What every food allergic kid needs

We got Caden one of these in December. I cannot tell you the peace of mind it give me. One of my biggest fears was that we would get in a car accident, and Jason and I would be incapacitated, unable to tell anyone of Caden's food allergies or medical concerns. Medic Alert is the only company I will trust. They print the most pertinent information on the bracelet with and id code. A medical professional can call Medic Alert 24 hours a day any day of the year and receive all pertinent information about Caden, including blood type, allergies, and medical conditions. If you have a child (or adult) with extensive medical conditions, they can even keep a copy of his medical records on file.

I also appreciate that they do not print Caden's name or other identifying information on it. Should he become seperated from us at a mall or airport, a security guard or police officer could call the 800 number and Medic Alert will notify me, or if they are unable to contact me, the remaining people on our contact list.

It's been recommended to me by EMTs to always get the bracelet. That is the first place medical professionals will check. We have the petite emblem on Caden, and it is not too large for a toddler. Large enough to print the pertinent information, small enough to not get in the way. Caden doesn't even notice his anymore.

This has given me such a peace of mind. I don't begrudge the yearly fee (about $30) or the cost of the bracelet ($10), even though we're going to have to replace the bracelet yearly until Caden's growth slows down. If your food allergic child doesn't have one, it's a must buy. And your child doesn't have to have a medical condition to have one. As I said, its a safety precaution even in the event of being separated.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?


Quite nicely, thanks, but my name isn't Mary.


My broccoli isn't coming along as quickly as I had hoped. I thought it would be done by the first of June, but I think its going to be another month until harvest. I've harvested spinach twice so far, and tonight we had some lovely spinach and rice with our steak kabobs. I received some advice to plant my spinach around the broccoli which I think is a fabo idea. I'm going to do that this week, I hope. So here are some nifty pictures of my garden.

The whole shebang:



A itty bitty broccoli head in the middle there.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy mother's day to all the moms out there. Throw your feet up, relax, and enjoy a day dedicated to you!

Dorm Allergies

Since I started this blog, I've gotten a couple hits from people searching for advice on "dorm allergies". I am assuming that these are people who are dealing with environmental allergies. I'm not sure how other dorms are, but I think that the dorms we have on campus are pretty environmental allergy friendly. Why?

Radiator heat. Forced air tends to cause a problem with dust allergies since it causes the dust to blow around.

Most of the floors have classroom tile, which is also very good for dust allergies. Many students bring carpets from home but neglect to vacuum regularly, which is obviously NOT good for environmental allergies.

The air in the hall tends to be dry which can help with mold and mildew allergies, BUT most college students don't clean their shower regularly, which is NOT good for mold and mildew allergies.

Our mattresses are vinyl covered, rather than the old fashioned cloth mattresses that adorned our dorm (ewwwww).

So, what's a person with environmental allergies to do if they live in a dorm? If you have a cloth mattress, put a vinyl mattress protector on it to protect you from dust mites (you should do the same with your pillow). Bring thin bedding that you can easily wash on hot water and dry on hottest heat, the two combined will help kill dust mites. Don't bring a rug (wear slippers or socks instead). If you're hall has forced air heat or air conditioning, see if you can put a good filter on the register in your room. Dust your room weekly. If you live in a suite style dorm, clean your bathroom thoroughly, preferably with something that can kill mildew and mud. If you're sensitive to chemicals, check 7th Generation or other natural companies that make cleaning products.

Many suite bathrooms do not have exhaust fans. Invest in a cheap clip on fan and run it after you shower. If you can leave the door to your bathroom open to help it air out, that will help with the mold and mildew. I would also suggest in investing in a small air cleaner. Lastly, dust regularly.

And as always, take your allergy medication if recommended by a doctor. Before you move in, you can request to be shown an open room to give you an idea of what you'll be encountering by way of potential allergen hot spots.

With some forethought and good cleaning skills, living in a dorm can be a positive experience even for those who have environmental allergies.