Posting Will Resume...and I Will Announce a Winner Soon!

Hi fellow PA moms. Terribly sorry about the MIA. Between starting a freelance writing business and some health problems, this blog has been inadvertently put on the back burner. I will post a winner of the giveaway tomorrow and am starting a new series called "Taking Care of PA Mom." Once I share my heart, many of you will understand why I occasionally disappear from the blog.

Oatmeal Baths for Eczema

After I wrote a whole series on getting rid of eczema, it made an ugly return to our home in the last few months. Just like any battle, you win some and you lose some. But we are experimenting with a new, natural treatment that seems to be very working.

Allergic dermatitis and eczema can be treated with a simple oatmeal bath recipe that can be made at home.

Oatmeal’s health benefits in a diet are well known. Incredibly, oatmeal is just as good for your skin as it is as a hearty breakfast. With this simple home remedy that can easily made for just pennies, allergic dermatitis and eczema flare-ups can be quickly treated with the simple act of taking a bath...

For the rest this article I wrote, check out: Oatmeal Bath Recipe For Allergic Dermatitis: A Treatment for Eczema

Two Peanut Allergy Kids?!?!

Having a child with a peanut allergy kid can be overwhelming. Having two, well, I just can't even comprehend the level of anxiety that would bring.

Two weeks ago I thought I just might have two of them.

Despite the fact our church is peanut free, someone (who obviously was not aware of the policy) brought peanut butter candy to church and put it candy bowls all over the church. (Yes, I heard a few of you gasp. Trust me, I did, too!)

I have diligently trained Tyler over the years to never take candy without asking. Now that he is 5, he does not.

My younger child, Dylan, is 3. I had him allergy tested last year and his tests came back negative. But the peanut butter candy was there. And he ate it. The nursery worker who was caring for him was terrified when she saw the peanut butter in the middle. She is well-trained on EpiPens due to food allergies in her own family and was prepared.

By the time I arrived, there had been no reaction. I felt relieved. I was glad I did not know it was happening when it was happening. And I was glad there was no reaction. Yeah!

Nine hours later, Dylan broke out in a mysterious rash. I wondered if a reaction could be that delayed. I knew it would be unusual but nut allergies do not follow a text book example.

I took Dylan back in for allergy testing. The poor child had to go through the "back pricking" twice in a year.

I was thrilled there was, again, no reaction. Our allergist is very cautious. He also did blood work so he felt completely confident there was no allergy. Those tests also came back negative.

In the end, I only have one child with a peanut allergy. You can bet we have been doing the "happy dance" over that one!

Staying Organized for a Food Allergy Mom & a Giveaway!

Few things can prepare you for what it will be like when you child is diagnosed with a life-threatening food allergy. Your mind whirls around, wondering how you will ever manage to keep your child safe.

For me the most important thing (besides checking food labels and other related issues) is staying organized. This does a few things for me:

1. It helps me know what is coming up and when I need to have food alternatives.


2. Exactly what safe foods I have in my pantry and in my deep freeze for those last minute frantic food needs.


3. It gives me a feeling of control in a sometimes seemingly uncontrollable situation.

Each week, I examine my calendar of what is coming up and make a list of all that needs to get accomplished in the upcoming week. Although I won't go into all the details here, I have a pretty elaborate (also a little neurotic) system that I use to keep up with my fast paced life.

So what do I use for to stay on top of things so that I make sure that I am always prepared and able to keep Tyler safe?

Carolina Pad products! If you have never heard of them, be prepared to fall in love (as much as you can with paper products!).

They have several lines of products like notebooks, planners, binders, post-it notes, and just about everything else you can imagine that all coordinate together. They are feminine (a big deal for me since I live with all men!) and so functional.

Did I mention that I love this company??

In most areas of my life, I am very frugal. I buy most of my clothes second hand. I buy in bulk when possible and buy generics.

But...when it comes to staying organized, I only use this one brand. In fact, for Christmas my husband, who is fully aware of my crazy obsession with this company went on Amazon and bought several of their products in bulk for me. I was doing back flips when I got them and happily showed him how they matched so many of my other products. (And, he lovingly rolled his eyes!).

So, you can imagine my total excitement when the company asked me to share my experiences with their products in exchange for some samples from their new product lines and to give away some products to my readers!!

One lucky reader will receive the following fabulous products (the picture above is what the reader will receive):

• "Ideal Portfolio" (This is what I use to list my weekly goals and other upcoming events)


• 100 sheet notebook (I use this for my day to day "To Do" list)


• 100 sheet composition book


• Daily Notes Desk Calendar (one year's worth of weekly planning sheets)


• Ultra thin calculator (polka dots...my favorite!!)


• Card case (looks like a billfold but holds 24 business cards)


• Stick on Notes and Flags (similar to Post-It's but waaaaay cuter!)
  

Do you struggle with staying organized so that you are prepared for whatever your child's food allergy throws your way? If not, this package is for you! Trust me, organization is key on keeping you child safe and keeping your own anxiety levels low.

If you would like to win the fabulous package above, just leave a comment. If you wish, tell us what you most challenging part of staying organized as it relates to your child's peanut allergy.

If you like Carolina Products, please join their Facebook group and follow them on Twitter.

Good luck!! The giveaway will end on February 17 at 7 a.m. EST. Please leave your email address in your comment so I know where to contact the winner.

February 4, 2010 edition of Living with Food Allergies Carnival

Welcome to the February 4, 2010 edition of living with food allergies carnival.

Food Allergy News, Info and Commentaries

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Interview with Allergy Author, Nicolette Dumke, Part 1 posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "Author Nicolette Demke discusses her background and her best advice for people new to food allergies."

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Interview with Allergy Author, Nicolette Dumke, Part 2 posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "In Part 2 of the interview, Nicolette shares 3 recipes from her latest book in addition to hints about what she's working on next."

Food Allergy Assistant presents Food and Food Allergy Resources posted at Food Allergy Assistant, saying, "There are so many great resources on the internet related to food issues, including food allergies."

hall monitor presents Suit says teacher tried to sicken allergic boy posted at DetentionSlip.org, saying, "A teacher attempts to give a student peanuts to make him sick."

Dona Young presents Food Allergies and Birthday Parties posted at Allergy Kid Mom.

Lissa presents Focus Group on SLIT posted at Raising Food Allergic Kids!.

Lissa presents "Half Dead" posted at Raising Food Allergic Kids!.

Aly Co presents Allergy Dining (Food Allergies & Anxiety) posted at Allergy Dining, saying, "We'd love for you to share our new website at www.AllerDine.com"

Susan Weissman presents Susan Weissman: A Relucant Foodie Puzzles Out Peanut Butter And Jelly posted at The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com.

chupieandjsmama presents Food allergies, Epi pens and the school bus - WEGO Health posted at Janeen's Blog - WEGO Health.

chupieandjsmama presents Dr. Oz talked about food allergies today posted at Our Story.

Aaron Dwyer presents Back to School with Anaphylaxis – Episode #25 posted at Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Information - Blog.

Edwin Casimero presents Principles of natural eczema treatment posted at Eczema and Psoriasis Cure Blog.

Ruth Smith presents Support FAAN Walk & Receive Free Advertising posted at Best Allergy Sites, saying, "Please consider making a small donation to support the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and Best Allergy Sites in the FAAN "Walk Towards a Cure"."

Maria Hardy presents Get The Map Out - The Indigo Girls (Taking Opportunities Part 2) posted at Allergy Life in Loudoun.

Food Allergy Friendly Recipes and Cooking Tips

leah aharoni presents Non-dairy calcium recipes « Ingathered posted at Ingathered.

Chris Mathew presents How To Grow Morel Mushrooms Indoors posted at How To Grow Mushrooms, saying, "Learn how to grow mushrooms at home, indoors or outdoors. Mushrooms are a great sources of nutrition for people with food allergies!"

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies - free from the top 8 allergens, corn, refined sugar, and gluten! posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "These cookies are free of the top 8 allergens, corn, refined sugar, and gluten...and are very yummy!"

OCMomActivities presents Awesome Peanut Butter Substitute! posted at OC Mom's Activity Guide, saying, "Thanks for reading! I know a number of people who live with Peanut Allergies, so this very recent post was a huge find for us!!!"

Annette Berlin presents Crustless Broccoli and Cauliflower Quiche posted at Craft Stew, saying, "This delicious and healthy pie doesn't have even a speck of flour!"

Shaunta Alburger presents Goal Met: GF Baking Without a Mix (sort of) « Live Once, Juicy posted at Live Once Juicy, saying, "This is an article about tackling gluten-free baking without a mix."

Alice presents Yellow Chicken in Red Sauce (Indian) (egg-, fish-, milk-, nut-, peanut-, shellfish-, soy-, and wheat-free) posted at Safe and Yummy, saying, "This is a recipe for a truly yummy Indian chicken dish that my friend Jenn made for us a week or so ago."

Sure Foods Living presents Make a gluten-free Valentine pizza! posted at Sure Foods Living - for celiac disease, gluten intolerance, food allergies, peanut allergy, nut allergy, gluten-free diet, gfcf diet, dairy-free, egg-free, soy free or other allergen-free living.

Ruth Smith presents Rich and Delicious Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe | Your Food Allergy Resource Guide: Best Allergy Sites posted at Best Allergy Sites, saying, "This flourless chocolate cake is to die for and a great dessert for Valentine's day."

Food Allergy Assistant presents Nut Free Chocolate for Valentine's Day posted at Food Allergy Assistant, saying, "Time to order Valentine's Day chocolates. Check out these options for nut free and other allergen free choices."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of living with food allergies carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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PA Kid Update: Pneumona & Ashtma

Thank you so much for the emails and concerns for Tyler's pneumonia. He is recovering well. One surprising development is the fact, at least temporarily, Tyler has developed asthma.

We have purchased a nebulizer and have been giving breathing treatments. Many food allergy kids deal with the "triangle" of food allergies. This includes 1.) food allergies 2.) eczema 3.) asthma. I have always felt lucky that we only had two of the corners of that triangle. For now, we are dealing with all three corners.

I am thankful that Tyler is 5 when we started dealing with the asthma. This was all new to him but he has adjusted well. I can explain things to him and reason with him. I feel bad for parents that deal with asthma and a young child.

We are headed to the allergist in a few hours. At this point, we have dealt with the pediatrician. Yesterday our allergist called about some allergy issues with my youngest child (more on that coming soon) and I told him what was happening with Tyler's lungs. He wanted to see him today. (BTW, an allergist like ours, one that actually calls you and you have a personal relationship with is so important when dealing with food allergies and all that go with it. If you don't like your allergist - find a new one!).

I have some exciting posts coming up later this week. I will be introducing some video elements to this blog, too. This means I will be speaking with you face to face some days and not just communicating through writing.

I also have an exciting giveaway coming on Friday. I am sooo excited about this one. The value of the giveaway is around $75. This company is partnering with me so I can show you how I manage food allergies with ordinary products to stay on top of my hectic life and keep Tyler safe. Did I mention how excited I am about sharing this with you guys??

Stay tuned this week for some "catch up" posts from me about allergy-related things have been happening with my family. I will also keep you posted about the asthma developments. If this condition sticks around, I will follow our progress as we adjust to a new aspect of allergy life.

The PA Kid & Pneumonia

Just a quick note to let everyone know why I am M.I.A. The PA Kid has pneumonia!!

While he is not asthmatic, I do think Tyler's allergies and eczema compromise his immune system. As a result, the winter months are a real struggle for him. It is amazing how pneumonia totally knocks a 5 year old off of his feet!

We are in excellent hands and have amazingly avoided the hospital. He is recovering and I should be back blogging regularly by week's end. I've got lots to share, just no time to write.

Thanks for your patience!

A Taste of the Forbidden

Last month I found out that my Grandma in Oklahoma was near death. As quickly as I could, I hopped on a plane and traveled home to be with my family. It was a long trip and I barley ate anything that day.

Sitting in the waiting room of the hospital that day, my family offered me some food that someone gave them. Quickly, I eyed a can of mixed nuts. I have a radar for nuts. This time, however, it dawned on me that I would not see any nut allergic people (Tyler and my husband) for 3 days.

Could nut residue last that long?

I knew it would be silly to think that what I ate that day could have any affect on people in Michigan! (I was in Oklahoma remember!)

So I laughed and took a few nuts. Some family members knew of my problem with nuts. Others had not seen me since Tyler's birth and had no clue.

As I ate those nuts I realized I had forgotten just how good they were! So I ate more. And more. And even more!

They were so good!

By the end of that day, everyone knew my story about nuts. It became a family joke: Pass the nuts to Robyn!

And, boy, did they ever!

I ate so many nut products I'm pretty sure I gained 10 pounds in 3 days!

Here is what I ate...and enjoyed every bite!

*Mixed nuts
*Pecan pie
*Nutter butter cookies (one of my former favorite cookies. Yummy!!)
*Peanut M&M's
*Chocolate covered peanuts
*Roasted peanuts
*Chocolate almonds

Here is a picture of me with several of the nut products I ate. Included in the picture are the family nuts: my dad and uncle!


OK, 'fess up. Who else has done this sort of thing!

THe PA Kid Turns 5!!

Tyler and his dad

Tap...tap..tap...

Is anyone still out there?

Good, glad to know you are out there! You might have noticed I was M.I.A. here lately!

In the last month, I've had tons going on! My grandma passed away, I had a nasty cold, a headache that lasted 2 weeks (yes, it was awful!) and two people in my home had a birthday! Oh, yes, and there was a little something called "Christmas and "New Year's!"

Of everything that was going on lately, one of the positive things (or sad, if you are his Mommy!) is that Tyler, a.k.a. "The Peanut Allergy Kid" turned 5!

It is hard to believe all that the last 5 years has brought into my life. When he was born, I worried just about the fact he was my first child and I wasn't sure if I knew how to be a mom. Now, I have become a food allergy mom and it has actually been a journey I have mostly enjoyed (except something that involved peanut butter and the ER).

Last year for Tyler's birthday, I gave you a little more personal information about who he is. Really, not a lot of those things have changed. This year, I want to celebrate by sharing how much he has grown in his own food allergy awareness in the last year.

*Tyler now asks before he eats ANYTHING out of the home if it is "safe." If you are newly diagnosed, this comes in time. Remember he's 5 now and I remind him EVERY SINGLE DAY!!

*Tyler has made 2 playmates with a peanut allergy. Both moms contacted me after reading this blog. Obviously they are local. It is great to not worry about someone else "getting it" on these great play dates.

*Tyler was diagnosed with a cashew allergy in March through more skin testing. This, of course, was not a positive development. In fact, he had never even seen or heard the word "cashew" when he was diagnosed. (Can you say "nut free home??"). All it took was a quick Google search for a picture and an explanation. Enough said to him! Now he points them out in the grocery store if he sees them.

*Tyler's dad was diagnosed with nut allergies in the spring. This was certainly an "ugh!" moment for me! But, Tyler was thrilled! He was so excited when Daddy brought home his very own EpiPen. (Me?? Not so much...) Now he will tell his dad when things are safe or not. I still hate it that my husband is allergic to nuts but the bond it has created with him and Tyler has been great!

*Tyler is the only kid in his class this year with a food allergy. It's still hard for me to believe that of the 21 kids in his class, he's the only one, but he is! Last year there were several, including a little boy with a peanut allergy. He has handled himself with an incredible amount of maturity this year. After the initial shock wore off, his mom has, too!

Really, there is not a lot new to share about Tyler since I blog about most of his life regarding his peanut allergy (poor boy!) But, I still felt it important to post some milestones. I know some of you out there have much younger peanut allergy kids and feel like they will never be safe or understand their own allergy.

They will! This post is proof!

EpiPen Gets a Facelift!

Guess who is sporting a new look for 2010? That's right! Our good friends over at EpiPen are rolling out a new version of that life saving shot we all love so much!

The new EpiPen design will include:

• Improved needle protection to prevent needle exposure before and after use
• A flip top carrying case
• Blue safety cap to prevent accidental activation
• Ergonomically designed grip for a firm grip

Now I will admit I never really thought the EpiPen needed much of a change in the looks department. As I wrote about loving those shots a while back, they are great. What I wish (really, really wish!) is they would make those shots withstand heat and cold. Now that would be a makeover I would really love!

But I know other peanut allergy moms out there like me don't do extremely well with change when it comes to our child's medications. Consider this your "heads up" on your next EpiPen refill...