Awesome Allergy Product

Since this was reputed to be good on my allergy board (http://www.kidswithfoodalleriges.com/), I decided I had to try it. Well, I finally found it yesterday. It puts every other vegan ice cream to shame (well except the one I make at home, of course). Caden loved it. I liked it. Should I need to go dairy free ever again, I will not miss my ice cream. And if I ever meet who created this for Turtle Mountain, I will probably fall into their arms weeping with gratitude. Hey, I might even mow their lawn for them! It's made entirely from coconut milk. No dairy, no soy. And frankly, any soy ice cream I've ever eaten has tasted like vomit compared to the wonderful taste of Purely Decadent made with coconut milk.

Rumor had it a couple weeks ago, that Turtle Mountain was also releasing a line of coconut milk yogurt. Much to my delight, it is now being advertised on their website. My local Whole Foods dairy manager had better plan on carrying this at the new store, otherwise I'll be harassing him until he orders it for me, err Caden. We've used Ricera in the past, and Caden likes it okay. I, however, cannot stomach it. I'm hoping that this will follow the genius of coconut milk ice cream though and be more palatable. Still I'm not knocking Ricera, its a great product, but if something tastes better... eat it!

Yay for Turtle Mountain!

Spring, Spring, Spring!

Yes, its official (well, not by the calendar), its SPRING! It'll be in the 40's all week, and its going to even rain. Robins are a common sight now, the geese have returned, and the snow is almost gone. We've been making sure to get out and run around now that the weather is decent.

I have also been tagging along with my coworker who learned about tapping maple trees for sap and is using her knowledge to tap the trees on campus. It's really neat, and while work intensive, not a complicated process at all. I think we're going to go in halves for supplies for next year, and I"ll be joining her. It's lovely being out in the woods again. We were out for an hour and a half collecting sap last night, and Caden loved it. I can't wait to see the pictures D took.

I'm gearing up for Easter and Caden's Easter basket. I made mock peanut butter eggs today. I think they'll taste similar enough, not that Caden knows the difference. I'm also expecting my order from Whey Out Chocolate this week. They make milkless milk chocolate using Dari Free (one of the best products ever created for those with dairy allergies). Caden will be getting a chocolate bunny and chocolate eggs. I am so thankful for www.kidswithfoodallergies.com for all the support and suggestions I get.

Today is Palm Sunday. I have tried throughout Lent to do daily devotionals, and I have failed miserably. My goal for this week is to do Holy Week devotionals every day, no excuses. This week is the most significant on the Christian calendar, and I hope to spend it with reflection and prayer. Blessings!

Food Allergies

If you have not picked up the November 5, 2007 edition of Newsweek, you really should. They have an absolutely fabulous article on food allergies. It is by far the best piece of read in main stream media on the subject. Too often, the information on food allergies is either watered down, a half truth, or not comprehensive. I hope this shows people just how serious food allergies are.

I'm reminded of a story I read some time back. A school decided to go peanut free, as at least one of its students was anaphylactic to peanut dust (read: if he inhaled any peanut dust, he could DIE). One father told his son to take a peanut butter sandwich to school and smear it along the halls. Yes, dear ones, a PBJ sandwich at school is part of your civil rights. Yes, the fact that your PBJ could kill someone is beside the point, you deserve to eat that sandwich where ever you might be. Please. That father is lucky I didn't hear him say that, otherwise, I'd tell him where he could shove that sandwich. In fact, it bothered me so much, that some months later, I'm still chewing on it like a piece of tough fat.

I don't think that person (it kills me to call him a human being) is alone in his understanding of food allergies. There are facebook groups dedicated to the right to eat peanut butter and poo-pooing (to say it nicely) those with life threatening food allergies. I really don't get it. This just isn't about someone's comfort. Its about someone's life. Your convenience or desires and someone's life. Why is your convenience so much more important than their quality of life? I guess I could understand it if you couldn't eat anything but peanut butter or even if you were forbidden to eat peanut butter in your own home. You aren't.

I guess the problem is people don't see food allergies as a serious disease. Do people begrudge the physically handicapped their parking spaces, wheel chair ramps, or guide dogs? I think we're past that except for the most bigoted ignoramuses in Anytown, USA. Hopefully, food allergies will soon get the same consideration. Children and adults with this disease do not choose to have it. It just happens. What kid wouldn't love to eat an ice cream cone and mac and cheese? What kid wouldn't love peanut butter cookies? What parent doesn't it kill to know that their child probably will always have to be on guard to protect himself from something as benign as food?

Is it fun to jam an epi pen in your child's leg as they are gasping for breath and are covered in hives from taking a sip of chocolate milk? Is it fun to pray the entire way to the ER that you can make it in time? Is it fun to spend an hour and half at the grocery store reading vague food labels? Is it fun being on hold for 30 minutes with a food or drug company to see if their product has such and such in it? To scrutinize your child's skin to look for eczema? To wonder if you had just done something different? To be hypervigilant whenever you are around food? No, it is not fun. No one would choose this. We cannot wrap our children in bubble wrap. We should not have to keep them under lock and key to keep them safe. They should be able to live a full life despite their disease.

So, you think its bad because your kid can't have a PBJ for lunch? You think its bad that you have to read food labels when its your turn for school snack? Cry me a river. Walk a mile in some of the parent's and kid's shoes at www.kidswithfoodallergies.com and tell me what you think then.