What almost dying taught me.

 

Capture the moment. Live like you mean it.

Before last summer, I'd never prayed for my life before. I'd never felt the sharp jab of mortality. What I had felt before was the ease with which air effortlessly passed into my body and saturated me with life. What I'll never feel again is the naive ungratefulness I knew before I almost died.

Unknowingly, I was suffering a severe and life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis shock. My limbs went numb, my stomach convulsed, and my throat began to close up to the point where I was gasping for air. I clutched for items to hold onto to get some sort of stability and the fleeting normal physical feelings. But all I could think about was how much I had taken for granted in my life as the bulging lump in my throat threatened to take it all away. And then I saw a fuzzy blackness began to crawl over my peripheral vision.

Who was I to be judging the universe? Complaining about trivial things? I can tell you that instances where you had ridiculously complained about unimportant things, like that time you ordered a water with ice and received a warm water with no ice, flash before you when your body is failing fast and life is leaving. You remember how you treasured material things more than the life and feelings of a poor stranger. Then you get smacked in the face. Hard. You see the beautiful shades of color that seemed so ordinary before shining brilliant and vivid, waking you. You fall to the ground with the gravity of the world around you and are instantly and permanently humbled. You realize how small and how big your life is all at once. Everything is pulsing, and in that moment you are truly alive.

You will never be the same. And it's a blessing.

I was able to ride out this deadly allergic reaction (to soy) due to the genius of my boyfriend who gave me antihistamines even though he wasn't sure what was happening while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.

I'm forever grateful for the life that pulses through my veins and the time I have here. Don't miss a moment. I don't have to tell you that you never know what will happen next. If I ever feel my spirit dying again, I'll breathe and remember.

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Healing with Allergies, Embracing Life

1. Claritin 24 hour tabs


2. Benadryl Liquid Gels


3. Eternal Naturally Alkaline Water--for re-hydrating and cleansing the body post-allergic reaction.


4. Now Solutions 100% Shea Butter--to soothe the skin when I have a rash break out during my reaction. Warning! Shea Butter does come from the tree nut, so if you are sensitive to tree nuts, I really don't recommend it. The only nuts I am sensitive to are peanuts. And of course, nutty people ;)


5. Epinephrine (Epi-Pen) --I carry this with me at all times.

Relaxing and healing in our favorite cozy spot.

Today I had some accidental exposure to soy while at work. There was a bustling conference of about 30 people zooming around the front lobby I was working in, and they had just ordered a plethora of pizzas, breads, sauces, steaming wings, sandwiches, and more. It wasn't the first time I'd been around a lot of allergens so I thought I'd be pretty much fine...and I was for a short time. That changed quickly when a few people approached my counter with steaming plates of allergen filled food and asked me for some favors. I served them quickly as I felt my throat tightening from inhalation of the steaming food. I made a run for my allergy medication.

The reaction got severe enough to cause twitching, shaking, numbness in the limbs and chest pains even after the throat swelling went down. I actually sat with my EpiPen in my lap for the first time in months. Right now, I'm bringing myself back to health and a good mindset from the safety of my favorite worn in seat on our cushy couch. After a food allergy scare, I remind myself it's okay to feel vulnerable and it's normal to recoil to a safer place. Nourishing myself with freshly made green juice with ginger (natural anti-inflammatory), hot water with lemon, and a comforting plate of buckwheat pilaf is a nice way to return to my spirited self. I find taking some time to heal physically and mentally, or in whatever way suits you best, is more beneficial in the long run than simply trying to play tough and reckless by just "powering through" a reaction and the aftermath. I don't take my health for granted. Not anymore. I treasure myself.

This video by the Food Allergy Initiative illustrates the life of an extremely food allergic young boy. His father speaks of the importance of being aware, growing as a food allergic individual, and trying to find that sacred balance between being careful and thriving happily. It's true to say that food allergic children are different from others, but I believe it's a difference that gives strength eventually, instead of initial fear. A stronger individual emerges from every challenge faced in life, and food allergies are no exception. I have hope for food allergic children (and adults) everywhere, that we will grow brighter in spite of setbacks and supposed limitations. I love this video, and it is very eyeopening to these realities. Let's rally our strength in hopes of a brighter future for our kids and for a food allergy cure.

Watch the video below, or Click the Link here.

What are your thoughts?

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Avoiding Reactions at Work

[caption id="attachment_490" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Don't feel pressured to put your life in danger. (Photo credit: Dreamstime.com Free)[/caption]

Recently, I've been asked to directly handle baking cookies for guests every evening shift I'm at work--cookies laden with wheat and soy. Luckily at the moment, someone else has been working with me each time and has offered to do the duty for me. I'm anxiously awaiting the day when I'll be personally held responsible to handle life threatening allergens just to keep guests happier in the lobby. I've made a decision not to handle the allergens, and am hoping my employer will understand that it's not worth risking my life.

While most people aren't asked to bake cookies at work, the problem of cross contamination in the workplace still lingers. Sharing areas in the company break room or lunch area can be hazardous as well as sharing common office equipment. I personally went through this at one of my jobs where I shared a desk and keyboard with a girl on the Vegan diet who often ate many soy heavy products. I am in no way holding her responsible for my reactions that led me to the ER from work, but merely not thinking about proper sanitation of shared equipment played a role on my part.

Here are some of my tips for staying safe from anaphylaxis or any other allergic reaction at work:

And this goes without saying: Always carry your epi-pen. You may want to alert others at work about where you keep your epi-pen so they may grab it for you in case of an emergency. I also always carry a box of Claritin and some Benadryl with me at all times.

What are your thoughts? Have you run into any tricky situations dealing with food allergies at work? Leave a comment below.

Walk in my shoes: Sans Soy and Gluten

Recently diagnosed with a sensitive soy allergy (July 2011) with an anaphylaxis reaction and diagnosed celiac/gluten intolerant in February 2009, I've had quite the ride over the last few years.  Here's the short story:

It's August, 2008.  Little did I know, I'd began a steep downhill slide at the hands of gluten and soy.  Dizzy spells, anxiety, unexplained weight loss, stomach pain, indigestion, brain fog, ADD, and nervous system disorders plagued everyday life until the breaking point.  With a diagnosis of celiac/gluten intolerance in early 2009, I began to feel relief and definitely more vibrant.  Though I had reached a much better level of health, I was still experiencing some troubling and scary symptoms.  Random bouts of dizziness while driving, increased heart rate, inability to gain healthy weight, and some indigestion continued.  Over the two years that followed, these symptoms increased to daily occurrences and were joined by some other frightening events....

In spring 2011 just after graduating from the University of Michigan Dearborn, my health took a nosedive.  I developed a lump in the throat and throat swelling sensation with difficulty breathing, which sent me to the emergency room three times over a few weeks (not a cheap thing my friends!).  I even received a CAT scan and had a camera stuck down my throat, which revealed I was having an allergic reaction to something; but doctors couldn't tell me to what.  My chest had developed an unsightly swelling and sensitivity to the touch, which I now know was attributed to soy overload.  I began to track my food intake, and realized that each trip to the emergency room corresponded with consumption of soy milk just before.  It's true that I had implemented soy very heavily into my diet after going gluten free and I can now look back and link all symptoms to the soy consumption.

My new allergist recently told me it was very possible that I'd developed an adult onset soy allergy, as the only other thing I was allergic to after being poked and prodded for a few hours was perennial mold (not uncommon).  She told me I would have a new best friend named Benadryl, and to avoid soy completely. I now know she really didn't do all that she could as far as testing goes.  I was never tested for the IgA or IgG reaction (delayed allergic reactions) and only the IgE (severe, immediate).  My believing is that I went so long having a delayed allergic reaction that my body developed a stronger, potentially life threatening IgE reaction to cope. I would love to advocate for regular IgA and IgG reactions to be given by all allergists in the U.S., not just by holistic health practitioners.

After attempting to cut out the soy, my body became more and more sensitive to trace amounts.  Here's an example:  I share a desk with a vegan at work.  Since her diet consists more heavily of soy products, the keyboard we shared sent me into anaphylaxis and stomach convulsions after typing then eating my own allergen-free snacks using my hands.

It is much more difficult to find adequate and complete information on the internet regarding how to manage intense soy allergies than it is on how to live on the gluten free diet.  Through my own research, uncomfortable trial and error, and lots of support from my loving boyfriend, I'm beginning to feel much safer.  I really feel for others that have had to go through this with little help or direction, as it seems soy has contaminated our whole society!  You have only to pick an aisle at the grocery store at random (minus the fresh produce section) and take a look at each product's ingredients; and not only in the food section.  Shampoos, soaps, makeup, deodorant, toothpaste, and more contain soy derived ingredients.  It can be totally scary and overwhelming, especially when soy or soy derived products are not labeled as containing soy.  It's maddening at times!! But I know it's all worth the trouble, as my symptoms are waning rapidly.  Can I get a hell yea?!

I've decided it's necessary to get as much information on soy allergies on the internet as possible, so I'm officially dedicating this page to Soy-free, Gluten-free living. Here, I plan to share information, advocate for proper labeling, and provide a type of forum for the Soy-free, Gluten-free community.  It's time to roll with the punches.  And um...punch some soy while we're at it ;-)

Stay positive, focus on what you can eat, know that your body will heal from this, and embrace the day! 

See the "About" tab for more information!!  Also, please use the "Connect" tab for discussions on topics not yet covered in blog posts.  Stay strong, be healthy, and let your little light shine! 

Lots of Love,

Bethany xoxo