Loving Life One Allergy at a Time
February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. A time to show love and appreciation for others. Of course, showing love and kindness towards others is something that we do (or should do) everyday. Now whether or not you make anything of this day is up to you. Personally, I use at an excuse to eat some extra dessert!
Recently, though, I’ve been thinking more about my relationship with allergies. About how it has consumed the way I think, analyze and overanalyze 90% of my day. Now, most days are typical and easy (thankfully!) but the few days that are tough bring me back to the realization that anything can change in an instant. Still, I’ve learned that managing allergies doesn’t need to take over my life, because there is more to life than food. There is so much else to do and put importance in that when allergies start to get the best of me, I try to focus on that.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely HATE that Musa has allergies. I hate that he is restricted at every party, gathering, get together, playdate and school. But having these allergies has made Musa kinder and more compassionate. He has learned, at a very young age, that he cannot have everything in life- an important life lesson in my opinion. It’s hard but I’ve come to terms with the fact that allergies are a part of our lives.
How do allergies affect our everyday living?
The other night we decided to have a relaxing evening at home rather than trudge out in the cold. Musa decided we would have a pizza night and play Candy Land followed by a ‘kids’ movie and some popcorn. (I was hoping more for pizza night, Candy Land and then bedtime for him.) Around 4pm, though, he began to develop hives on his face and itching on his stomach and back from a yogurt that he had eaten just a few minutes before. This wasn’t the first time he’s had the yogurt, but the peach flavor in it was new. Suddenly our pizza night went from relaxing to a round of Benadryl and monitoring him for more severe reactions. All the while keeping the EpiPens out and bags ready. Thankfully, the Benadryl did the trick but the stress of whether or not I needed to epipen him was exhausting. Unexpected reactions like these are far and few (again, thankfully!) but it’s a real danger we face. It’s unfair to Musa and exhausting for me. But, that’s the reality of our #SoAllergicLife.
Acceptance
When I used to tell people about Musa’s allergies, so many people would share similar stories of their own kids or grandchildren who were also allergic but outgrew their allergens by 4 or 5 years of age. For some reason, I always thought that 4 was the golden age that Musa would outgrow most of his allergens and we would go back to some normalcy. But he’s 4 now and his major allergens (plus some new ones) are still very much a part of our lives. As much as I don’t want to, I’ve learned to accept it.
In fact, these past 4 years have made me an expert in heading out the door with epipens, medication and snacks in hand. I’ve learned the art of meal planning to make sure Musa always has two fresh meal choices at a time. I’m an expert at communicating Musa’s allergies rather than keeping quiet in hopes of making things easier for others. And when I do speak up, Musa watches me and knows it’s okay for him to ask the same the questions. Also, he knows it’s okay if he can’t have something- there’s always an alternative…a safer alternative. Being so understanding and patient at his age is a big deal.
I definitely don’t love Musa’s allergies, but I love the life we have despite them. I love that we have supportive family and friends that help keep Musa safe. I love that we live in a time where food labels are easier to read than even just a few years back. I love that there are so many brands committed to making allergy friendly alternatives. And I love that there is such a strong and committed community to turn to for support. 💛