New town, new food allergy challenges.

We've been in NYC for over six months now but I continue to struggle with finding safe "basic" foods for my daughter. In our previous home I knew just where to go to find her rice milk, pasta, safe chocolate chips, cake mixes, special snacks, and even pizza delivery. When we moved to NYC I had to start over which caught me off guard. Most of her items were not readily available at the local grocery story and if they did carry something I needed it would cost twice as much. My in-laws actually drove to New Jersey to find her Rice Milk and bought a case of it which helped tremendously. Since my kids drink 1/2 a gallon a day-I really needed to find it close by and for a reasonable price, which, thankfully, I managed to do. However, I have to order her Enjoy Life chocolate chips and Cherry Brook Kitchen mixes on line and pay for shipping since I can't find them here. It took me several days, phone calls, and emails to find safe pastas that she could eat (my mother in law is Italian so this was a must). Now Alexa is asking for pizza delivery. I make safe pizza at home but she's wanting a pepperoni pizza delivered. She doesn't ask for special food items very often so when she does I try my best to accommodate her but this one is proving to be a challenge. We live on an island on the East River so our delivery options are limited. NYC pizza places will not deliver here. The local pizza place uses eggs in their crust so they're out and so far the other delivery places from Long Island City are unsafe for various reasons. I will continue to call around and search for that perfect pizza place, but it make me sad that a simple thing like take out pizza is such a challenge for a food allergic child.

Thinking of Haiti

Like many of you, I can not stop thinking about the tragedy in Haiti. I am reading about all that they are facing and just breaks my heart. Unlike those living through it, or those who have family or friends there, I'm fortunate enough to be able to choose not to read about the destruction, grief and struggle if it becomes to painful or difficult. But today I had a thought that truly terrified me. What I were in a similar catastrophe with my food allergic child? My daughter has multiple severe food allergies and asthma. Would I have her Epi Pens, Bendryl or Albuterol to keep her safe? Probably not. What would I feed her? Her options are already limited and with access to food being a problem there's a real chance she would be in danger of starving or suffering a life threatening allergic reaction to the food we did find. If we got emergency rations-would they be a safe for her to eat?? It's overwhelming to contemplate. Unfortunately, if you're fleeing a collapsing building your unlikely to grab the Epi Pens, Benadryl or inhaler and advanced planning for this type of disaster may not help. I'd love to hear from parents of other food allergic children who have emergency plans in place. What would YOU do to plan for something like this? God bless those suffering and I pray that the aid coming into the country will reach those who need it. I pray that our family will never have to experience such fear, grief and suffering as that facing the Haitian people.

Another successful day

Yesterday Nicholas played outside on the playground for the first time in almost 6 weeks! It's was in the 40s but NO hives! I'm thrilled! He did get very red but did not get any hives and I think we may have turned a corner. Thank you God. He spent another 1/2 hour out today with no problems as well. Perhaps he will actually get to play outside during the winter like normal children. What a relief to see this pass and I hope it never comes back again!!