Raisins are the New Candy!

Another trip in the books. This time we went to Seattle for a family wedding. We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Perry. These sorts of trips where we are staying with someone and have a kitchen on hand are super easy for us to make your food and ensure you are safe. This makes planning really easy.  Except when you have a reaction, which you did.

You and Greyson enjoying juice

It was Friday night and chili and cornbread was on the menu. Cornbread, made of corn right - not so fast, there is in fact wheat in many versions, not all though.  You and your cousin Greyson, who is about six months older than you were eating. He had cornbread and you did not. He even washed his hands. Then you two went about playing like you have known each other for years! Then as I am eating, Daddy was bathing Emrys, I hear that cough you have when you have a reaction. That dreadful, sudden iconic cough. I stop eating and sit by you and watch. I don't think anyone noticed at this point what I was doing. I certainly don't want to draw attention to something if it is nothing because I think many people that don't deal with food allergies are on edge or they think I am over the top and making the situation more intense than they think it needs to be.  Anyway, you did stop coughing after a few minutes, so I went back to eating.   Everyone, including Greyson goes home. You get your bath and then your coveted milk. And then I saw it on your face, projectile vomit. At this point I knew you had come into contact with something, likely wheat, since that was the only thing prepared that you are allergic to.

I clean up the stinky mess with Grandma's help while Daddy bathes you again, much to your displeasure. You already bathed, why again!? Daddy and I watch you for about an hour and nothing else happened. I know you didn't eat any wheat, but came into contact with a very very small amount. You are very sensitive now, which means we all have to be incredibly careful about wheat.

Sharing raisins with Great Grandpa

Fast forward a few days, to the wedding. I cooked your dinner before we went and ensured I had endless amounts of food for you. During the cocktail hour, you noshed on your safe snacks, sharing some with your Great Grandpa Perry all while Emrys was able to eat freely on the sesame chicken, bruschetta and whatever else Auntie Chantel wanted to feed him.  What a feeling to not have to worry. I long for this day for our family. The fear and anxiety is real and it's every damn day, every damn meal, every event, every party, everything. But we still live, fly on airplanes, go on vacation, have dinner dates, attend play dates, laugh, smile and eat.  We will not let food allergies control us, we control them.