Forget Peanut Allergy: Things I'm Loving This Week #1

I'm sure it's premature to say, but I think Fall may be arriving soon here in Northern California  - I tried to wear summer clothes yesterday and was chiiiiiillly!  But, now that I've typed that, we'll no doubt have a hot spell in early October (just like we always do).

Here's something new.  Non peanut allergy related.

Things I'm loving this week:

The BEST Artichoke Soup

Source: Saveur Magazine

Glass Beaches 

Source: Anthology Magazine (via Flickr)

Big Sur

Source: Hiking in Big Sur

Stitches West 2013
Yes, I'm a knitting nerd. Signed up for this today with my best friend and I couldn't be more excited.  

Source: Knitting Universe

Oahu
Another trip planned - cannot wait!

Source: Haleiwa Town

Tom Bihn Bags
I want, no, I NEED this bag.  Anyone got any spare change hanging around for this beauty? The organizational FREAK inside of me lusts after this:

Source: TomBihn.com

Makeshift Society
How cool is this?  I want to join!

Source: Anthology Magazine

Curried Chicken and Coconut Rice
Um, yummmmmm!?

Source: Shutterbean.com

And, last but NOT least, my boyfriend - ain't he cute?  

Danny reading a putt for Angela Stanford in
Alabama yesterday.  They tied for 3rd. (Source: Getty Images) 

How about you?  What are you loving this week?

G

Packing Tip, just because.

p.s. i want these bags - so cute!

This isn't a lifestyle blog, or a clutter blog, and lord almighty, definitely not a travel blog, but I wanted to share what we do in our house when we travel.

If we're going away for the weekend - and we're flying - we typically carry on, but for trips of more than 3 days it's almost inevitable that we have to check a bag or two.  I'm a woman with needs and I HATE juggling what I'm going to wear.  Maggie Mason is good at packing light; I am not.

But this has it's pitfalls.

Checking bags sucks.  I'm not a fan for two reasons: 1. the price - United is up to $25 a bag! 2. if you lose your bag you're hosed!

There are remedies for these of course.

The first being check your bag online where you'll save a buck or two.

The second is this: we usually check two bags on a trip.  In my carry on, I ALWAYS carry a change of clothes for me and B (my husband usually carries on so he's covered) and toiletries/meds.  For me it's usually a dress of some kind that packs easily.  For B it's usually leggings and tee (and crocs).  I keep all our stuff in a Timbuk2 bag like this (which they of course don't make anymore because it's functional).

And then in the two bags we check, I SPLIT our clothes between the two so there's outfits for both of us in each bag, just in case one doesn't arrive. It boggles the mind that one bag will arrive and the other doesn't, but that's airlines for you. 

This approach has already paid off once for us. My husband thought I was nuts while I was packing, but once it happened, and only one bag came down the ramp, he was a convert. 

And if both bags don't arrive? Well, at least I have an outfit for both of us in my carry on.  And frankly I don't really go places that don't have at least a Target store so I know I can go there in an emergency until our bags are found and delivered.

Again, I'm no travel expert but this is my tip.

Are you still awake?

Thank you.

Peanut Allergy Friendly Snacks While Flying: US Airways

When we went to San Diego last month we stopped by to visit my brother and sister-in-law. I LOVE them and wished they lived closer (but that's another post on another blog, huh?)!

While we were there visiting, my little niece freaked out a little. Eyes wide, she asked her mom something I couldn't hear, sounding a little scared....

Why the nerves, you might wonder?

She had eaten some trail mix and got worried because of B's allergy to peanuts.

"Don't worry," her mom said to her, "this doesn't have peanuts or nuts in it. B will be just fine".

Of course I had to take a look. It sure looked like it had nuts in it.

But she was right. It was Sunbutter trail mix! I'd never seen it in the flesh - this was exciting! But why did they have it??

Apparently my brother flew US Airways and in one of their snack boxes (their chicken salad one on this page) for sale they include Sunbutter Snackwave Golden Deluxe Trail Mix. I mean, their peanut policy sucks big time, but isn't this possibly a step in the right direction for US Airways??

Well, needless to say I told Bella it was safe for her and she dug in - and she loved it!

A little background: B has been given some of the 'leading' peanut free brand's trail mix and gave it the supreme two thumbs down. So did I - talk about dirt sandwich - blech. I was expecting the same from this. But again - she loved it! I think the fact that her cousin was snarfing it down helped a bit.

And then I ate some. Tasty! I've ordered a dozen from Peanut Free Planet for something like $6. Totally worth it. These will be great for road trips, lunches, snacks, and field trips. (If you are interested, I also bought some quaker oat granola bars from Canada that are peanut free and some enjoy life chocolate chips - yummy!).

My brother flies alot on US Airways and had another bag that he kindly gave to B. Is he a great Uncle or what?

I can't vouch that the rest of the snack boxes on US Airways are good, or peanut free for that matter, heck the snack box in question's other elements may have nuts, but if you are traveling with a non airborne reactive PA person, this might just be a snack option you can actually eat in flight.

Good job US Airways - it's a great start!

San Diego Zoo: Dining with a Peanut Allergy

Last week we took a family vacation to San Diego. We hit the San Diego Zoo, Legoland and Seaworld.

I wanted to let you know about a restaurant we went to while we were at the zoo.

We brought our own safe snacks into the park (not sure if we were allowed, but I did it anyway), but when it came time to eat lunch, I crossed my fingers and hoped we would find a place without peanut butter and jelly. It's the norm for the kids options to include PBJ as an option, but we were hoping to stumble upon something peanut free and a nice respite from the crowds.

And boy did we! We ended up eating at Albert's. Here's a description:

Albert’s: Located in the Treehouse complex next to the gorilla exhibit, Albert’s offers full-service dining where you can enjoy open-air deck seating overlooking a private waterfall. The menu features a variety of unique dishes: appetizers, gourmet salads, healthful pastas, fresh fish, delicious beef entrees, and a children’s menu. Our full-service bar offers an extensive selection of craft beers, fine wines, and exotic cocktails. Albert’s is open for lunch and summer evening dining. Listed in USA Today’s 2004 “Places to dine amid outdoor beauty.”

Tablecloths, great menu, and no PBJ's. Waiters. Cocktails. And no giant cups of sodas with plastic lions on top. Great for grownups, and good for kids too. Here's a link to their menu (it's a PDF). The kid's menu is not online, but when we were there last week the kids menu was peanut free.

Frankly, it was nice to be in a place without a food line and a register at the end.

If you have questions about the fare at Legoland or Seaworld, email me at peanutfreemama@gmail.com and I'll give you an idea of what to expect in the parks. It's basically the same stuff you get at every other amusement park in the USA.

If you've eaten anywhere else at the Zoo that was safe, let me know in the comments.

If It's Monday...

...then we're heading out to Phoenix for the Thanksgiving holiday today.

And since we have a peanut allergy in the family, we're:

- Flying an airline we trust (United in this case)
- Getting on board a few minutes early to wipe down the seat and surrounding areas
- Bringing our own snacks
- Packing multiple Epi-pens and Benadryl in our carryons
- Bracing for a stay at a home that eats peanuts
- Hoping that our 4 year old will behave on the 2 hour flight

We'll be fine, I know, but I'm always anxious when traveling with B. I'm her mom - I can't help but want to keep her safe.

How Do You Say???

I've blogged about this before, but for those of you have never seen it, here are a few good sites that offer chef cards and translation cards that you can present to servers and chefs in restaurants.

Some are free, some aren't. I think the translation cards are definitely worth paying for, especially if you are heading somewhere like China or Japan and don't speak the language (or know the characters of the language).

• Food Allergy Restaurant Cards from AChoo!
• Food and Travel Translation Cards from Select Wisely
• The FAAN Chef Card Template (Free)
• FanKid Chef Card Template (Variation of the FAAN Card above; also Free)
• UK Food Standards Agency Card (Free)
• Allergy Translation
  
• Menu Data (Free, but you have to register)
• Allergy Dictionaries (free - this is a nice list of allergy related words for almost every language you can imagine)
  

Airline Policies for Peanut Allergy Sufferers

With the holidays coming up, you might be in the market for some airplane tickets.

I thought I'd take the time to pull together links to the allergen (aka 'peanut') policies for some of the major airlines (you may have to scroll down the page in the link to get to the peanut policy):

United

JetBlue

Southwest

American

Virgin

British Airways

Delta

Continental
(their policy sucks the most of all airlines I think)

Alaska
(their policy comes in second in suckage factor)

Northwest

US Airways
(theirs comes in third I think)

Air France: Couldn't find a policy online

Lufthansa: Couldn't find a policy online

Japan Airlines

EasyJet
You really have to scroll down the page to learn that they sell peanuts on their flights. But if you give them advance notice, they say they will try to prevent the sale on your flight.

KLM

And just for good measure, I found a small tidbit on Amtrak (scroll down to the bottom or do a page find for 'allergies'). Basically, if your child has a life threatening food allergy, they can't travel alone on Amtrak (I can't imagine EVER sending B on a trip by herself with PA, but that's another post).
------------

Most have the "we can't control what other people bring on the flight" disclaimer, but isn't it great to see so many that say that they don't serve peanuts or products containing peanuts? I love it!! You should have a pretty good choice of safe(r) airlines if you have a peanut allergy and are choosing air travel this holiday season or otherwise.

Did I miss anyone? Leave me a comment and I'll add it to the list!

Gab

Brian Hom: His Words

As I mentioned this week, Brian Hom spoke at a recent fundraiser my family attended.

I managed to obtain his email address to thank him for speaking. I also asked if I could post a transcript of his talk. He was kind enough to oblige. It's long, but I hope you read the entire thing:

Dear Family, Friends and FAAN supporters,


First of all I want Thank everyone for coming out to support this fundraising event Strike Out Food Allergies. I was invited to share the story of my 18 year old son BJ Hom who passed away this summer on July 1, 2008 from an allergic reaction from peanuts while vacationing in Mexico.

BJ was a loving son and brother and a good loyal friend to all who knew him. As our 1st born son he was very quiet, kind, and never asked for much and was very content with a simple life. For those who knew BJ, he was known for his shy smile. If you tried to make him laugh, he would look at you indirectly and crack you a small smile.

Unfortunately, on our first day of vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico where we had planned to celebrate BJ’s 18th birthday and his graduation from High School, we had dinner at the resort restaurant at Royal Club Solaris and he died from Anaphylactic Shock which is a severe food allergy from peanuts. We had landed at 7pm and checked into the Resort at 8pm and just put our suitcase in our room without unpacking at 8:30pm and because it was getting late and the restaurants would be closing soon, we ate dinner at Pancho’s around 8:45pm and finished dinner by 9:20pm. We walked around the resort to look at the pool and beach.

Suddenly BJ told me in his last words to me, “Dad my throat hurts, can you buy me some cough drops”, so I bought him some at the gift shop. Afterward, he went walking with his Mom and told her “Mom, I do not feel well, can we go to the room”. All of a sudden on his way to the elevator, his lips turned blue, his face pale, and he was grabbing his chest as he could no longer breathe so he collapsed in the lobby. By the time I caught up with Kathy and BJ, he was unconscious and the hotel staff was trying to give first aid assistance. The paramedics came within 10 minutes of the call by the front desk. All attempts were made to revive him with oxygen and CPR. The paramedics gave us some hope that BJ was breathing and it appeared he was going to be ok. But finally the doctor came and I asked him if he was ok and he turned to me and said sorry and closed BJ’s eyes and covered his head with the blanket. This was the worst and heartbreaking day in our lives for Kathy and I. It was like some reached into our chest and ripped out our hearts. To this day I still can’t believe it really happened.

We were always careful of what BJ ate. He would normally get hives and swelling and Benadryl would cure him. This time he died within minutes after eating a dessert at the Resort restaurant.

Loss of a Child is a parent’s worst nightmare. Sudden death even adds to the pain, as you have no time to prepare yourself for the death. You never plan to bury your own children. It is such an un-natural event. It is always thought that children will bury their parents. Only another parent who has lost a child can really sympathize with the pain and sorrow and long drawn out grieving process. I could not wish this onto my worst enemy. In this case, the lost of my son to peanut allergy and witnessing his death in front of our eyes was horrific. We were totally helpless. I still remember like yesterday being by his side in the delivery room with my wife when he was born and I will always remember being by his side with my wife when he died. The total stress, pain, and sorrow of setting up the funeral services and burial within days of his death were unbearable. We miss BJ dearly but we know he is at a better place and that someday we will be together again. BJ was the wind beneath our wings. I have told my wife and 2 other kids if you find a penny on the ground this is a sign from BJ that he is ok. So my word of advice to parents is to cherish the time you have with you kids, and don’t take for granted that they will always be with you. Remember we are all on loan to be on earth and God can take you at any time when it is your time to go to heaven. One thing I do not regret is I always put my family first and so I was always there for my son BJ and he knew it.

What I want to do here is warn parents, children, family and friends of the dangers of Food allergies. Food allergies are serious. 100 – 200 people die annually from peanut allergies and there are over 15,000 emergency room visits each year in the US alone. 1% of the US Population has peanut allergies which is 1 in 100 or approximately 3 million people. Outside the US the statistics could be higher as they have less food allergies controls and do not correctly report cause of death. For instance in Mexico, they reported BJ’s cause of death as heart attack even though it was confirmed by autopsy as Anaphylactic shock. Food Allergies are as fatal as a gun. You can die in minutes. You cannot assume that you will just get hives or swelling. Have an EPI pen ready at any time. It will give you an extra 10 to 15 minutes to get you to the emergency room.

If you eat foods that cause your throat to itch, or cause hives on your body or you have difficulties breathing, I encourage you to get tested by an allergist and to be prescribed an EPI pen. An EPI pen will combat the food allergy to allow you 10 – 15 minutes to survive while Emergency service arrives and takes you to the hospital. (Demonstrate EPI pen trainer). Food Allergies start as soon as you are a baby. My friend found out that when she ate peanut butter and breast fed her baby that the baby would spit up and be very fussy. Teenager are most at risk as they feel they can go without carrying an EPI pen but have a tendency to eat more away from home and to be more experimental. Really everyone with food allergies are at risk, if you read Emily’s story at foodallergyangel.com, 2 years ago she ate her favorite sandwich at Subway, but died at age 13 from cross contamination from peanut butter cookies baked at the sandwich shop. So cross-contamination can occur at any restaurant and even cooking at home.

We all have to be vigilant at stopping food allergies. There are no antidotes or medicine to prevent poisoning from Food allergies. The only cure is avoidance. You are not safe because you currently have no food allergies as they can come at a later age. My son Brandon has been eating peanut butter and sesame seeds all his life but was just recently tested after the death of his brother and now he shows severe reactions to peanuts from the result of a blood test. If you look closely at the poster board in Memory of those who had fatal reactions to food allergy you will see a woman who at age 66 recently died from a peanut allergy. You would think by that age you would have the safety measures in place to prevent death for peanut allergies. There have been many adult food allergy cases also which are related to the accumulated toxins getting into body over time from genetically modified foods. Food allergies are on the rise with a 700% increase in the last 10 years. There are many theories that it is related to: 1) increased vaccination given to our babies at a young age which started in 1990 with excessive mercury, 2) Food additives, 3) Genetically modified foods, and 4) water and air pollution.

Halloween is less than a week away, I encourage you not pass out any candies that contain peanuts or have been processed on machines that have had peanuts. If you or your children want peanut candies please buy them for yourself as many the young kids in your neighborhood have not been tested and can be poisoned by the peanuts.

My son died from food allergies but I am on a crusade to help protect other families and friends from suffering this great loss like my family is experiencing. Loss of a child is a parent’s worst nightmare.

So parents, children, family and friends please be very careful about the foods you eat. Check all labeling on food packages. Get tested if you can because even though you may not have food allergies now you may get them later. BJ’s brothers Brandon and Steven both have the same peanut and sesame seed allergy. Steven luckily broke out in hives in Mexico the day that BJ died and was administered and EPI pen and Benadryl. Brandon we did not know he had peanut allergies until his brother BJ died and we got him testedu as he had been eating peanuts for 15 years with no reactions. Kathy and I both have no food allergies so even if parents do not have food allergies your kids can still get it. I encourage schools to have plans to accommodate peanut free areas. Halloween is just 1.5 weeks away. I encourage you not to pass out peanut candies as many of the children Trick or Treating and do not know that they have peanut allergies. Be extra careful when traveling internationally about the foods you eat as the packaging and labeling requirements are less strict than in the US and the emergency response can be much slower as every second counts to save your loved ones life. Also the laws are different in international countries for wrongful death, so there is less fear by businesses to protect the consumer. Also the horror stories of trying to export a loved ones remains from another country in a timely manner is a nightmare. We experienced this first hand dealing with the Police Report, Autopsy, the Foreign Mortuary for embalming, Foreign Laws and requirements for air shipping remains, and Foreign Death Certificates.

Final words of wisdom – “If only I knew” for those with food allergies

1. Get tested for food allergies at the first sign of any reaction
2. Never leave home without your EPI pen
3. Get medical alert bracelets as every minute counts from an emergency response team
4. Anaphylaxis shock can look like Asthma – use EPI pen immediately – side effects mild versus death
5. If you have food allergies, do not eat at Buffets
6. Minimize international travel as laws do not protect the consumer and emergency response is not as efficient as the US with 911
7. Minimize eating out as Cross-contamination can occur anywhere
8. Read all labeling packaging allergic ingredients and heed the warning when it says it has been processed on equipment containing peanuts, tree nuts, etc.


Thanks for listening and may God protect your Family and Friends from the deadly food allergies. At this time I would like to request a moment of silence in Loving Memory of my Son Brian James Hom II.


Thank you!


If anyone has any specific questions or concerns, please feel free to talk to me or my wife.

As I mentioned, we're supposed to be traveling to a resort in Mexico next year. I asked Brian for any advice he had for traveling to Mexico with a peanut allergy. Here's what he said (in addition to those he listed in his talk):

• try to determine where the nearest hospital is in relation to your resort so you can determine response times
  
• have emergency cards printed for paramedics (not just chef cards) so you can communicate the possible emergency or medical conditions
  
• determine if there is on site medical care at your resort (and their hours)
• bring benadryl (they didn't have any at his hotel gift shop)

Again, I know you'll join me in offering condolences to Brian's family. With vigilance and the continuing support we give to FAAN and researchers, hopefully we can avoid tragedies like this in the future.

Bowling (for Brian)..

Yesterday our local FAAN chapter held a "Strike Out Food Allergies!" bowling fundraising event. Mark, B and I (along with Mark's brother, his wife, and their kids) attended and had a ball (no pun intended)! You always forget how much of a workout it is to throw around a 10 pound ball and use muscles you didn't know you had. But we had a great time and helped raise money for a great cause (and we even won a raffle prize - 2 lift tickets to Sugar Bowl - score!).

But the event wasn't without some seriousness as to why we were there. We were fortunate to have a very special guest speaker - Brian Hom's father, Brian Hom, Sr. was there to talk about his family's experience losing their son due to a peanut allergy just a few short months ago while on their first night of vacation in Cab San Lucas, Mexico.

My post here doesn't do his speech justice. Brian's composure while talking of the details of his son's death in front of his eyes was amazing. If you looked around the room, you saw other mothers (me included) crying as he recounted his son's last words to him, the nature of his son's allergies before the trip (just some hives that would clear up with benadryl), the details of how he died in the hotel lobby, the agony of planning his son's funeral just weeks after he graduated (and in close proximity to his 18th birthday), and how the true cause of death (anaphylaxis) wasn't listed on the death certificate (heart attack was even though the autopsy showed anaphylaxis).

This could have been any of us there.

The talk really brought home how serious food allergies are and that you should never make assumptions about them (specifically that your next reaction will be the same as the last). That you need to get tested properly by an allergist and take the proper precautions to keep your child safe (which isn't to say that either applied to him - apparently they did have epi pens there and Brian's brother, also peanut allergic, received a shot due to his reaction as well and his life was saved). Brian really wants to make sure families work as hard as possible to minimize the possibility of this happening to them.

Brian repeated a very well known statement: noone should ever bury their child. He's of course, right. You usually hear this from parents burying casualties of war. But I suppose we are fighting a battle of sorts, aren't we?

I hate to be morbid, but I think parents of allergic children hold this thought and fear of death in their back pockets at all times. It's always there for me, hovering, and it's a real possibility (which sucks). Personally I have thoughts of B's death more often than I'd care to admit and hate to think that there IS a possibility of her passing before I do. I have these flashes of the worst happening to B because I didn't plan well enough or wasn't there when she needed me - it's horrible and I know many of you can relate. It's absolutely terrifying to imagine, and obviously even worse to experience firsthand.

Personally I can't thank Brian enough for speaking to our group. I wish I could have done it in person, but I was so emotional after hearing his talk that I feared that I would break down. I'm hoping to find his email address so I can write to him though, to encourage him to keep telling his story.

So Mark and I are supposed to be going to Mexico next year with his folks for their anniversary. At a resort much like the one Brian's family went to. After hearing Brian's story, I'm not so sure this is a risk we're willing to take with B (that is unless we have a negative skin and rast at B's next allergist visit). Not to say that we will never travel internationally EVER, I just feel like we should hold off for a while (Mark felt otherwise until he heard Brian speak).

Am I overreacting? How many of you travel internationally? If so, what precautions do you take to avoid reactions?

Back from Disney!

Well, we're back from Disney - and in one piece!

Bella had a fantastic time with her cousins. It was strange though - she was scared of a lot of the rides this year. Some of the same rides she rode happily last year. Oh well, kids are a strange and fickle bunch I guess.

The greatest part of our trip was the ease in which we ate in the park. No reactions, not even a scare. I never did manage to speak with the Head Chef at Disney (Chris). To his credit, he left me 3 messages and we ended up playing a mean game of phone tag.

This was our third time at Disneyland, and I must say that each time is easier than the last. I only saw two instances of Peanut Butter sandwiches, and both were the Smuckers Uncrustables. It could be my imagination, but it seemed like the menus at Disney were more peanut-free friendly than the last. We really didn't stress out this time about Bella's allergy because the peanut/tree nut options just weren't there to worry about.

But I did keep an eye out for other allergies - avoiding foods beyond nuts is definitely a challenge there. Shellfish wasn't a big issue that I could see.

That being said, if your child has a wheat/soy/dairy allergy, definitely get in touch with the head chef at Disney about your options. Email me if you'd like Chris's phone number. I don't have the one for Disneyworld, but I am sure one of my readers does. If you do, can you email me?

So back to the wheat issue - there are lots of prepared foods there, and I'm sure many of them are wheat free (for example, they have these HUGE turkey legs you can eat - like a big drumstick - so good!), but many were in a booth with items that do contain wheat. The drumsticks were in a booth with burritos, for example, and I don't recall anyone wearing gloves. So you have to be really diligent about cross contamination. When I asked them the ingredients of the turkey leg, they couldn't tell me. I would imagine that the seasonings included soy but I couldn't be sure if there was something in the marinade that was wheat related or not. And I don't think I've seen as many churro stands in my life. So good, but definitely not safe for a wheat allergy.

But don't get me wrong, there were some fun snacks for kids with peanut and wheat allergies. Like the frozen MinuteMaid lemonade treats which I recall being wheat, dairy and peanut/tree nut safe. Lots of the snacks were prepackaged (like ice cream bars and popcorn) and showed the ingredients and warnings (even the bags of cotton candy had a label with ingredients). And the staff there was great about letting me look at the labels of everything. It was nice to be able to let Bella have something from a stand - that's part of the amusement park experience right? And every single booth sold bottled water. There are fruit stands throughout the park as well. I never did see any Divvies though (I was on the lookout - I really want to try one!).

Bottom line: Be vocal about your allergies. The staff is really helpful when it comes to packaged foods. But if you have multiple food allergies, you may want to avoid the stands due to cross contamination (unless you talk with Chris and get a rock solid list of safe places). You can definitely bring food into the park though - a small cooler would be a good idea for those with a limited diet.

We ate at the cafe near Tomorrowland (where I had a really good chicken salad BTW) and there was a really cool interactive Jedi show. They pulled kids out of the audience and trained them to be a Jedi. Darth Vader was there and Stormtroopers too! If you have little boys and want them to have a really cool and fun experience, definitely check that out. There aren't many things devoted to boys only (like the princess luncheons) so this is a good one (and girls can join in too)!

Lastly, I wanted to share a little oasis we found in Disney's California Adventure park. There is a little section of the park called Pacific Wharf. They have a tortilla factory (you can tour it and get a sample), a taco stand (yum!) a Boudin for fresh sourdough bread, and best of all a stand that sells beer and margaritas. So cool! And out of the way. I hope you don't think I'm a total boozer, but there is nothing better on a hot day than a nice frozen margarita. And they are very weak at Disney, believe me, so we weren't stumbling around afterwards. But if you find yourself at the park, wanting a break from the carnival food, or don't want to eat McDonald's (yes they have one there), head down to the Pacific wharf section (it's a left turn before the bridge to Ariel's Grotto) and have a semi-authentic taco or some sourdough. They even had an all female mariachi band (which is highly unusual!).

All in all it was a great trip and we didn't cart back too much useless junk. I know I've forgotten some of the other things I wanted to tell you, but I'll post them as I remember. If you have any specific questions about the park, feel free to email me.

I'll be back to the usual postings this week.

American Girl Store Here We Come!

Bella's cousin is turning 6 on Saturday, so we're heading down to LA to celebrate with her.

The venue?

The American Girl Store at the The Grove in LA.* If you've never been to one of these stores, they are HUGE and have shopping, a cafe (more on that later), a salon so your doll can get their hair done, and the Chicago one even has a theater if I'm not mistaken.

Now you may be asking - isn't little Bella a bit young for those dolls? And I would say "heck yes!", but it's a special occasion so we're making an exception. The memory will be so great for her, so we're just going with it.

My biggest concern, as I'm sure you can imagine, is the cafe. I wasn't sure what to think, so I went to their website and found their menu. Looked good - no nuts (at least none that were evident). So I called them. And I spoke to the nicest woman named Irina (I'm sure I butchered that spelling). She told me that they removed all nuts from their menu due to the rise in allergies (yay!). She then said that she would confirm with the manager and chef just in case there was anything that might have the risk of cross contamination (her words, not mine, could you just die????) and she took my number.

I honestly didn't think I would hear back from her, but lo and behold, on my machine when I got home was a nice message from her telling me that yes, everything on the menu was peanut free and made in a peanut free kitchen EXCEPT for one thing. They put Oreo crumbles on their desserts - those could have possibly be made in a facility that processes peanuts. So they could just not put those on the dessert at our request. Or we could have sorbet instead and skip the chocolate dessert altogether. Luckily, my niece doesn't like Oreos so we can just get the desserts without, and both will be happy to have the same thing.

My jaw just hit the floor due to the 1) incredible customer service I just witnessed and 2) that Bella could enjoy a 'normal' birthday experience without limitations.

I can't tell you how pleased I am that I wont have to give Bella the "there are things on the menu that you can't have speech".

I'll let you all know how it goes, but by the looks of it, we've come across a company that really gets it.

Yay American Girl!

*So the Grove is the mall that you usually see photos of stars shopping at in magazines like People and US Weekly. Maybe I'll be starstruck there!

Peanut and Tree Nut Survey

Just came across this on the PeanutAllergy.com site and wanted to highlight it here:

Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy Surveys

FAAN and researchers from the University of Michigan Food Allergy Center are conducting three surveys regarding allergic reactions to peanut and/or tree nuts.

We are seeking individuals with allergies to peanuts and/or tree nuts, or parents or guardians of children who are allergic to peanuts and/or tree nuts, to provide information about past reactions. Of primary interest are reactions that have occurred on commercial aircraft, in a school or childcare facility, or as a result of food provided by a restaurant or other food establishment. Those individuals who have had reactions occurring in more than one of these settings are eligible to participate in as many of the surveys as are applicable.

Luckily, we haven't had a reaction in any of these situations (actually at all) since Bella's diagnosis, so I don't have anything to add to the surveys. But if you or your child have, take a minute and help these researchers out.

Every little bit of data helps!

We're Back - Pt. 2

Here's part two of our Maui Guide. Sorry for the delay in getting this up here. Enjoy!

So, last time we spoke, I took you through how we got to Maui and where we stayed. Now for the good part - what we ate and how we played!

Eating
First and foremost, make reservations! Restaurants were really busy each night and it was vital that we asked our concierge for help - she scored us reservations at all sorts of places.
Also think about the timing of your dinner reservations. We managed to get sunset dinner times for a few of these places and it was great. Bella loved watching the sun go down (and so did we - so romantic!).

Second, we mentioned the peanut allergy wherever we went, no matter how big or how small. We were amazed by the warm reception we got and the accommodations that were made for Bella (without affecting other diners - like at the teppan yaki place we went to against my better judgment). We got many comments in the range of "of course we don't use peanut oil anymore - too many people are allergic" and "let me know what you are interested in ordering and we'll make sure that it's safe for you or advise you against it if it isn't".

Ahem, and on to the food.

We avoided the obvious places (ice cream parlors, Vietnamese, and Thai), but here is a sampling of where we went along with a mini review. All are in walking distance from the Sheraton except for Sansei Sushi and Aloha Mixed Plate.

In the hotel:

Keka'a Terrace
This is a mundane, boring place to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kids under 12 eat free with a paying adult. Standard kid's menu with no PBJ. Breakfast buffet fairly safe. The only items with nuts were on a separate counter (baked goods). All the cereal in the buffet were in the mini boxes too. Pricey though.

Teppan Yaki Dan
So many of you are going to think I am a complete moron, but here goes. This place is one of those Benihana-type cook at your table places. Cross contamination abounds!!! BUT (and there is a big BUT here) everything was fine. I spoke to the host, then the manager, then the chef himself about Bella's allergy. No peanuts on the menu, but their dipping sauces had macadamia nuts. Some of the dishes have a sauce with tree nuts, and some of them have a nutty garnish. We let them know that she could indeed have sesame oil (to which I know they sighed with relief). Since we were seated at a table with 5 other people, you couldn't tell them what to order, but they made it work.

Everyone ordered. Some folks ordered the scallops with a macadamia nut pesto. I guess they usually stick that on the grill, but at our table, they didn't! Everything was cooked without the sauces. Bella had chicken teriyaki so they did hers first, then the subsequent dishes. But beyond that, the folks who got the scallops - not only did they not put the nut garnish on the grill, the chef walked around the table and sprinked the garnish on their dishes to avoid any possible contact near Bella.

All in all, it was a great meal and I would highly recommend it.

Lagoon Bar (poolside)
This is the bar next to the pool that has cocktails as well as a light lunch/dinner menu (think burgers, sandwiches, and nachos). Pricey (do you see a trend here?) but consistent - consistently mediocre, but easier than getting out of the pool, back to the room, dressed, and out the door. You understand me, I know you do.

They serve a snack mix with your cocktail. It's kind of like a really spicy pretzel mix without nuts. I didn't check any labels, but I assumed it was safe for Bella. But she wouldn't eat it since it was so spicy. Crisis averted!

But this place DOES have PBJ on the menu, which was annoying, but that's life. We ended up going with a hot dog each day for Bella. Be advised, though, that all the cooking is done in a makeshift grilling area near the pool. There isn't much in the way of separate cooking areas. I did, however, let the server know about Bella's allergy, so I hope this contributed to the fact that she was reaction free!

Room Service
We only had one instance to eat room service and thankfully we didn't have to pay for it. See my previous post for a description.

Hula Grill (in Whaler's Village)
This place offered by far the best food and best eating experience during our trip. We didn't have reservations, but only had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. They have a couple of areas to eat here: a beach bar (basically an outdoor patio that is over sand - no thanks, don't want a 3 year old under the table the whole time, a bar, and an indoor seating area). This is a nice restaurant inside and a very casual one outside. We opted for a table inside and we weren't disappointed.

We had a very laid back waiter who I swear was Jan Michael Vincent's son, so I was a little nervous about explaining the whole peanut allergy thing, but I needn't have worried. Here's what I said (and actually what I usually say when I eat out with Bella): "So my daughter has a peanut allergy. If you can advise us about any peanuts or nuts in the dishes on your menu I would appreciate it." And he says, "No problem. We are very used to dealing with food allergies here. First I'll double check with the chef on what you are ordering to make sure it's nut free, then when I submit your order, I let them know it should be a nut free table, then when the orders come out, our managers check the order before the food comes to the table". Except he said it in a voice that sounded like Jeff Spiccoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His name was Cameron, I believe. What a great server (and all around dude). Then he brought me a glass of chardonnay, my husband a glass of merlot, and Bella a big old virgin strawberry daquiri (her drink of choice on maui).

Great kids menu too. Normal food, not just chicken fingers and grilled cheese. Bella had the grilled fish with a beurre blanc sauce and loved it! Kids have palates too and the folks at Hula Grill know it. Bravo! We'll definitely be back again when we head to Maui again.

Leilani's on the Beach (in Whaler's Village)
This is one of those restaurants that has been around forever and is mediocre. It was smooth sailing with Bella's peanut allergy, but the food wasn't good at all. We really just went for the sunset (which was fantastic!). Save your money and go to Hula Grill and sit inside. The food is much better. And it's owned by the same restaurant group (amazingly), so your money is going to the same place.

Nikki's Pizza (Food Court in Whaler's Village)
Great, simple pizza by the slice and salads with no hidden landmines. Good for lunch or dinner.

Maui Tacos
Sometimes you just want a taco. This is the place to go on Maui. No peanuts to speak of anywhere. Messy and delicious. Yum.

Aloha Mixed Plate
This is the place we go right after we land every time we go to Maui. It sits right next to the Old Lahaina Luau (and is part of them in fact). Except instead of having to sit through hulas and fire dancing (not that there's anything wrong with that), you can sit and have your kalua pork, lomi lomi salmon, and poi in a casual environment overlooking the water with the locals. We ate here three times during this trip - we just love it. Totally relaxed, totally casual, and safe for Bella. Heads up though, they DO have a Thai noodle dish on the menu with a peanut sauce, but they were really allergy aware so I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Sansei Sushi (located in the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua compound)
So I hate to say it, but this was the one place that I believe Bella had a reaction. Can I be 100% sure? No. But my gut tells me that cross contamination was the culprit. After eating there, she had some GI issues (down south if you get my drift). This is a 3 year old who eats sushi at home, so it's the only explanation I have. Mark, Bella, and I all ate the same things exactly. Puzzling. We were assured that there was no peanut oil or peanuts in any of the food we ordered. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but GI issues were one thing (along with the hives) that initially tipped us off to her PA in the first place. She never (honestly never) has GI issues. Ah well, if it was a reaction things could have been MUCH worse.

But this was another one of those places where the hype didn't match up with the final product. The sushi was so-so, the ramen was just OK, the tofu alright. Not sure if we're just spoiled by being in the Bay Area with all the sushi places, but I don't know if I would go again. Actually, scratch that, I would go again, but I would sit at the bar and see what the sushi chefs recommend. Maybe we just got a dud waitress? Suffice it to say, we were underwhelmed. Maybe it was a bad sign when the waitress told us that she really didn't like sushi?!? Yikes.

So this post is getting long, so I'll be brief with the next two sections: Playing and Sightseeing.

Playing
Here's a brief list of what we did on Maui:

• swimming - every day at least twice a day. bring two bathing suits.
  
• beaches - but watch out for those currents - someone actually died on the beach outside our hotel while we there!
• snorkeling - so much to see for the mere cost of a snorkel rental. be safe though and swim with a friend and don't go too far out.
  
• inner tubes - get one to just chill in the pool at the hotel
  
• ABC stores - ABC is the store of Hawaii. i put this under playing because at these stores you can have loads of fun buying tacky souveniers for all your friends back home. they are like starbucks - one on every corner.
  

Sightseeing
Of course this isn't ALL we did, but here are some recommendations for Maui.

• Maui ocean center - a great, small aquarium to visit. a good diversion on a particularly hot day.
  
• reef dancer - we didn't get to go on this, but it is a glass bottom boat. the plus is that there is no height requirement unlike the submarine rides.
  
• hula shows - there are a ton of free hula shows in shopping centers and at hotels.
  
• luau - again, these abound everywhere. they had one at the sheraton (which we watched from our balcony), but your concierge can set you up with one of many in the area.
  
• Kaanapali beach hotel - this is worth going to at around 6pm. There is a nightly music show that is right out of the movie Swingers. Except it's Hawaiian music. The entertainment value is off the charts. Plus the drinks are cheap.
  

Final Words

• Maui seemed very peanut aware. There wasn't a single restaurant where they were shocked to hear about a peanut allergy and/or didn't already have peanut precautions in place. What a relief. That being said, going to Maui with tree nut allergies will be challenging for you. Everything is macadamia nut this and macadamia nut crusted that. While Bella didn't knowingly ingest anything with macadamia nuts, the likelihood that there was cross contamination was VERY high. I don't doubt that she was exposed to them inadvertently.
  
• Maui is expensive. Save your pennies before you go. $8 hot dogs and $10 cocktails abound. I warned you.
• Sunscreen and rash guards are a must! Kids don't care what time it is and whether or not it is a 'good time' to go out in the sun. Slather the sunscreen on! Better yet, slather it on AND get your kid (and heck, you) a rash guard with the highest SPF you can. You can get them online or you can buy one there. Trust me, they work and you wont ruin your vacation with 3rd degree sunburn (which actually happened to Mark one time - but that's another story).
• Bring less than you need - you can always buy things there.
  

I hope this little guide helped anyone out there traveling to Maui - with or without a peanut allergy. Just know that folks there are really all about you having a good time, so give it a shot.

It's Coming, I Swear.

I should have Part 2 of my guide to peanut free Maui travel up some time today. Sorry for the delay!

We're Back- Pt. 1!

We made it back from a whirlwind and fun trip to the gorgeous island of Maui! We had so much fun - Bella was just go-go-go and we ended up falling into bed each night exhausted. We can't wait to go back again.

And as promised, here is a mini-guide to traveling to Maui with a peanut allergic child. Some of these are just general tips for Maui too. It's long, but hopefully some information will be useful to you guys. Today I'll talk about getting there (and where to stay). Tomorrow I'll post on eating, playing, etc.

Airport Maneuvers
Definitely bring your own food for your child (and yourself), but be prepared to give it up at security. All airports are different. San Francisco (SFO) didn't blink an eye at us bringing juice and milk through security for Bella, yet you would have thought it was arsenic in Maui (OGG). Go figure - the laid back, hang-loose-bra folks at OGG were all uptight about a sippy cup. It was nice that there were still lots of choices beyond security. A good tip that I got from another traveler was to bring an empty water bottle (like a nalgene one) and fill it on the other side (for free). For snacks, I took on cheerios, goldfish, fruitabus, and a cool little strawberry yogurt/cheese/grahams lunchables snack that seemed like the lesser of evils of the lunchables empire. Bella loved it and it was easy to pack.

Mark and I collectively took two bottles of benadryl, 5 pre-dosed benadryl spoons, and 7 epipens in our carry on. Again, SFO didn't even ask us to take the medication out of our bags after I told them, but OGG went on red alert. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. Neither group questioned the amount of medication we were carrying (which in hindsight after writing it down, seems a bit excessive, no?).

Bella is a lightweight - barely 30 pounds - and slippery quick. We decided that she should sit in her car seat on the plane instead of being free in her seat. I thought I would show you the ingenious device I bought a few years ago. It's a backpack style car seat carrier. I look like a total dork carrying it through the airport, but boy is it handy.

Flying
We flew both there and back on United and things couldn't have been better. The first flight Bella and I sat together in a side with only two seats. After wiping down the window and all surrounding areas, we settled in to our seats. I had already checked to make sure that peanuts weren't on our flight (they weren't), but I wanted to chat with the stewardess (is that what they are called?) about any other hidden landmines. I told her about Bella's allergy, that no she wasn't air sensitive, but could she let me know what kind of snack they were serving and if the lunch boxes contained anything nutty? She was really helpful. On the way to Maui we had a little biscuity type thing - it looked like shortbread. It didn't have a warning on it (even for the wheat and egg) but it didn't contain nuts in the ingredient list. I still didn't give it to Bella though. She was busy with her lunchables thingie.

On United now they sell snack boxes. If you are flying United, the MiniMeal was a nut free option that was pretty good. For only $5. Bella ate almost everything. And then I hoovered up the rest. Gotta be frugal, right :o) ?

On the way back, we had a red eye (we landed at 6:30 am the next day - ugh). It was an easy ride back. Bella slept the whole way (and was asleep before we even took off). The flight was delayed a bit, but overall, we'll continue to fly United - the fact that we didn't have to worry about Bella's safety (as much) by using this airline was great. The only bad thing about the flight back was the mind-numbing, horrific movie that sucked us in like a car wreck and left us feeling humiliated, violated, and ashamed for giving it our attention. But heck, at least it was free.

Staying
While we were in Maui we spent the first 6 days at the Sheraton Maui. This was our third visit to this hotel. If your budget allows for it (I'm still not sure ours did), I would highly recommend it. We ended up splurging on an Ohana (Family) Suite since we used miles for our plane tickets. The suite was awesome - it had a separate bedroom, a huge bathroom, and a little kitchen area which meant we could bring in our own milk, breakfast stuff, etc. The hotel gift shop had all sorts of food, but there is a Safeway in Lahaina (a little bit down the road) so we stocked up there.

This property was so peaceful, the grounds were beautiful, the rooms were, well, roomy, they had an excellent pool for toddlers and the staff was amazing. It's at the end of the beach in a pretty touristy area - being at the end meant that there isn't alot of walk through traffic. The snorkeling is fabulous too - right off the beach you can see all sorts of sea life - even turtles on a good day! They have daily activities by the pool (lei making, hula lessons, etc.) and the cocktails are killer (albeit cough -$10 - cough - each).

Each night at sunset, they have a torch lighting/cliff dive ceremony. Click the link to see what it's all about. It is just one more thing about the property that makes it special.

For the food, check out my post on eating tomorrow.

For an example of how wonderful the staff there was: We went to Sansei Sushi (again check tomorrow for a review) one night and something did not agree with Bella (think south not north if you catch my drift). Anyhoo, the next morning I set off to the gift shop with her to see if they had anything that would settle her stomach a bit so we could get back to our vacation! A woman from guest services happened to be in the store at the same time and asked if we were ok. I mentioned Bella's gastrointestinal distress and she became very concerned, offering to send the doctor on property over to our room. I told her it wasn't necessary, but thanks. She insisted that I tell her our room number (not in a freaky stalker way) so she could send something up from room service. So I said ok, told her the room number, and figured I was in for a big room service bill. About 30 minutes later there is a knock at the door. It's room service with a platter containing two bowls of the most delicious, steaming chicken noodle soup ever, a plate of plain crackers, and large carafe of OJ. On the house. Was that nice or what???? This wonderful, kind act alone was enough for us to come back here again and again.

We spent our last day at the Westin Maui. If you have really small kids I wouldn't recommend it. Why? It's super LOUD (there are tons of waterfalls), the rooms are teeeeeeenie tiny, and there isn't a kiddie pool. That being said, a child who loves to swim and is a bit bigger would LOVE this place. The pool is like a Las Vegas for kids (and adults) - it has a nice big curlie cue water slide, basketball hoops, volleyball nets, and it goes on forever. It's just as expensive as the Sheraton though, the hotel itself is old (even though it has updated amenities), and it's right at Whaler's Village. All of this adds up to you not feeling very relaxed. Was it awful? No. But I wont be staying there again. We realized as we left for the airport that we couldn't even hear the ocean while we were there. And isn't that what being in Maui is all about?

So that's it for getting there and staying there. Now that I look at it, there isn't much peanutty advice in there is there? Not to worry, tomorrow I am covering eating there, so come on back then for some restaurant reviews and tips.

Aloha!

Southwest Airlines - Shout out!

My husband flew to Santa Ana for business this week. He flew Southwest (aka the peanuttiest airline around - check out their header image - blech).

When they were boarding the stewardess notified the passengers that there was a peanut allergic person on the flight and that they wouldn't be serving peanuts on the flight (and if you wouldn't mind, please do not eat any peanuts you may have brought on board?). Mark was shocked (and appreciative). How cool was that?

I've only flown peanut free airlines with Bella (United, American), and wouldn't fly SWA because of the nuttiness factor (e.g. left on the floor, etc), but things like this may slowly make me come around. Upon further inspection, I found their policy online. Pretty good (I like the tip about flying early in the day). They included all the CYA stuff too about not being able to control what other people bring, blah blah blah, but it's nice to see them addressing it.

With something like 1 in 17 children having some sort of food allergy (just saw that figure somewhere recently - probably on the peanutallergy discussion board), it's smart for them to accomodate travelers (young and old) - it's just good business.

How Do You Say "no nuts!" in Spanish?

I was doing some research for my job (in scientific publishing) and I came across this site.

"Food-Info.net and EFFoST offer on this page free dictionaries for people with a food allergy or intolerance. We aim to make this list of over 200 allergy-related words available in all European national languages, as well as the main world languages. Dictionaries can be downloaded as pdf files from the following languages: English Albanian Arabic Bulgarian Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch Finnish French German Greek Indonesian Italian Japanese Lithuanian Macedonian Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Slovenian Slowak Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian."

This will definitely come in handy the next time we're in the Ukraine (or more realistically Mexico).