Food(Ed)

There are a lot of clubs in this world that NOBODY EVER wants to be in.

The “My husband cheated on me” club.

The “I just lost my job and have NO IDEA what we are going to do” club.

Or “We just had a miscarriage” club.

Perhaps the he most devastating club “My child died of cancer/aneurysm/anything” club.

I know lots of people that are in these clubs.  I am sure you do too.  They are in these “clubs” not by choice, but by circumstance.  And the only way to move though these hard things is to grieve, breathe and allow others to take care of you without ever leaving the club – but learning to somehow grow into being a caring member.

The other club that nobody wants to be in is the “food allergy/intolerance” club.  Nobody on the face of this planet wants to get the phone call from the doctor that says – “You (or worse – your child) have a severe allergy to peanuts, eggs and strawberries.  The only way to control this is to never eat it again“.

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR – WHAT ON EARTH ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?!

The learning curve of an allergy or food intolerance is astounding.  All of the sudden – it feels like every single one of the things you have eaten all of your life are “bad” and you need to learn how to eat again.  No strawberry pie on the Fourth of July, no Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches (I literally think my father would STARVE on Saturdays if he had this allergy), and no more eggs.  Scrambled, fried, baked in goodies – none.  It’s almost enough to make you want to rock back and forth sitting on the floor humming a monotone tune.

You need to grieve.  You need to think.  You need to regroup.  Your best friend needs to come over and drink tea and bring you a (egg-free, peanut-free, strawberry-free) blueberry and peach cobbler.  You need to relearn.

I know people who were just THRILLED with their diagnosis – because they knew what was wrong – and they could do something about it.  I was NOT one of those people.  I was pissed.  Like throw stuff and make really nasty faces at Gluten-free cookbooks pissed.  I am certian I even threw a few cookbooks.  Fifteen years ago it felt like one person on the planet had to eat like me – and it was me.  Shoot – even 5 years ago it felt this way.

But then I started to realize something.  Along with the invention of the Interweb (thank you AGAIN Al Gore) – I learned that I was not the only person who had to eat this way.  In fact some choose to eat this way.  There are tons of us who eat like I do – you know – that trendy (insert giant eyeball roll) “Gluten-free” way – right in my own city.  We are not alone – in fact we are all in the “special foods” club (sorry – TERRIBLE NAME) – but it’s true.  It’s really the “thinking, planning, deciding, careful of every teeny bite” club – because we need to be.  None of us would choose a food allergy or intolerance – no matter how severe – but we all get the opporatunity to thrive within these restrictions (and help others do it too).

So – raise your hand high if you are in this club – because I want you to know – you are not alone.  See!  Look at me!  My hand is raised super high! We can do this together.  I know if I have friends along the journey with me anytime in life – it’s just a lot easier.  So – if YOU need a shoulder to cry on or to throw a few cookbooks – let me know.  I’m here.  I will even bake you a strawberry-free, egg-free, peanut-free blueberry and peach cobbler.

*ahem – that’s not me -

AND she most likely has no food allergies -

it was just a darling picture.