Getting the Diagnosis

I remember when I first confirmed that, yes, I did in fact have food allergies. I was in Chicago, and it was the summer after my first year in grad school, 2003. I had just gone to a new allergist about a mile south of my apartment on inner Lake Shore Drive. I did two rounds of allergy scratch tests- environmental and food. I asked them why I was doing the food allergy testing- it wasn't something my previous doctors had ever done before. They told me they did it with all of their patients, so I went along with it thinking I wouldn't have any reactions. Boy, was I wrong- and all of the little light bulbs in my head starting going on when I saw the results. Apples, carrots, peas, cantaloupe, berries, egg, and the list goes on. The struggles of the whole last year came crashing over me- all of the strange lip rashes, hives and other unexplained "reactions." I couldn't believe it, but I finally had my answer to making my mouth stop hurting and swelling. Granted, I had one good friend (he was fabulously gay, I loved him) told me people paid good money to have lips like I got after eating foods I was allergic to, but theirs probably didn't puss and itch in quite the same way.

For me, the results were both a relief and a knife in the heart. Carrots, peas and apples were my most favorite, coveted foods. I ate them all the time and had been since I was little. I was relieved to know that I could finally stop the swollen lips (which were quite uncomfortable, I might add) and hurting esophagus, but I was at a lost for what to eat. With so many foods taken away from me, how could I ever eat again? And what would I eat? Surely nothing could be healthy, because they just don't make healthy food without those items?

Obviously, through this blog alone, I think we have shown that healthy comes in a million different varieties, and I can do it all allergen free. But, we are also talking about a good 7 years experience under my belt, and a lot of label reading and trail and error behind it.

I've also gotten quite good at responding to people about my long list of food allergies. For example- and I've been meaning to share this one!- at my work holiday party last weekend (which was a blast), my coworker who organized it was diligent and had given my list of food allergies to the catering company. The catering company assured her that at least one dish would be safe for me to eat. I got to the party and watched the catering staff in the kitchen preparing the food- it looked absolutely scrumptious and poisonous all at the same time- carrots were everywhere (yikes!) and what didn't have carrots in it was slathered in cheese (double yikes!). Clearly the catering company chose to ignore my food allergy list completely. My coworker was mortified on my behalf and I assured her that I knew she had given the list and it was okay (she's a bit of a people pleaser). So, being the responsible allergenista that I am, I spoke to the caterers to double check ingredients and see what we could make happen for me. One of the caterers happens to also be a coworker so I talked to her. After having to painfully explain to her that I "no, I cannot eat the beef tenderloin wraps with the carrots if you just take the carrot out because the carrot has already gotten it's juices on the food and made a lovely sauce in the pain that, subsequently is filled with carrot juice," she asked for me to list off more of my allergies. After giving her the cliffnotes version, she looked at me and said, "girl, what do you eat?" My response? It's brilliant- "I eat food just like you and everyone else, it just doesn't have things I'm allergic to in it." I thought that was good, no? I was proud of myself for not only standing up for myself, but, I felt, for everyone who has food allergies like mine.

She ended up scraping cheese out of one of the chicken phyllo dough wraps they made (it was at least not so heavily covered in cheese so I could eat it without fear of spending the whole night in the bathroom), and then she whipped me up a great spinach salad with zucchini and pear. I have to say, the dinner was quite satisfying and tasty.

Anyway, after 7 years of experience, and especially after going through the last year and a half with my new found food restrictions/sensitivities I can look through my allergenista lenses with a positive, fulfilled frame of mind. I no longer see the restrictions, I only see the opportunities. And that's kind of fun!

The reason for this post is because I have a friend who just had blood tests done to determine if she had food allergies and the results were a definite "yes." She is definitely grieving for her losses right now, and I understand where she is coming from. I just hope that by sharing information with her and all the great resources I have discovered she can find the same level of excitement and contentment I have of life with food allergies. There are so many foods out there, the possibilities are endless even if you can't have a few of them. Here is her official diagnosis:

Basil, Blueberry, cottage cheese, swiss cheese, coconut, crab, GLUTEN, lettuce, Cows Milk, peas, pineapple, white potatoes, safflower, strawberries, tomatoes, wheat, bakers and brewers yeast, yogurt, buffalo, blue cheese, cranberries, flaxseed, kiwi, goats milk, nutmeg, paprika, radish, red snapper..., vanilla bean, whey, some molds

The list seems long, and there are quite a few zingers on there (lettuce, vanilla, etc), but my brain is already going to a million places of the wonderful things she can eat without these items in them. It will be GFCF diet, and she definitely has some extra challenges because of the potato allergy (a common ingredient in GF foods), but manageable nonetheless.

So, to my girlfriend Liz. Welcome to the food allergy club, I promise we are a friendly bunch. Love and hugs!