yesterday i tested myself and went out for two meals. when i go out, have two fears: one, having a reaction, and two, not having anyone who's with me that knows what to do in that situation. and i tested both of those yesterday.
for lunch, i went to chipotle with a very good friend of mine. according to chipotle's website, they use no nuts or peanuts in any of their food. therefore, the risk of cross-contamination is incredibly minimal. but my pessimistic and paranoid mind goes to the workers. did someone on the line have a snickers bar during their break? having food allergies makes life incredibly stressful! but i ordered chicken with fresh tomato salsa. thoughts kept running through my mind. my friend doesn't know what to do if i have a reaction. we're not very cloes to a hospital. i just pressed forward. i'm happy to say that i made it through lunch without an issue. thanks, chipotle for being so accommodating to those of us with special issues!
several hours later, my husband & i went to ruth's chris steakhouse for dinner with friends. ruth's chris has been accommodating in the past, so long as you call ahead, speak to the manager & let him/her know when you're coming in and what food allergies you have. they make a note & are sure to inform your server & the kitchen upon your arrival. i always pull my server aside when he/she first comes to the table & ask if he understands my situation. i have never had a problem with their steak, potatoes or soup. they do not fry in peanut oil, like flemings or the palm, and they make everything (including their desserts) in-house. hello, creme brulee! ruth's chris is an incredibly smart choice for food allergy-friendly high-class dining.
i know a lot of you out there struggle like i do & don't want to go out to eat at all. but let me tell you, if i can handle these two places, i know you can. a lot of the time, it's just mind over matter. but it's always nice to have some support on your side, and some insight from people who have the same issues as you do!
cheers,
AnxiousAllergyGirl
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
i wasn't always this way
i was born with a severe peanut allergy almost 27 years ago and i never outgrew it. but it never hindered me as much as it has in the past three years. i used to go out to restaurants & parties and not really fear what would happen to me if i ate something. i trusted people when they told me there weren't any peanuts in the food they were giving me. but all that changed almost 3 years ago.
3 years ago i was working for a company & had a reaction in the dining room after a nut found its way onto my salad (i used to eat from the cafeteria all the time). i was unprepared. my epipen was expired. i didn't have any benedryl on hand. fortunately, i found some benedryl and took a large dose. the company would not let someone on my team call 911. they had a protocol that was supposed to be followed (call the security desk, the security desk will notify the nurse on staff, the security desk will call 911 when the nurse says to and only the nurse could physically help me). needless to say, i was not a happy camper, and fortunately, i did not swallow the nut or things could have gotten very ugly.
the next day, my team members were forced to sign waivers saying they would not take action if i had an allergic reaction. i began to feel unsafe in my work environment. i started bringing my lunch every day. i stopped eating in the dining room for fear of particles floating into my food. i washed my hands constantly in case someone who ate a peanut butter sandwich touched the door handle before washing his hands. i completely stopped going out to eat. i stopped eating food i didn't prepare myself (even food from my own mother) and i began having panic attacks. it wasn't long before everything i was doing at work spilled over into my home life. and my husband started wondering where the girl that he married disappeared to.
after 3 months, i decided to see my doctor. he gave me an anti-anxiety medication. i took it for 9 months and there was no change, so i stopped taking it. it became, and continues to be, a mental battle.
i have begun to ease out of the depths where i was. but i still do things that 3 years ago i would have thought were crazy. case and point, when i cook, i wash everything i'm going to use before i use it. i also won't touch the food i'm eating or cooking unless i have JUST washed my hands. it's pretty silly, and in the winter, my hands get crazy dry.
this blog is dedicated to logging my journey back to what i view as sanity. i'm going to be taking measures to stretch myself a bit and get back to where i used to be. i feel like i've lost a part of myself and that my personality has also suffered a hit because i can't be as spontaneous, social or fun as i used to be. i feel trapped.
so, here it goes. those of you who struggle with the same thing, or have kids who have allergies and you're anxious for them, i hope this blog provides a little bit of relief for you or just serves as something to relate to.
cheers,
AnxiousAllergyGirl
3 years ago i was working for a company & had a reaction in the dining room after a nut found its way onto my salad (i used to eat from the cafeteria all the time). i was unprepared. my epipen was expired. i didn't have any benedryl on hand. fortunately, i found some benedryl and took a large dose. the company would not let someone on my team call 911. they had a protocol that was supposed to be followed (call the security desk, the security desk will notify the nurse on staff, the security desk will call 911 when the nurse says to and only the nurse could physically help me). needless to say, i was not a happy camper, and fortunately, i did not swallow the nut or things could have gotten very ugly.
the next day, my team members were forced to sign waivers saying they would not take action if i had an allergic reaction. i began to feel unsafe in my work environment. i started bringing my lunch every day. i stopped eating in the dining room for fear of particles floating into my food. i washed my hands constantly in case someone who ate a peanut butter sandwich touched the door handle before washing his hands. i completely stopped going out to eat. i stopped eating food i didn't prepare myself (even food from my own mother) and i began having panic attacks. it wasn't long before everything i was doing at work spilled over into my home life. and my husband started wondering where the girl that he married disappeared to.
after 3 months, i decided to see my doctor. he gave me an anti-anxiety medication. i took it for 9 months and there was no change, so i stopped taking it. it became, and continues to be, a mental battle.
i have begun to ease out of the depths where i was. but i still do things that 3 years ago i would have thought were crazy. case and point, when i cook, i wash everything i'm going to use before i use it. i also won't touch the food i'm eating or cooking unless i have JUST washed my hands. it's pretty silly, and in the winter, my hands get crazy dry.
this blog is dedicated to logging my journey back to what i view as sanity. i'm going to be taking measures to stretch myself a bit and get back to where i used to be. i feel like i've lost a part of myself and that my personality has also suffered a hit because i can't be as spontaneous, social or fun as i used to be. i feel trapped.
so, here it goes. those of you who struggle with the same thing, or have kids who have allergies and you're anxious for them, i hope this blog provides a little bit of relief for you or just serves as something to relate to.
cheers,
AnxiousAllergyGirl
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)