We live in a time where Kindergarten kids can spell the word Anaphylaxis. It is estimated that one in thirteen children have food allergies, many to nuts and tree nuts and
I see many needed changes on the horizon.

I see a need for:
-Funding to find out why and what is causing this.
-Mandatory restaurant labelling
-Peanut/tree nut free flights on all airlines
-Peanut/tree nut free classrooms, lunchrooms
-Peanut/tree nut free work environments
-Increased awareness
-Mandatory food labelling of the major allergens.
-Mandatory fast-food labelling
-Cosmetic and beauty products mandatory labelling for peanuts, and tree nuts, such as almond oil.
-and my last is just a wish and that is for M&M's to create completely peanut and tree nut free candy, so I can eat them again.

So right now, it is in the schools. Parents and kids needing nut free classrooms, lunchrooms, lunch tables and more. We see trickles and rumbles of airline issues where parents need peanut free zones or flights even if the peanut/tree nut allergy is airborne. Some coverage on CNN and lots of social media. FAAN has started Allergy Walks and you can feel the waves beginning.

I'm on the other end of this. I've been doing this already for 14 years. I didn't have these allergies as a kid, but developed them as an adult and have had Anaphylaxis now for 14 years. I'm life or death allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish and a few other foods.

I've been manuevering through the grocery stores, restaurants, workplace, airlines and more for 14 years now. I've been hassled by the airlines. I've had eyes roll at me in restaurants. I've nearly died 18 times and have been resuscitated twice now.

I can do more. I've been a spokesperson for MedicAlert Foundation since 2006. I haven't been vocal enough and I'm pretty interactive when I hear someone has allergies!! So I can do more.

Nuts are everywhere!

I joke that I can generally see and avoid lobster and fish. A classroom isn't going to need to be "shellfish free" nor is an airline.

The problem rests, in my opinion, mostly with peanuts and tree nuts. As an adult living with these allergies, the problem also isn't in my school or classroom, but in my work environment and on airlines. It becomes a double whammy if I need to fly for work.

The last allergic reaction I had that sent me ambulance riding was when someone can in my offer with a handful of mixed nuts and mistakenly offered me some, having forgotten I was allergic.

Peanut and tree nut allergies are tricky, mainly because they are common ingredients, but also because they are just plain dusty and also a finger food.

Yup, dusty and a finger food. What do I mean by that?

I mean with a bag of mixed nuts or jar of peanuts, the particles get in the air and you can't help but breathe them in.

I mean, if someone uses their hands to eat them and then touches you .

I mean if someone eats them and kisses you.

I also mean if you also mistakenly eat them.

I mean if you are flying and in that confined space and someone opens up a bag of mixed nuts.

I mean the places in the grocery stores where the bins are filled with nuts and you can scoop them out.

I mean mislabelled or unlabelled products that trusting souls eat.

By Mistake. Yes, nuts, traces of nuts, processed in a facility that has nuts and more. All of it can be deadly. Mistakes are deadly.

I think of BJ Hom, who lost his life to an allergic reaction from nuts in restaurant buffet food. I think of the time I had Anaphylaxis from a salad bar at St. Thomas University in Minneapolis, during an MBA class that I was taking for work. I think of my mom giving me a cookie with a walnut in it. I think of the vitamin I took that had peanut oil in it. I think of the cosmetics I used that had almond oil in it. All causing Anaphylaxis.

So you can feel me ramble with stories. I have more.

This is what we can do right now. Keep talking and keep increasing awareness.

The children growing up with these allergies are going to need our help.

Love,
Elizabeth

(ps- please let me know if you see typos, my editing crew is not editing this.)