Reality Check

We had a BIG reality check yesterday. In 2010, at 13 (almost 14) months old, we found out that Jackson is allergic to peanut butter. Yes, ridiculous. Who is allergic to peanut butter? I ate it the whole time I was pregnant and nursing. The child grew from am embryo to a human on peanut butter. I ate it breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. But, alas, he is allergic.

The diagnosis process was horribly frightening. Jason was in Portland, OR and Jackson's teacher made plans for the kids to make no bake cookies. The idea was cool. The kids would play with peanut butter, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and other ingredients to learn textures. She asked permission for him to make the cookies and I said okay.

Within in an hour, the teacher and school Director were calling and I was rushing him off to the doctor. He was coughing terribly and had hives and it was a frightening day.

We keep an Epi-Pen on us 24/7. It is always close. We've had the whole family and babysitters use the "practice pen" and we are adamant about asking for an ingredient list at restaurants and on anything we buy at the grocery.

With all that said, we've been comfortable the last little bit. Seemingly, airborne contact with peanuts or peanut butter doesn't cause a reaction. Like I said, we ask at restaurants and we make sure to read ingredient lists of everything we buy for home.

Just like any other day, we sent Jackson to pre-school yesterday. Same teachers. Same kids. One difference....someone sent peanuts/peanut butter in their kids' lunch bag. Apparently, Jackson came in contact with it.

His teacher texted at 2:20. "Jackson has splotches on his face." I called immediately. She said they popped up after nap. 10 minutes later, she called and said that they were spreading and that they were becoming welts. I told her to get the Epi-Pen ready (they keep one at school) and not to let him out of her sight. When we got there, we dosed him immediately with Benadryl and took him straight to his pediatrician. The hives were terrible and spreading quickly but he wasn't having any problems breathing.

No anaphylatic shock. No Epi-pen needed. Big dose of Benadryl and Zyrtec. He'll take them for a few days. The hives cleared up quickly. Life will go on and all seems to be well.

When I decided that he was gonna be fine, I cried. Just like that, his safety and his health and everything that I am was compromised for a bit. Yesterday was a big reality check. Today, he was playing and riding his tricycle.

I hate that he is allergic to PB but that is our reality and for now, we'll will ask his teacher to check twice for peanut products in lunches and I will go back to being that "crazy mom" again for a bit when it comes to checking food items.