Today my oldest child, Sean, turns 10! It’s hard to believe a decade ago he was a tiny, helpless infant and I hadn’t a clue what I was doing. I just knew I loved him and that my world would never be the same. Sorry, I’m being a bit sappy, but I’m getting sentimental when I stop to think about how quickly those years flew by. Just look at how grown up and handsome he is. How the heck did that happen?
Now, many of you already know that Sean is a generally all around wicked cool kid, Lego maniac and a phenomenal soccer player who just happens to have severe food allergies. Pardon me if I take an educational time out. Hey, if I’ve got you reading this far I might as well give you some useful information.
Sean is severely allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. If he has even a pea sized amount of any of these he will start coughing, break out in hives, complain of an itchy mouth/throat, and then stop breathing. Okay, that is a worse case scenario, however, that has happened on several occasions. Fortunately, we have always been prepared with the ever present Epi-Pen and then spent some time in the hospital.
There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of allergens is the only way to prevent a reaction. Individuals with food allergies must constantly read food labels, always have emergency medication handy and be prepared for when a reaction occurs. Please visit the amazing Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for more information. You might just save someone’s life!
Thanks for taking the time to read all of this and…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN!
