A normal morning starts at 6:00 AM, if I don't hit the snooze to many times. I throw open the drapes and fix a cup of coffee. Then it's office time. This is when I do the most of my allergy reading and writing, while the little one is asleep. I read the articles that I have pinned or posted to myself. If I have found a great allergy picture I download it and add it to my folder for future reference.
At 8:00 AM it's time for my daughter to get up. If I had anything I wanted to print, I have it set and walk away. Once we've had breakfast, usually an allergy friendly cereal, pancakes or something else homemade, we both dress and get ready for our day. My daughter always has on her allergy bracelet and the only time I have to make a fuss is when she takes it off and leaves it under her pillow.This morning we're headed to the Bank, and to do some groceries. We grab our lists, snack, a Sippy cup of milk and a coffee to go. Just as I have my handbag my daughter has her own bag. We upgraded her from the diaper bag to a small back pack. Inside her bag are some emergency items, diapers, wipes, and the first aid bag that contains her Epi-pens. Her bag lives on a peg at the back door. It's the last thing we pick up on our way out the door and one of the first things we put down when we come in.
Her first aid bag contains her Epi-pens, Benadryl, a couple Band-Aids, a copy of our insurance card and an emergency contact card. And to be sure that people know there is life saving medication in her bag, I made a luggage tag that hangs from the top loop. It states her allergy and that her medication is inside, on the reverse I have listed emergency contact's.
The Bank always has Dumb-dumbs and a cookie of the day. We try to avoid both but sometime we do get a Dumb-dumb, and we never finish it. She either drops at the next stop or forgets about and I toss it away.
While at the grocery stores we are always reading labels. Even if it's something we get all the time. I have grown accustomed to the funny looks you get when pick something up off the shelf read it and put it back. My daughter however, still doesn't have the patients to let me read all the labels, so I try to keep her entertained with a pad of paper and a pen, or what ever else happens to be working that day.
After grocery's it's home and time for lunch. We try to change it up everyday. It could be grilled cheese and apple sauce, butter noodles and beef hotdogs, turkey roll-ups with cheese, or even leftovers. Occasionally I have webinars over lunch time, on average about three to four a month. I play them on my phone so I can hear them on my Bluetooth, so my daughter is not distracted from her lunch.
After lunch is nap time. Yeah, Nap Time! It's the best time of the day and one of my busiest. I use these precious two hours of the day to do whatever I need to catch up on. From reading, blogging, house work, or working on my crafting business, and on the rare occasion taking a total break and putting my feet up.
Afternoons are always a toss up. If the weather is good we're outside, if not we try to keep ourselves entertained. If I have something I need to attend in the evenings such as PTA, craft sale, or an event where I'm speaking about allergies, I am always sure to have a babysitting allergy page printed out. Even though our regular babysitter is familiar with my daughters allergy I still go over things with her ever time. I think its more to make me feel better than anything else.
I like to think that my family has settled into a routine that works for us. We have chosen to become a peanut free home for our daughters safety and we avoid bringing things in that could pose a treat to her health. My husband and I due indulge in unsafe items away from home and we do not bring back leftovers.
Once you eliminate the food allergen our day is really no different than anyone else's and my daughter is your typical toddler through and through.
No comments:
Post a Comment