight lines around the room.

Once a cheese board or a bowl of dill pickle chips (yup…dairy in those) hits the coffee table, our daughter has a shadow: Someone to cut her off if she approaches the snack table. Someone to scan the room for used napkins or those tempting tiny plates that inevitably get sprinkled all over side tables and the arms of couches. We also scan for orange Doritos residue, chocolate or cookie crumbs, fruit that looks harmless but has been served near yogurt dip…you get the picture.

We do it as subtly as possible, but it’s a delicate balance between trying to keep an eye on her, attempting to maintain adult conversation, and tactfully executing a wipe down of any kids (or cuddly adults) who might make contact with the little one or things she’s likely to touch. If she ever goes into show biz, she’ll be well accustomed to the “starlet at a bar with a body guard” routine.

We hope it’s not creepy or weird or intrusive for others at the party. We don’t want to dictate how parties are thrown, or what’s there, or how others have to celebrate when we’re around. We don’t want people to groan when they find out we’re coming and that they have to accommodate us. We also don’t want people to make a huge deal out of it when we have been accommodated. I want to make it clear that we ALWAYS appreciate the good intentions of people making the effort, and the work it takes to do so. But…it can really feel like you’re putting people out when there’s a big “todo” about separating and substituting, or when kids are told “You can’t have that today because R is here.” We want our daughter accustomed to real life and real situations. But, man can it ever suck the fun out of a gathering when it becomes the focal point of your night.

HOWEVER, we are exceptionally fortunate, and New Years Eve this year was a heart busting reminder of that. We have amazing friends who, for several years now, have hosted a two-stage party where the kids get to celebrate a ball drop at 8pm and the grown-ups celebrate in a second shift once the kids (and some partners) have gone to bed.

Without really bringing it up, without fanfare, and absolutely without eye rolling or groaning, this amazing group of people (hosts, guests, and kids) quietly sorted out a snack menu that was completely safe and completely satisfying. There were fruit and veggie trays, and home made bread. We were asked to bring some dip to contribute. Friends brought guac and nachos. More friends showed up with locally made dairy-free tomato pizza. The hosts went out and found cashew-based “cheese” that was safe (only peanuts are an issue) and really really good. Packages were casually brought over for a quick inspection as needed. It wasn’t a thing. It just happened.

We went to the party, prepped and ready to break out our dark suits and hand signals…and promptly put that shit away and simply raised our glasses. When the kids went to bed, the grown-ups busted out the dairy (and maybe a little more booze), but while our daughter was there, we literally had nothing to worry about.

It may seem like a small thing to them, but the fact that it was thought of and done without hoopla or hullabaloo, or highlighting again and again what was being done because our daughter was there, was EVERYTHING. As I type, I’ve got warm, happy tears in my eyes because our friends are fucking fabulous. We love them dearly and it was so so so good to start the new year with the feeling that things were indeed, fine and dandy.

So, as we ring in a new year where the world in general is feeling less than warm and fuzzy, I leave you with the following message, originally put out by the Vengaboys, but dedicated to the people in our lives who so clearly have our backs:

Hey now, hey now, hear what I say now

Happiness is just around the corner

Hey now, hey now, hear what I say now

We’ll be there for you

You know the rest. Happy 2018!

January 9, 2018 0

There’s no food in that food.

Tis the season to be grateful. Falalalala la la la la!

I am indeed grateful for many things in my life, but this season, I am particularly and surprisingly grateful that some of the food we buy is not…really food.

Sometimes, as an allergy parent, a near or complete lack of natural food products is a big old win. If there’s nothing real, there’s nothing to trigger a reaction. If it’s good and processed, it might be processed enough that the body doesn’t even recognize it anymore. I’m not saying it’s good all the time. I know carnauba wax is NOT something one should consume in any great quantity. But…sometimes…it’ll do the trick.

You see, my five-year-old was PUMPED to make a gingerbread house. My two-year-old, fuelled by her brother’s enthusiasm, also had visions of candy construction dancing in her head. But…I am not a gifted or patient baker. Life is currently pretty full of life-type stuff, and I had no idea how to make vegan icing harden enough to be used as adhesive. I do have a vague memory of my mother fusing gingerbread together with some kind of melted sugar concoction, but a significant part of that memory is actually her swearing as she burnt the crap out of her fingers while the pieces slid apart. In my memory, whatever she used was the candy equivalent of hot glue…my crafting arch nemesis.

I was determined to find a solution that was safe for my daughter, without being a huge pain the ass. There had to be something.

And there was! Was there ever!

After a month or so of calling around natural grocery stores, pestering alternative bakeries, and scouring the depths of Pinterest for a vegan gingerbread house that I could and would actually make, the clouds parted and a miracle occurred.

On a windy, miserable day at ToysRUs, as I debated between Thomas the Tank Engine and Paw Patrol advent calendars (three days into December…because I’m cheap and they’re on sale if you buy them late), I glanced to the left and found this magical answer to my problem:

It was peanut free, dairy free, egg free, the icing and candy balls were pretty much just sugar with some weird binders and oil, and it totally blew my five-year-old’s mind.

I don’t know if the kit was strictly vegan and it’s definitely not advertised as such, but a good close look through the ingredient list confirmed it. There was little to no food in that “food.” Juuust unnatural enough not to be a threat. Score!

The results (sneak peak in the lower right corner there) were a little more abstract than the box, but it was super fun! Got a pile of safe candy from the grocery store, some old stale marshmallows (for snow on Hoth that turned into clouds on Takodana), and went to town.

Happy holidays everyone!

December 23, 2017 0

Small victories.

Tonight some friends were visiting from out of town with their kids and everyone was meeting at a local dive bar that daylights as a family friendly restaurant. It’s a place we generally avoid, but we’re trying hard to navigate social situations with food. It’s becoming a bad habit to avoid them.

So, I picked big brother up from afterschool care, popped in at home to pack little sister’s Yumbox and grab colouring books, and walked over to the restaurant, anticipating meltdowns, or reactions, or confrontations with servers.

But…it all just worked. The kids coloured and little sister ate her food. Grownups talked loudly over the kids and drank mediocre beer. It was all very civilized. There was a moment of tension when big brother’s food arrived and sis wanted some chicken fingers and fries, but she accepted the explanation that they would make her sick pretty graciously.

It was a good night, a nice night, and one we no longer take for granted. Thanks universe!

December 9, 2017 0

Baked Egg Challenge – Update

More than a month ago, I posted about our daughter’s upcoming baked egg challenge, and I’ve just realized that I’ve left all five to ten of my readers dangling on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the results.

So, the results:

No results for you. Test didn’t happen. The day of the booking we got all prepped, got through the scratch test with the nurse, got into the doctor’s office, and my daughter coughed. The test was delayed and I was sent packing feeling kinda guilty that I hadn’t recognized the slight post nasal drip (that she ALWAYS has) as a cold.

Two weeks later, we’re booked for a make up and BAM! Another cold. Bah! Why is my kid always sick?

Next available date…March!

So again, we wait. We keep on trucking. My parent instinct is telling me she wouldn’t have passed it anyway at this point. Maybe it’s good she has a little more time to outgrow it. Maybe that’s just self preservation, but it makes me feel less frustrated so I’m sticking with it.

December 1, 2017 0

Sesame Seeds of Doubt

There’s a local-ish gourmet burger chain we go. They have a smattering of locations within an hour’s drive, but there’s one location in particular where we’ve eaten a handful of times as a family. We’re not there weekly or anything, but as noted in previous posts, our stomping grounds are limited and we are pretty damn cautious, so going somewhere a few times a year is a big deal.

I can’t remember how I found out they could accommodate my daughter’s food snaffoos. I think we’d heard that some places have dedicated fryers to accommodate gluten free consumer demand and I called to check. My daughter, like many kids, will happily eat fries as a meal. (Note: If you’re going to judge me as a parent for that, you can go away now.)

When I called, I found out that their burgers are all beef, no binders, and that there was also a gluten free, vegan bun. The angels sang and trumpets played and we took the whole family in, without an extra packed meal.

We followed our standard allergy family dining out protocol:

Call ahead, talk to the manager, and confirm the options (if there are any). Be SUUUUUUUPER friendly.
Let them know when you’ll be coming. Go early so they won’t be rushed or distracted with the order while prepping, and give them time to prep an area or clean stuff off for you. (Theoretically…gotta put a little faith in the fact that you’ve just told them your two year old could die and that they don’t want that.) Be SUUUUUUUPER friendly.
When you arrive, ask again for the manager and let them know that you called ahead. Confirm the allergy list with them and let them know you appreciate any extra effort their staff makes to accommodate your needs. Show them your beautiful daughter (Do this only if she’s in a good mood and adorable. If she’s hangry and being a turd, send your partner with her to the bathroom until you’re seated.). Be SUUUUUUUUUPER friendly.
Thoroughly wipe down the table and chairs where your allergic kid will be sitting with three separate wipes. Accept the “What’s up with that?” looks from other customers and the “I was visibly cleaning that as you approached.” look from the server, with a shrug and a smile. Make a lame “it’s not you it’s us” joke if anyone is in ear shot or in danger of eye strain from rolling them so hard.
When your server arrives re-list the allergies. Show them your beautiful daughter (who is now sweetly colouring and singing itsy-bitsy spider after your partner has slipped her a graham cracker to soften the hangriness). I also carry the list on a pocket sized piece of paper, along with all the terrible things that can happen, and the emergency procedure to follow if they do. Give this to the staff. I know they could write this down, but it makes me feel better knowing that I’m not relying on someone else’s attention span or handwriting. I also feel the consequences and the emergency procedure being printed, but not spoken (more than once) really hammer the point, in a deliciously passive aggressive kind of way. Again, be SUUUUUUUPER friendly.
When ordering, ask again about everything your kid is going to eat. Ask if the server would mind double checking with the cooking staff about any food being prepared, and to double check the ingredients on anything that’s premade. Continue to be SUUUUUUUPER friendly.
When the food arrives, smile, look apologetic, and say “I’ve just gotta ask again…” and make sure your allergic kid is getting what they’re supposed to be getting.
If all goes well, leave a good tip at the end of the meal. Ask to speak to the manager and let them know that the server was great, that the food was appreciated, and that the extra effort didn’t go unnoticed. Of course, wrap it up by being SUUUUUUPER friendly. My feeling on this is that we want more places to be willing to accommodate and we want more people to not be dicks about it. Make them want you back.

This may seem a little elaborate if you’re not in this mess on a day-to-day basis, but going out is an event for our kids and it’s worth the effort. Quality of life, don’t shut me in type-thing.

The catch, of course, is when it doesn’t work. Or even worse, when you think it worked, but maybe it didn’t.

Let’s go back to the burger place. The first time we went, we were extra cautious and the experience was pretty new for our daughter. She was a little overwhelmed by the people, the bustle, and the thematic accents in the décor. She mostly ate fries and a bit of the ketchup soaked burger. All was well. The next time, she ate more of the burger, but who knows how much food actually gets INTO a two-year-old compared to what gets splattered AROUND a two year old.

The third time she ate most of the burger and all seemed to go well. Unfortunately, a few hours later she complained that her back hurt (daughter-speak for the sharp itchiness of a reaction as it pops up on her torso). She was fussy and fidgety and farting up a storm. Hives appeared. We dosed her up with antihistamine and things cleared up. We checked on her throughout the night to make sure nothing else flared up.

We went step-by-step through the meal in our heads. Did we touch her fries with our cheese-burger-y hands? Did her brother’s chocolate milk somehow splash across the table? We’d been so careful, but there’s always something you miss.

We chalked it up to good old cross-contamination and accepted that we weren’t going to get a definitive answer. Everything should have been clear, but it hadn’t and we took the blame.

This weekend, we returned to the restaurant, followed the procedure, and placed an order with the usual apologies (I know we shouldn’t have to, but we do it anyway) and requests to double check. This time, unlike the others, the server walked back over to us with a binder and showed us an ingredient list.

Duh duh dun!

Turns out, the gluten free buns are dairy free, but include egg. Not vegan. Not cool. We’d gotten both super lucky and super unlucky the first few times we’d eaten there. Lucky that our daughter hadn’t eaten more of the bun, lucky that her reaction was mild, but unlucky that the server and staff we’d spoken with hadn’t check this binder, which was clearly laid out and intended to answer exactly this kind of question.

Playing devil’s advocate, it is possible that the ingredients had changed, that the binder didn’t exist last time (maybe they’d updated procedures), or that something else had gone awry. I’ve worked in food service, I get it.

We thanked our server whole-heartedly for doing the extra checks and ordered the burger without the bun and fries for our daughter. The meal went well, everyone was happy and no hives appeared before bed time.

There was, however, barfing at 2am. Lots and lots of vomit.

And THIS is the hard part.

It is highly unlikely that my daughter’s impression of Linda Blair had anything to do with the dinner that she’d eaten, other than the fact that it came back up for a second showing. There are bugs and flu and all manner of gastro-intestinal horror going around daycare and school. My partner had been sick just days before. She did not have hives, or swelling, or any other symptom to indicate that it was a reaction. However, she also did not have a fever, or aches, or diarrhea, or any other symptom to indicate that it was a virus. Whatever it was, it came and went, and she was starving and only a little groggy from the sleep disruption, within hours of it occurring. No antihistamines or epinephrine needed. (Thankfully!)

There is no evidence to indicate that my daughter came into contact with anything that would harm her at the restaurant. This time, the server had saved our butts by doing what she was supposed to do. She was thorough and attentive. We took every precaution that we could reasonably take.

But…the seeds of doubt are there. We do not and cannot know that it wasn’t something she ingested. Every time she vomits, our automatic assumption is that it’s a reaction. If she gags while she’s throwing up (she’s really very bad at it and makes horrible noises and faces because it’s just a lot of work), we run for the epi pen and prepare to dial 911. We wake her in the night as we shine our phones on her back and belly and face to make sure there aren’t any hives, and that her lips don’t look swollen. In practice, we have to assume that vomit is the first sign of something that can get bad pretty fast.

There is always, though remote, a chance that whatever caused her to purge her system, came from dinner. We thought we could be pretty confident with this particular restaurant, but there was a decent screw-up/oversight those first couple times, that we just learned about, that leaves a bad taste. In the words of every parent at some point: I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.

We are well aware that we’re taking a risk when we’re out. Some allergic families don’t take that risk, but for us, it’s important to try. The reality is that we have to trust others (to a point) and that from time to time, someone will let us down. If we don’t try, then people will continue to say “then just don’t go out” and nothing will ever change for families like ours. It is also a reality that there are more and more families like ours out there. Gotta blaze that trail!

What I am pissed about, is that our list of places we can be at ease just got shorter. We’ll likely go back to the burger place. We know what to watch for and what to ask for (the binder!). We have good reason to believe that the service and the food the last time we were there was on point. Due diligence was done and we got what we needed and paid for.

But it’s never going to be the same.

I’m always going to feel a little off and a little suspicious, and every other restaurant is going to have to that much harder to show me I can feel good feeding my kid there. I’m still going to be SUUUUUUUPER friendly, because I want to reward restaurants and individuals that are even trying to accommodate our needs, but I’m going to dig deep into my nerd-dom to sum things up…

“The seed of doubt was there, and it stayed, and every now and then sent out a little root. It changed everything, to have that seed growing.” – Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game

November 30, 2017 0

Live and Learn

I met my partner when I was pretty young, and we’re now at a point where our relationship could vote and buy beer in Quebec. Going back to my teenage years, I was pretty blasé about relationships. There were butterflies and disappointments, but I’ve never really experienced real heart break. (I understand this probably seems a little out of context for an allergy blog, but I promise, I’m getting there…)

As a parent, the gradual appearance of allergy after allergy with my kid, and the likelihood of more to come, is stressful, but we’re getting the hang of it for the most part. Good shit happens, less good shit happens, and you manage a little better each time, as people generally do in life and love.

Last summer, after a year of fear and relearning to cook, and reshaping how I think about food, we took our daughter in for a baked milk challenge.

For those who are not in the know, milk protein changes when you cook it. The longer you cook it, the less it is what it once was. A lot of kids that are allergic to dairy can consume products with heavily processed or well-cooked milk protein. It can be a back door approach to sneak dairy into an individual’s diet without their system recognizing it as the “enemy.” It can help with building tolerance as well. The process basically involves taking your toddler (or larger, older human) to the allergist, where you buy a magical muffin that has been prepared in a way that they know exactly how much milk protein is in it.

Note: I’m going to describe what we did here, but need to make sure everyone understands that this was just our experience and I’m going from memory and the science may change or doctors may do things differently. This was a BAKED food challenge and other food challenges are done differently. It’s all medically supervised and there is little (but not no) risk of a serious reaction. Went in informed and prepared. Do your research.

Over the course of a few hours, your allergic human (of any size or age) consumes first a crumb, then another, then a small piece, then another, then a chunk, then another, then another, then the rest of the muffin. These doses are doled out over the course of a few hours, at regular intervals, and you watch carefully for signs of a reaction. If there are none, or nothing significant, you pass. Your kids gets a diagnosis of “baked milk tolerant” and you get a schedule of food prep to follow.

A couple months of one muffin a day with X amount of baked milk protein. Then you up it to two muffins for a couple months, then you start giving them stuff with boiled milk (lasagna, casseroles, etc.) for a couple months, then another couple months of consuming commercial foods with milk as the fourth or so ingredient. After more than half a year of gradually increasing exposure to dairy of varying degrees of cookedness (pretend that’s a word), you go in to try another food challenge to see if your kid can now consume plain old dairy, which involves a different testing and follow up process.

Photo 2017-10-17, 9 05 42 PM — Would you like some puree of possibility mom?

A few points about the baked milk challenge:

People are supposed to be in peak physical condition for these tests. Not like, one-handed push up condition, but not sick or sniffley in any way. For a toddler, I think one-handed push ups are easier than finding a day that they’re not even a little bit sick. Kids are gross and we had to reschedule the challenge several times because of colds, eye infections, etc.
My daughter hates sweet things and the muffin is super sweet so kids will eat it. I spent four hours cajoling, bribing and wrapping bits of muffin in other food products. For the last half, I resorted to pulverizing it in a container of applesauce with promises of the park and a Peppa Pig marathon.
Four hours in a waiting room with a two year old is a special kind of hell.
I have never been so hopeful and terrified and miserable and overjoyed to be carrying out a pain in the ass procedure. I would do it every day for a year if it meant a pass.

Simply put, if our daughter passed this test, our world would literally change. Getting rid of a dairy allergy, even one terrible muffin at a time, would expand our lives in ways I can’t even put into words. It was like the worst and best date ever. Tedious, but full of possibility!

After four and a half hours, my daughter was declared “tolerant.” I texted my family and friends and posted pictures of her triumphantly (ok, begrudgingly) eating the muffin/applesauce mush. I called my mom with tears in my eyes. I went home and baked two batches of the muffins, and worked all the phases of the regime into my calendar. We were so relieved and so in love with the possibility that in a year, we might be able to knock her top allergen off the list.

But…by 4pm the next day, in the midst of a back yard barbecue, just two muffins into her program, she got grumpy, then clingy, then barfed all over my husband’s shoulder. Hives popped up on her belly a while later. We dosed her up with antihistamine and kept the auto injector at the ready, but she’d gotten it out of her system. She was fine, but we were heart broken.

I don’t know how else to put it, though I know it’s a little hyperbolic. A door opened, we took a look around, and then it shut. I was gutted.

But, as many teenagers figure out, heartbreak is something you get over, and sometimes things aren’t really that different on the other side of it. Really, we just had to keep doing what we already doing. It was the fact that nothing was going to change that was upsetting. Disappointment is a thing, but it’s a manageable thing.

Tomorrow, we are scheduled for another challenge: baked egg.

I am cautiously optimistic. Egg was not a huge reaction for her. Her brother was allergic to eggs, but he outgrew it by her age. Half the kids I know couldn’t eat eggs for a few years.

Egg would be good to work back in. Pancakes are never the same without eggs and vegan waffles just don’t work. (Seriously Pinterest…they don’t. Stop trying to convince me they do.) Vaccinations and flu shots would be a lot less stressful without the egg thing. As mentioned previously, working scrambled eggs into our lives would make weekday dinners way easier. I’m all for team “egg tolerant” and I’m willing to put in the work to get on it.

But, I’m also a little wiser now. I’ve done this before and I know that allergies are unpredictable. I’m going to take things a little slower this time, be hopeful but cautious, and just wait and see how it all plays out.

In the immortal words of Wilson Philips, with their mom-jeans and embroidered vests of wisdom:

Don’t you know?
Don’t you know things can change?
Things’ll go your way,
If you hold on for one more day.

We’ll see how things go tomorrow (and the next day…the next day is important too…one more day and all that…).

October 18, 2017 0

Excursion Essentials

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, when we go out, we go with food. Thought I’d post a quick essentials list for what we look for and what we always have on hand when it’s time to eat.

To date, we’ve never had a problem with bringing in our own food. I know others who have, but in general, employees back away slowly and smile when we list off our daughter’s allergies. Mostly nobody cares or notices. I think as along as nobody is screaming or making a huge mess, most establishments are pretty cool with a kid quietly snacking in a corner. We even clean up before AND after she eats…what’s not to like about a customer who does that?

The “Look Fors”:

1. Quiet corner away from main food service

2. Vinyl chair…easy wipedown.

What we always bring:

3. Wipes (before, after, during…We buy BIIIIIGGG boxes of wipes.)

4. Yumbox. This thing has been a game changer when we go out. Totally shameless plug here. It’s stupid expensive for a lunch box, but you need the right tools for the job, and this thing really works for us. The compartments are sealed when closed, it’s well-weighted so doesn’t tip, and our toddler can open and close it. Where we go, it goes.

5. Emergency kit: 2x auto injectors, anaphylaxis plan cheat sheet (short version to hand to servers etc. when out), antihistamine.

That’s it. Easy peasy. Just do that everywhere and you’re good.

October 9, 2017 1

Just don’t…

When I had my first kid, I had this general mantra for parenthood: “Just don’t be an asshole.”

It applies to parents, to kids, to kids’ friends, family members…

Whatever unique twist my kid decided to put on his life, whoever he wanted to be, or be with, or how he wanted to make a living, or chose to exist in his community, my basic, most general desire was “Don’t be an asshole.” I thought that was a pretty good baseline.

My ambition was, and still is, to raise tiny humans who become good, caring people. I feel like it’s a completely reasonable and totally attainable goal. There are A LOT of ways to hit that mark. Just. Don’t. Be. An. Asshole.

I used to feel pretty good about this. I was on a good high horse about how noble and open-minded a parent I was. It helped me be calmer and less anxious. It also helped me let go of all the bull shit and pressure that gets heaped on new parents.

It helped me wrap my head around the fact that my kid would be ok. He could scrape his knee. He could be bad at stuff. He could be weird. He could fail and flounder. He could be a lot of things. The bare minimum requirement was set.

Kid number two however, has shaken a few things up, and getting to know some other parents of kids with severe allergies has changed that baseline; added a current that runs through everything else.

Just don’t die.

Through whatever twist of fate/genetics/hormones in the water/crops grown in pesticides/breastfeeding just a little too much or too little/waiting too long to introduce foods/introducing foods in the wrong order/that reno that we did when she was an infant/watching too much Buffy while pregnant/looking at the moon while Saturn was on the cusp of something something…(they really don’t know), my daughter has these allergies.

While we’ve come into this situation at a time when the science around food allergies is gaining momentum and awareness of and options for people with food allergies are expanding, it’s all still very young. There’s a lot they don’t know and there aren’t many clear answers.

We haven’t used the auto injector yet, but with her combination of allergens, I do not doubt that we will at some point. There is no guarantee that what’s made her throw up in the past won’t close up her airway the next time she encounters it.

On a day-to-day basis I am suspicious and scared of the playground, the shopping cart, the well-intentioned ladies at the grocery store bakery who offer my kids a free cookie, and anyone who looks after her. I have to be. We have to be. We have protocols for public surfaces of all kinds and protocols for the house. We have protocols at family gatherings and protocols for family members. It’s not an over-reaction. What most kids slam back after school while watching Paw Patrol with a side of cookies, is literal poison for mine.

Every day I send my kid to her grandparents or to daycare or I see a pizza party at the local park and without fail, “Just don’t die.” flashes through my head.

I don’t care if my kid ever tastes ice cream or brie, pizza or Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Thai food or sushi. Those things are magical, but she’ll get by on meat and potatoes.

I don’t care (too much) about her having something that will make her different from her peers. If it’s not this, it’ll be something else. That shit is character building.

I don’t care if she has to grill cooks and servers about what they put in their food. I think we should all ask those kinds of questions, but that’s a post for another day.

I do care about her having a full life without fear or anxiety about food.

I do care about chance encounters and cross-contamination.

I do care about getting my daughter to a point of tolerance, where she can move through the world and survive it.

Just don’t die. Then, don’t be an asshole.

September 30, 2017 0

Soup is for suckers.

I miss eggs.

Not so much as a food, but as a concept.

I miss their convenience. I miss the nutritional bang for your buck. I miss having something that can be prepared and ready to consume in a 10-minute window of time (without having to spend an hour prepping and freezing it ahead of time).

Scrambled eggs are friggin’ delicious and fast and kids will eat them when you throw them on a plate with some toast and baby carrots. They are SO easy.

We did not have scrambled eggs tonight.

We had soup. It was made from scratch, from wholesome ingredients. It was lovingly simmered over several hours and then frozen in reasonable portions for a quick weekday reheat.

Obviously, nobody ate it.

They ate toast and pickles and we had cereal an hour later before bed time. Sigh.

We rolled in late from work/school/daycare pick up with low blood sugar and quick tempers. After a weekend full of ear infection fun and a blistering fever virus (that two doctors said was NOT hand foot and mouth disease, but almost definitely WAS hand foot and mouth disease), meal prep did not happen. Consequently, the delicate juggling act of using what we have and making sure food gets ON the table that won’t be thrown OFF the table, kinda fell apart.

On the way home, with two whiney kids, I would have given almost anything to just cruise through a drive thru for deliciously terrible burgers and fries. People would have shoved food in their face and maybe felt gassy and bloated later, but for 20 minutes or so, everyone would have been happy and quiet and eaten something at the same time. If it came with a toy, I’d have another 5-10 minutes of peace to eat my own slop.

Alas, that could not happen. My daughter is old enough now to know when she’s getting the shit end of the stick, and it’s no fun to watch everyone else get the goods while you get apple juice. I’d still have to make her food anyway, AND do the toxic cleanup protocol to purge the kitchen of allergens after everyone else ate theirs.

So, we went home, and I heated up the stupid soup. There were tears (and semi-silent mom cursing) before the bowls even hit the place mats.

Eggs would have hit the spot, but since they’re off the table, I ran through my fast dinner options:

If anyone liked baked beans, I’m sure beans on toast would work, but nobody likes them, including me.
I know I can scramble tofu with turmeric or something, but my kids can detect tofu a mile away and that would go over even worse than soup.
Mac and cheese is deadly for my daughter and my son absolutely rejects all forms of non-tomato sauces anyway. My daughter, of course, won’t eat any tomato-based sauces, so spaghetti is no help.
Hot dogs…hot dogs work…but they didn’t make it back onto the grocery list.

As a parent, you make a lot of choices that are purely based on getting through the moment…so, toast and pickles and cereal it was. The soup was kind of gross anyway.

Next Tuesday, I’m leading with Cheerios.

September 20, 2017 0

Crying Over Spilt Milk