Living with Food Allergies, 2013 and on

[Janelle205]

So...my tongue has started to get numb when eating at times.  Haven't been able to connect it to certain foods yet.  Everything that I have been eating has been things that should be super safe, allergy wise.

No itching, no swelling, no hives or redness, no difficulty breathing.

Seeing the doc this morning.

Edit: I have to start a food diary.  Crap, crap, crap.  Crappity crap crap.

[PurpleCat]

That does not sound pleasant.  Nerve?  What did your doc think?

[Janelle205]

He wasn't sure, but gave me some ways to tell if it is a nerve issue. Supposed to start keeping a list of things that I have eaten an hour before it happens.  He wants me to get myself to a hospital if I have any other allergy symptoms with it, or Epi and ambulance for anything severe.

[spacecanada]

Take care, Janelle.

[Macabre]

I picked up 80 (EIGHTY) empty peanut shells from our backyard.  I had to do this, or DS would not be able to mow.  We often find peanut shells when we garden (and I throw those gloves away if I have to touch the shell)  Egads--but the squirrels are piling them up here.  Highly skilled squirrels.  Some neighbor has a feeder with them.  Ugh. 

It's trash day today, and it occurred to me that this is my opportunity to put these in a neighbor's trash can and not ours.  So I used a disposable glove and put the shells in a plastic bag, tied it up and put it in our neighbor's trash can before the truck came by. 

[PurpleCat]

I can so relate!  I have only found a half dozen shells so far this year.  I am hoping my neighbor changed their feeder food!

[ninjaroll]

Feeding birds I understand.  Tree rats - no.

[ajasfolks2]

Mac -- possible soluton is to go get a big bottle of TX Pete Hot Sauce and mix a strong solution (with water) in dedicated spray bottle.  Spray that area where the squirrels have been leaving the pnut shells . . . will have to reapply after rain and after mowing . . . may help get them to move on to somewhere else.

Next time you are at a Walmart or other CVS / Walgreens, get a box of disposable vinyl (not latex) gloves and tuck in your pantry.  You'll be so glad you have these for all kinds of surprises.

[Macabre]

Oh I generally use those for cleaning (though this last time I accidentally bought latex and am using them--but normally so not). What I've learned to do here when really turning over soil is to use some gardening gloves we bought in bulk cheaply at Home Depot, which I don't feel bad about trashing one of if it comes into contact with peanut while gardening. If I am doing lighter work or tending pots, I'll use my "real" gardening gloves.

What I am worried about now is that the squirrels will hide peanuts in our tomatoes, chives, basil, etc., which are in pots in the back--not far from the pile of peanuts. 

At this house most of our gardening is in the front--where we see the little critters have buried peanuts.

Dangit. They are not paying attention to my peanut free household signs. JK. I only had a teal pumpkin last fall, and they adored it but didn't interpret it correctly.

Sigh.

I def will do the Texas Pete's spray!

DS doesn't mow the lawn all summer but does some of it. Part of it we have little frogs in the yard, and it really got to him.  But he could mow now (after this production and the next Speech tourney). And I want to make sure peanut isn't going to fly up at him.

[spacecanada]

Whoa, scary!  If the hot sauce doesn't deter them, you may have to set up a chicken wire fence around your plants.

I just returned from a Girl Guide training weekend.  The catering was supposed to be free from blatant nuts and peanuts... but of course, peanuts and tree nuts made their presence at breakfast and snack: on ice cream bars, on muffins, in cookies.  Yes, a good thing I brought all my own food. 

The organizer (a doctor) saw the nuts and rushed to find me to warn me not to enter the room with nutty snacks.  Two of my friends came to warn me too, both cross with the caterers, and sat with me to make sure I was ok.  I was frozen in fear for the next hour as everyone finished their snacks and were touching everything in sight.  And we just went over Maslow's triangle of needs that morning...  *sigh*

I'm submitting my application for special diets coordinator for the big Girl Guide camp next summer (Guiding Mosaic 2016, if any of your girls wish to attend).

[YouKnowWho]

For the first time ever, all of my kids got a chance to enjoy food at a party (including cupcakes) that I did not prepare.  We made friends with a little girl who shares all of the same allergies.

[Macabre]

Wow. Wow. Wow. That is huge!! Huger than for those of us who just deal with peanut. I am so happy for you!

[spacecanada]

That is amazing YKW!!!

[PurpleCat]

Mac -- possible soluton is to go get a big bottle of TX Pete Hot Sauce and mix a strong solution (with water) in dedicated spray bottle.  Spray that area where the squirrels have been leaving the pnut shells . . . will have to reapply after rain and after mowing . . . may help get them to move on to somewhere else.

Next time you are at a Walmart or other CVS / Walgreens, get a box of disposable vinyl (not latex) gloves and tuck in your pantry.  You'll be so glad you have these for all kinds of surprises.

OH NO!!!  Don't do this!  OK, maybe based on your yard you can.  My squirrels moved to the cover of the sandbox and to the deck when I did this!  The deck was the worst!  They'd sit under the furniture and munch away and then......I caught one on the table!

Better to leave them in the grass!

[PurpleCat]

For the first time ever, all of my kids got a chance to enjoy food at a party (including cupcakes) that I did not prepare.  We made friends with a little girl who shares all of the same allergies.

Now there is a BFF!  How great!