My new second job...

...to spend all of my time looking, searching, and trying to find things that my picky toddler will and can eat. I had an appointment with a dietitian at Vanderbilt today and I have to be honest, as I was leaving my heart sunk knowing that my life until this point will never be the same. I now have to enter the "allergy free" zone. Gone are the days when I can not even think twice about that cookie I am giving Connor, gone are the days when I can say, "Sure son you can have the cereal, Nutri Grain bar, toast, chocolate, chicken nuggets...the list goes on and on and on. I am so discouraged and frustrated about what my new life as a mother with a child with allergies means. I have so much to learn about this and my head is starting to spin. I am worried about how I will do what seems like a full time job of preparing meals, searching for food that he can eat (nut, milk, egg and WHEAT free). To be honest I thought that before today we might be able to go on living life as we knew it being semi normal just avoiding milk, eggs and nuts. I didnt really worry about the wheat since Connor has never reacted to it. Then talking to the allergist made me more aware that by giving him these things (even though he doesnt have a reaction) might be doing things on the inside that I am not even aware of. She compared it to someone having a heart attack. That person might be doing things for years and years without a reaction, but after having a heart attack wished they could go back and prepare to try to avoid it. It made sense. She also asked me about Connors bowel movements again and when I told her that he has always had loose stools she just shook her head like "yeah, I thought so." I have been bombarded the last few weeks with every ones opinions about allergies and I have to say that some I semi-agree with, and others I just shrug my shoulders and go on. I think that until you are in the situation with your own child, you dont know what you would do. Some people have said that they probably have allergies too but were never tested and seem to be just fine. Well that is all great, but I know that Connor has allergies because I have had warning sign after warning sign that he does. He has also been tested and I cant ignore that. Before I didnt think too much about these allergies because Connor had seemed to outgrow them a bit. Then I thought maybe the reason he was more tolerant to milk at age 2 is because I avoided it for a full year. The advice has been that I should avoid these things now, get tested in a year again and see where we stand. I am dreading going through the grocery store aisles and seeing the price tags! Not to mention the time it is going to take to figure all of this out. I say all of this not so that you will be sympathetic in any way, but basically just to reach out a hand to anyone else out there who is in the same boat, and anyone who might have some advice for me. I have a friend who is also going through this at the very same time and I have to say that it is helpful just to hear that she is struggling in the same way (not that I would wish this on anyone). Her son has the exact same allergies so I am hoping we can learn this together. God did remind me of something today as I was standing in line waiting for the valet to get my car at Vanderbilt (I would never have done this if it wasnt the only option and completely free). A lady pushing a stroller with a disabled child about Connors age went by and I thought to myself, "Oh, how blessed I am." I am completely thankful that this is the only ailment that I am facing with Connor. It will be hard but I can handle it.