I was literally sobbing this morning after seeing the news article that a friend shared on Facebook about 13-year-old Natalie Giorgi. You see, Natalie died after accidentally eating a treat which contained peanut better. Watch the video: CNN--Despite Shots, Peanut Allergy Kills Teen
This hits so close to home because our 13-year-old Jillian is also allergic to nuts--peanut butter included. You would not believe the people who ask questions like, "But she can eat peanut butter, right?" when James and I explain that she has a nut allergy. Fortunately, Jillian is not so allergic that she can't be near it. But, she can't eat nuts or any food item containing nuts/nut products. When she was only 7-months-old, my mom gave her a taste of a peanut butter cup at Halloween. Jillian immediately spit it out/threw it up. Not understanding, my mom gave her another taste. She threw that up, too. We just assumed that she didn't like it. Not long after, when the baby books said that you can give your baby a graham cracker with a little peanut butter on it, I did just that. Jaylin was licking her chops. Jillian, on the other hand, began crying and throwing up. He eyes swelled almost shut, she was breathing heavily, and had a rash around her mouth. I was home alone, terrified. I didn't know what was happening! I called the pediatrician and they told me she was probably allergic to the peanut butter. They told me to give her Benadryl and wait to see if the reaction subsided. It did, but, oh my goodness, was that an experience! After we moved to Spartanburg, our new pediatrician demanded we get her tested. Since then, we have carried Epi-pens with us every where we go. For a long time, Jillian wore a Medic-Alert bracelet detailing her allergy. Not long after, she had a severe asthma attack and we had to rush her to the ER. We found out then that children with food allergies, especially nut allergies, often suffer from asthma. So, when she turned 3 (doctors won't diagnose a child with asthma before age 3), she was officially diagnosed with asthma. Thus began the regimen of steroids to help her lungs, and the multiple bouts bronchitis each year. Later that year, when the new school year began, one of her day care providers mistakenly gave her a peanut butter bar as a snack. She immediately threw up (which sparked the memory of the day care provider). The day care administered Benadryl, and, when I arrived, the nurse was getting ready to give her the Epi-pen injection. Unbelievably, the nurse was holding the pen upside down and injected HERSELF with the epinephrine. WOW! I was livid! I ran to my car and got the Epi-pen that I carry with me everywhere, and nervously administered the dose. We rushed Jillian to the ER where we sat with her for hours while the doctor monitored her breathing, giving her oxygen. Then, for a long time we had no incidents. The last incident that occurred was when they were spending the night with my parents. We had to drive to Chester to the ER at 10pm. That was when Graycin was still in a carrier, so it had to be almost 6 years ago.
This week, the nurse at Jillian's school called me and asked me if Jillian could be around nuts/peanut butter. I explained that we have peanut butter in our house, so she was not so allergic that she couldn't be in the same room with it. Then she proceeded to tell me that the school was considering serving peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I couldn't believe it! I voiced my concerns and my objections and ended the conversation. That conversation reminded me of another conversation with a co-worker last year. We were discussing the new rule that we couldn't give students food without permission (there had been an incident in our district to prompt this rule). She was upset because she regularly prepares treats for her students (these are high school kids). I mentioned something about the new rule was a good thing because of nut allergies. Then she said something to this effect: "I don't get this stuff about not being able to serve peanut butter." I explained that some kids can't even be in the same room with it. She said (again not an exact quote but close enough), "Well, that is just not fair to the other kids. My son would have starved in elementary school if it hadn't been for peanut butter sandwiches. That's all he would eat." NOT FAIR?? HER KID WOULD STARVE??? PLEASE!! When was the last time you heard of a kid from a loving, middle-class family die of starvation for missing lunch at school (ok I guess it could happen...). I wanted to scream, "MY KID COULD DIE IF SHE EATS PEANUT BUTTER!!" But, I politely, albeit through clenched teeth, said, "My child has a nut allergy. She could have a severe allergic reaction possibly resulting in death if she ingests peanut butter." (Ok, maybe my reply wasn't that finely tuned, but it was similar.) I still have a difficult time looking at this person. And, just today, I pulled out Graycin's school papers and there was a note from the teacher asking for donations for snacks for the class (they eat lunch at 11am each day--that's pretty early). The note was attached to a list of gluten-free snacks. She note also included that several children in the class are allergic to gluten. In my research, death from ingesting gluten is rare (but my research is not in-depth--so please correct me if I am wrong). There was nothing about nut allergies or peanut butter. I was astonished!
People just aren't educated on these types of allergies. I didn't even know it existed until my cousin had to drive herself to the hospital when she was pregnant after eating some peanuts. Her diagnosis? A nut allergy. She had never been allergic before.
So, if you are still reading my rant, think about this: What if it was YOUR child? Wouldn't you want everyone to be educated? What if you had to carry around an Epi-pen everywhere you go? What if you had to read EVERY SINGLE LABEL on every single pre-packaged food/snack you served? What if you watched your child vomit, then have to be injected with epinephrine, then watch his/her eyes swell and their breathing become shallow because they are suffocating? Would it matter to you then?
Get Educated!
Epi-Pen Info
Nut and Peanut Allergy
Peanut Allergy
*Condolences to the Giorgi family. My heart and prayers are with them.
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