As I have mentioned before, Girlfriend has a life-threatening allergy to peanuts. If she gets even a speck of peanut in her system, she could die. It’s hard for people to believe, but it’s true.
This means we have to be ultra-cautious about what and where she eats. We have just given up on going to Asian restaurants (except for sushi), because they all depend on peanuts. We don’t go to her school’s International Potluck because people argue that you can’t have an International Potluck without peanut dishes. We buy nothing at her school’s bake sale day because people insist that they be able to bake peanut butter cookies. Etc.
Oddly enough, there are also certain pizza joints we can’t go to because they have Thai pizzas with peanut sauce. Her soccer team has decided to go to one of these because it’s near the soccer field, for a “last practice” celebration. And we can’t go there. I’ve decided not to fight this because I’m tired of fighting these battles and I figure we’ll fight other battles.
Sigh. It sucks when she can’t have pizza, of all things, due to her peanut allergy.
One of my close friends (a Rachel, too!) has a severe peanut allergy. She too has written off any Thai foods and many candies, however I didn’t know about the pizza thing. DANG!
I asked her once if she was bummed that she couldn’t have peanut butter – I love it so! She replied that the taste of a peanut to her would be like the taste of rat poison to me. Since it could be potentially fatal to her, she has no hankering for the taste! I think she did mention once that she could eat things made from peanut oil, (i.e. the popcorn at our neighborhood theater) but maybe I’m getting that mixed up.
I’m so sorry for your daughter having to miss her event!
As a toddler Rachel (my 10-yr-old) had alarming facial swelling at her first taste of peanut butter. Thankfully her airway remained clear since I had no idea what she was experiencing or how to react to it. Her RAST test at the time also showed wheat and rye allergies. I spent the toddler years cracker, bread and bagel free. Thankfully she outgrew the grain allergies by age 3, but we continued to avoid peanuts for all the reasons you understand so well.
Over time I became aware of how often people abuse the food “allergy” concept. Just because someone doesn’t like brocolli does not make them allergic, and using that term belittles and desensitizes people to the real danger of serious food allergies. Oh, I could go on and on… “Maybe just a little taste?” NO! Not “just a little taste” you idiot! Sorry, I know I’m preaching to the choir … my main point in commenting was to give you my sympathy and support.
We got lucky in that Rachel has proven a rare example of someone getting over a peanut allergy. After 8 years of controlling her exposure and always carrying an epi our allergist tested her again and found her free of the allergy. It’s been a great relief, but my years of dealing with it have left me very sensitive to people’s special food needs.
Nancy (who’s rarely fancy)
I’m so sorry to hear this…I know it’s frustrating.
i am so sorry about the pizza thing. that totally bites.