Lessons learned

Bryan’s most recent reaction occurred the first weekend in May, during a visit to Dallas. I had gone out to lunch with my sister-in-law, leaving Bryan with his grandparents. They gave him lunch and put him down for a nap. When I got back, though, he was still awake- and saying that he needed help because he was itchy. His grandfather went to check on him, but he called me to come take a closer look. Bryan's face, arms, and torso were covered in hives. He was sneezing too, but he didn’t seem to be having trouble breathing, so I decided to start with Benadryl and move up to the Epi-Pen if necessary. I sat with him, trying to keep him calm because he was definitely scared, and trying not to let him see how scared I was. However, the hives finally began to subside, at which point it was time to figure out exactly what had happened.

I asked what he had had for lunch, and Bryan's grandparents told me that he had the same chicken nuggets and fries that they always had, but that after lunch, they had made cookies from a cookie mix I had told them about and margarine that I had looked at the previous night- so they didn't understand why the reaction had happened. (Note- even if something is "safe", I check labels each time since companies often change their formulas.) I looked at both packages, and they looked fine, so I mentioned that it was possible they had been mislabeled. I asked again about lunch, but grandmother insisted that it was what they always had, and that I had previously said were safe. I pulled the bags from the freezer and looked at them, and sure enough- it was a different type of chicken nugget from what I had recommended, and EGG was listed on the package, both under the ingredient list and the allergen statement.

The experience was frustrating, to be sure. But I feel that it was also a blessing in some ways. First, the reaction could have been much worse. This was pretty minor compared to Bryan's first milk reaction. But it did give both grandparents a chance to see why it is so important to be as cautious as we are when it comes to Bryan's food. They have been very supportive, of course, but I don't know if they had quite grasped the seriousness of his allergies until they saw it firsthand. It was a good lesson in why it is so important to look at all labels EVERY SINGLE TIME. It also allowed Bryan to understand what an allergic reaction feels like, so that he can identify it. I was proud of him, actually- he did tell his grandfather that he wanted his Epi-Pen, so maybe he is starting to understand his food allergies a little more.

It also helped me realize that I need to stop feeling self-conscious about being hypervigilant over Bryan's food. I often worry about seeming too pushy when it comes to his allergies. (I had felt guilty about looking at the margarine the previous night because I didn't want grandmother to think I was "checking up on her".) It's something that I struggle with on a regular basis- I just don't want to come across as overbearing or obsessive. But really, I need to stop thinking about myself- because it's not about me. It's about Bryan and keeping him safe. And his safety is so much more important than what other people may or may not think about me. Now, I'm not saying that I plan to put Bryan in that bubble I mentioned before (although it certainly was tempting after this happened...) But it is important to remember to keep a little perspective. =)