Going away to college with LTFA

[CMdeux]

Me, too!


I did a little bit of (gentle) probing about how the DSO 'orientation' and sit-down meeting about specific situational needs, etc. went.  I couldn't really ask right after she had done it because, er-- well, new "special friend" was in tow (working on his own stuff while waiting for her at the DSO), but it sounds as though she handled it EXTREMELY well.

I'll ask her to post some of the details.  She did note that her 504 plan (which we've considered to be rather minimal, frankly) is one of the most thorough, (if restrained in light of DD's history) that their office had ever seen.  They were also was surprised that my DD was so well-versed in her own needs and in balancing mitigating measures, her own privacy, the rights/needs of others students (including those with disabilities of their own) and her safety.    There was also some astonishment expressed that we'd had to fight so hard for some of the (quite common-sense) items in that 504 plan, resulting in some eye-rolling on the part of the college DSO-- basically, why should something so obvious be not automatic in anyone with half a brain...  anyway.

It sounds like it was a very positive conversation.   

[nonuteen]

GoingNuts_  What freezer meals are you making?  I was thinking lasagna might work well and we are also baking lots of healthy muffins to take and freeze.  Any other ideas would be great!! 

CMDeux-  Sounds like the meeting went very well and that your daughter is very mature and well versed about her allergy!:)

[GoingNuts]

I'm making spinach lasagna, brisket, chicken parm and chili.  Also making some homemade granola bars which freeze well.

ETA: And some matzoh ball soup for the inevitable head cold/strep.

[BensMom]

At DS's school, they send a little care package over the summer with a card to send back if you have a food allergy. DS was balking at even sending it back. Why bother? I tried to point that the he has to eat every single meal outside of "home" (me cooking/shopping) and it would be nice if the people preparing his food knew about his allergy and could show him how to manage it in the dining hall. Sheesh.

[GoingNuts]

The teenaged brain at work. And this is a superior brain, no less.

Sheesh!

[GingerPye]

Okay, DD is a few days into eating at her college cafeteria.  She met with the dining director for a final double-check on how they are going to feed her safely, during her first day on campus. 
She is to email the dining director every day with a time that she'll be eating her meals. 

I am so impressed with this dining director --- I have met her and she's called me by phone a few times. 

She was asked for a list of foods that she does not like:  peas and melon (cantaloupe)

And so far, she's had meals that have been safe.  Chicken, chicken, and more chicken.  And apparently the kitchen staff think that melon includes squash.  She said, yesterday the dining manager came rushing over to her table, WITH TWO PARAMEDICS (not sure what she meant by paramedics), to pull the squash away from her.  He said, "Don't eat that!  It's squash!  I forgot you cannot have squash!" 
She looked at him and said, "Is there butter on the squash?!"
"No --- you cannot have melon.  A squash is a melon."

 
She explained to him that squash is NOT a melon and no, she's not allergic to squash.  She doesn't eat MELON, like cantaloupe, because of an OAS reaction she gets when she eats it.

Also, during another meal, a girl in the same cafeteria DID have an anaphylactic reaction.  The ambulance came "so quickly, Mom!  You'll be glad to know that!" and hauled her away on a cart.  I said, did she have an epipen?  She didn't know.  She found out after the fact that it was an anaphylactic reaction.  She wonders if this girl had not told the kitchen staff of her allergy . . . I'm wondering what happened, too.

Anyway, Dd's meals so far have been safe.  She's just bored of the constant chicken already.  LOL

eta:  DD mentioned paramedics, but I think they were health service personnel or something that way.

[Macabre]

It's great they are so aware. I hope they can expand their offerings to her soon. Maybe you could send some of your recipes to her and she can meet with the director to give some ideas? 

[GoingNuts]

http://allergicliving.com/2014/08/06/off-to-college-with-allergies-celiac-u-s/1/

[nonuteen]

Going to visit DD this weekend.  First month away is going well but she is finding it hard to make time to get to grocery store and am afraid she is surviving on very little. 

Would like to make and freeze a few items to take to her.  It is around a 2 1/2- 3hr drive.  So would I just pack the frozen items in a cooler (actually what I have is a large insulated bag?  would that work) with lots of ice.  Would it still be frozen when I get there and ok to put back in the freezer?  Her freezer is VERY small so only thinking of taking a few meals.

[CMdeux]

We've done a three hour transit that way in a cooler bag, nonuteen.  It should be fine-- just make sure that you have containers that 'nest' or pack together fairly tightly, and make sure that they are frozen COMPLETELY SOLID.

I also found that double-bagging in a zippered, insulated tote bag was one of the most successful ways of keeping things frozen.

[nonuteen]

Thanks, CMDeux! So glad to hear that works for you!   So,  I am thinking I will make a few things tomorrow and then put in deep freeze.  They should be very well frozen by Sat then.  I have also read that wrapping in brown paper bag or newspaper helps? 
Also going to bake healthy muffins (and some not so healthy:) to take!

[CMdeux]

   Sure thing!

One other trick I've learned from road-tripping with frozen meals is to use freezer bags filled with cubed/crushed ice as "cold packs" which are completely disposable. 

[nonuteen]

One more freezer ?---  As mentioned before, her freezer is small and don't think it is practical to take a whole frozen lasagna.  Would like to portion and freeze individually but realize might be harder to keep frozen this way.  I was thinking of portioning into either quart freezer bags or freezer paper and then small containers.  Thoughts?  thank you so much for all your help!!  I'm new to trying to travel with frozen foods!

[PurpleCat]

I travel with frozen food all the time.  Recently I bought one of those 5 day coolers.  They are not kidding.  Those are amazingly insulated!  I can go a weekend in a hotel with DD and the food in containers is still mostly frozen!

No matter what your cooler choice is,  I always put a towel across the top before I close it and when you put it in the car, my trick, cover that with one or two thick blankets.  It keeps the air around the cooler cool and the direct sun from the car windows at bay.

[nonuteen]

I would be willing to invest in a better cooler.  Would make me feel better about food staying frozen while traveling.

I typed in 5 day cooler on Amazon and this came up

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-62-Quart-Xtreme-Wheeled-Cooler/dp/B000G68GP4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411411877&sr=8-1&keywords=5+day+cooler

Is that what you use?

Thanks!!