The Challenge: Christmas celebrations and allergies

There are so many things that are part of Christmas traditions that I took for granted...poinsettias, real Christmas trees, fresh greenery, cookies with friends, parties and gathering with family. 

My sons have severe latex allergies.  over the last 10 years I have given 18 epipens and prayed that everything would be alright while we waited for the firetruck and ambulance to arrive.  This allergy is not to be taken lightly. 

Poinsettias have a milky white sap which disperses in the air every time a petal or leaf falls from the plan.  The sap contains latex protein which when absorbed through the skin can cause severe allergic reactions.  If you stop to think about it the beautiful plants are displayed all over the place.  This means that our sons can't be in those places.

Latex also cross contaminates foods prepared by kitchen staff wearing latex gloves during food preparation or when a latex spatula is used to mix and prepare foods.  This limits where and when our sons can enjoy Christmas treats.

Our younger son is also allergic to peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts.  He breaks out in hives with any contact.  Without proper medication breathing problems follow quickly.  I must confess that I do enjoy nuts in some Christmas baking but not at the expense of my son's safety.  We do have nuts in our home ocaissionally but there are a lot of precautions put in place around food handling, cleaning and handwashing.

Last week our sons help make Christmas wreaths and arrangements for an auction at church.  Unfortunately, the greens set off an asthma attack for my younger son.  It has taken several days for his breathing to improve.  He was quite upset to have yet another allergy limiting festivities.

This medley of complications has lead us to explore other ways to celebrate while staying safe.  We are blessed to attend a church that has made a lot of changes to include the many people in the congregation with allergies.  We often try to host family and friends at our home where we can be certain about the food preparation.  I think the biggest loss has been not being able to go to the annual family Christmas celebration with my Mom's extended family.  As the family has expanded the number of people now requires bigger facilities which are often not safe for our sons.  We would like to come and see everyone but it just isn't possible without sacrificing safety.  While our home isn't big enough to host the gathering we would still love to see everyone.  The specialized support required for our sons means that we can't just leave them at home and head out of town to enjoy the party.

I am glad that we will get the chance to see at least a few of my siblings this year the next day when they come here for lunch.  Everyone is so spread out that we rarely get the chance to see them more than once a year.

I wish everyone out there coping with the challenges of allergies blessings for a safe and happy Christmas season.

I'm back

After dragging my heels for almost two weeks I finally feel more alert and functional.  I still have coughing spells that are driving me crazy but overall I feel much better. 

Now I'm faced with the overwhelming list of things that need to be caught up:  cleaning, garden and yard work, lesson plans, marking and long term projects.  I also booked a table at a craft sale to sell cards so I need to get my stock built up again.

Despite a couple of promising interviews in the last two weeks I am still looking for work.  I need to get looking through the various job hunting websites everyday.  My goal is to apply for at least 2 jobs every day.

I also need to make some calls made regarding the boys' needs.  Andrew needs a wrist splint and changes to his ankle braces.  I need to get details about the animation software Josh is interested in.

I need to make plans for Thanksgiving since we won't be able to see any family next weekend.  My siblings are gathering at my parent's in Bancroft and my husband's family is scattered all over the place.  Hopefully we will find someone to celebrate with.