How Food Allergies Can Shape the Person You Become

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By Leslie and her son Peter

My son will be off to college this fall. I am so happy for him, and I never thought I would feel this way. Living with food allergies has made him the person he is today. And if you ask him, he wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm writing this for all the young mothers out there who have just discovered that their child has life-threatening food allergies. I know what you may be thinking. From watching an allergic reaction, to trying to control your child’s environment, to Halloween with all that candy, holidays with relatives who don't understand, play dates, birthday cakes, sleepovers, camp, airline flights, and on and on! But I am here to tell you, it is an exciting journey!

You will realize who your real friends are, and better yet, your child will realize who his/her friends really are at a very young age. Your child will value life, and will have compassion for people with differences. You will realize that having faith in the universe is a good thing -- that sometimes things happen for good and for bad and realize that everything will work out, and know that in your heart of hearts, life is good!

Following is an excerpt from my son Peter’s college essay, which I believe helped him get into a great college.


By Peter P.

My friend and I hear the crowd going wild. We stand outside the north entrance to the gymnasium, awaiting our entry as the new spirit commissioners, a title I dreamed of obtaining since freshman year. This is the culmination of 40+ hours of work over the summer. We planned the entire rally. A surge of adrenaline forces me to shake and sweat. I can only think of how my deodorant has failed me, and how ridiculously hot it is, wearing a purple cape over a suit in 100° weather.

We make a lap around the gym, waving majestically to ecstatic peers. The crowd erupts violently with a deafening cheer, signaling our command over the rally. The feeling of having 1,400 pairs of eyes, each equipped with a personality and an opinion, is overwhelming. Speaking in front of a crowd and performing is an act that I would historically shy away from. In fact, I don’t remember ever thinking that I would be where I am today, because of my childhood struggles. My family found out about my food allergies when I was 3. My mother gave me my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Within moments, I could feel the initial symptoms. The back of my throat tingled, itchy red hives covered me head to toe, and I was short of breath. I can imagine that I looked something like Violet Beauregarde after she ate the Three-Course-Dinner Gum. But I didn’t have Oompa Loompas to roll me down to the Juicing Room. I was rolled to the ER, where I discovered my Golden Ticket. I have life-threatening food allergies to all peanuts, tree nuts, milk, dairy, seafood, and eggs. I am 18, and have had six near-death experiences with peanuts, and hundreds of allergic reactions to milk and fish.

The word caution is an understatement in my life. Caution to my friends consists of looking both ways before crossing the street, making the right choices, and using discretion when necessary. For me, caution is checking every label, speaking to every chef and waiter before ordering, not touching anything that has come into contact with peanuts, being 100% certain that what I am eating will not kill me. As a kid I could not make sense of my situation. I couldn’t understand why I only watched as my friends ate birthday cake, shared food at school, and ordered anything from a menu. Food is the essence of life, the center of every social gathering. During Halloween, my bag was always halved. Years later I realized that the candy I received was supplied to the neighbors by my mother. Every time I travel, I sound like a broken record, explaining my allergies to the airline. Flying is statistically the safest way to travel, but I take extreme caution, wiping down my seat and eliminating any peanut residue. I’ve never been outside the country or east of Colorado. This is heartbreaking to me because I want to see the world with my own eyes.

The thought of another allergic reaction once paralyzed me with fear. I was paranoid about everything I came into contact with. I felt trapped, my future limited. I was desperate to break out of my shell. During middle school, I discovered the Food Network. This was a revelation. I realized that I didn’t have to eat only what my mother made. I would rush home to watch Rachael Ray’s “30 Minute Meals,” following along in the kitchen, augmenting the recipes to fit my diet. I find cooking peaceful, because I don’t have to worry about putting my life in another chef’s hands. I actually consider myself a low-level Emeril Lagasse, but I have yet to master my own catch phrase.

I am known as the spirit commissioner to my school, the starting varsity water polo goalie to my team, a chef-in-the-making to my friends. But, to my family, I am just Peter. BAM!

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