Welcome to Peanut Allergy Kid!! We are so glad you stopped in for a “peanut free” visit!! This blog was born out of a love for my son, Tyler, who is severely allergic to peanuts. During our PA journey since February 2006, I have been amazed at the lack of information written by moms like me that want to educate others about day to day life with a PA child.
Instead, this blog it will offer a glimpse into the life of a somewhat scatterbrained parent that loves her PA son more than life itself. It will chronicle the challenges that I encounter as a PA mom as I try to keep my son peanut free and give him a normal life. Hopefully it will offer anyone who loves a PA child some hope and encouragement along the way.
Peanut allergy does not mean the end of fun! It just means one of the greatest acts of love you can do for your PA child is to read EVERY ingredient before your child eats. Not too hard, is it? Oh wait, it can be down right impossible some days!
This is a blog that I don’t want to write. I don’t want my son to have a peanut allergy. I don’t want our family to live in fear of what he eats. I want him to live a normal life and be able to eat whatever he wants. But this is the hand God allowed us to be dealt and I really believe there is a purpose in it. Instead of hiding in a bubble, I want to help others understand children like
I do not want to write this blog forever. There are many treatments for PA being researched right now that don’t promise a cure, but do offer potential treatment that make this allergy not so deadly. All PA parents will breathe a huge sigh of relief when that day comes. Until then, I’ll be sharing our life, learning everything I can about PA and blogging about it all. I hope you’ll join me!!
4 comments:
Thanks so much for the comment on my blog--in response to my comment on your's regarding our commonality in having PA boys. I checked out petitebaubles website and ordered two-- daughter is severely allergic to strawberries and needs one too. I was wondering...how much do you have him wear his bracelet? My two year old is a bit, um..., obsessive about things like jewelry and I worry about the "on again, off again" possibility of losing it, etc. I was thinking maybe just when they are going into the care of someone else (aka. nursery, MOPS,etc.). Perhaps you could blog on your new blog about this new "peanut bling" and share your thoughts with the masses. It's not cheap--$30 a pop--and I've already decided that I'm re-threading the bracelet when it needs to be widened.
I want to thank you, for writing this blog, as I read it, I keep on nodding my head - yeah, that's me, I said to myself. Stay safe and yes, let's hope the cure is not too far away. I am also so happy to read that you are a pastor's wife, whose faith is also challenged by peanut allergy, let's stay hopeful and more importantly, faithful.
I do, however, have a bad experience with church leaders, here is what I posted on the peanutallergy.com
Dear all, reading all of your posts make me feel - someone else out there UNDERSTAND! We recently gave up going to church (in the process of hunting a new one, but not easy here in a small town.) In the old church, the pastors are a husband and wife team. We had had many bad experiences in the nursery, both allergy and non allergy related. They DO serve peanut butter crackers there in spite of knowing my child's allergy. Anyway, over Easter weekend, after attending only one service, this team came to my house on Friday and told me my daughter is no longer welcomed in the service. I usually keep her (currently 2 1/2) with me in the pew and sitting in the back of the church, she behaves okay, pretty good for a 2 year old actually. Well, the pastors are complaining she is disturbing many, including themselves. To my own defense, I have never have anyone told me this, everyone usually greets me with a smile and tells me how sweet and good my daughter is.
Okay, during their visit, while we were at the topic of the peanut allergy, my daughter woke up from her nap and came into the room, being 2 1/2, she heard the word "peanut" and immediately responded : "Peanut is bad, I cannot have peanut!" I was pleased, took me a long time to teach her..... well, take a wild guess what the wife (one of the pastors) talked right back to her?
"NO no no, peanut is bad only for you, but it's very good for me, and I can eat peanuts and I love it....."
Okay, this is a leader of the church, and it's a mother, why does she has to win over my daughter on this? It takes me a long time to get the idea into a 2 year-old that she cannot be close to peanuts, and this woman ruin it. My daughter looked confused and walked away.
It's not easy, we want to have faith, but people like this..... no, you are not reading too much, I understand your pain and frustration. I have been there.....
Edited by cfkjc2 (May, 24 2008 03:41 AM)
Jenny, I am so sorry that happened!! That is horrible!! I would encourage you to not stop attending church but just stop attending that particular one. I know if it were not for Tyler's PA and we had a child begin attending ours like him, we would do everything we could to educate ourselves to keep that child safe. I know there are other churches out there like us.
If you do want to find another church and that church indeed does want to accommodate your daughter, we would be happy to speak with them and share our own food allergy policies. I am the nursery director of our church and my husband is the pastor so we have a couple of different perspectives.
PA can challenge the faith and it has mine but, in the end, I remember that God knows where every speck of peanut is and He actually loves Tyler more than me!! Keeping him safe is not a battle I fight alone. My faith has actually helped me feel better about his allergy as long as I am acting as responsibly as I can as a parent.
Hello!
I am so glad that I found your site - it makes me feel so normal!! I have a 15 month old son who is allergic to milk, eggs and nuts. We just recently found out this summer after battling eczema for several months. After many trips to the doctor and even a dermatologist....we had his allergy tested. It was scary, but we finally found answers! His skin has been beautiful ever since eliminating these foods.
I also feel guilty because during pregnancy and nursing, I ate peanuts and peanut products!! Ah!
It is great to find other moms who know what it is like to travel this road.
Hopefully we can keep in touch and be a support for one another!
Thanks for sharing your story!!!!!!
ps. your son is adorable!!
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