I’ve been so lucky as a cook that I never had food allergies, there have been sensitivities to some foods but no reactions to anything.
Until this past Saturday and it was a very scary incident.
My farmers market has a wide array of food vendors and I’ve picked up lunch from there for about 2 years now and never a problem.
One of the vendors has these amazing spring rolls and they stand out because they are made right in front of you.
I can eat them as a treat because they are gluten free.
I bought them and 3 egg rolls and went to my favorite yarn store to help out and to spin.
Thoroughly enjoyed eating my food dipped in spicy peanut sauce.
15 minutes after I started eating I noticed the rings on my right hand wouldn’t come off, odd because they are sliding easily on and off.
I also felt a bit warm but thought it had to do with eating rather fast.
Got up, washed my hands and helped my friend wind some yarn.
And that’s when it got really scary. As I was winding I felt terribly congested and a bit light headed.
My friend looked at me and commented that I looked a bit fuller in the face.
At that moment I could feel my face swell from the inside out.
I was having an allergic reaction to whatever I ate earlier.
Quick action in the form of giving me 2 antihistamines and getting hold of Himself was taken by my friends.
I went to Urgent Care, was whisked in fast.
Blood oxygen was good and I started to feel less swollen.
The Dr. told me the antihistamines had done their work fast and that my friends essentially had saved my life.
It wasn’t a reaction that needed my epi-pen (beesting allergy) at Urgent Care but he told me next time to use the epi-pen and no antihistamines.
24 hours later I’m feeling fine, a bit loopy from the anti-histamines I’m taking every 4 hours but fine.
And Alive.
Himself told me later that there had been an obituary last week of a young woman who had died from an allergic reaction.
Scary thought.(and not very reassuring coming from Himself)
I always have been a label reader but now I have to be doubly so.
Until I can get tested I need to be super cautious, no shrimp, nuts, seeds or Asian food.
No foods cooked in the same area as shrimp or other shell fish.
In a way I’m rooting for it to be MSG, life without shell fish would be so sad. Crab season opened last week!
But, as my friend Pamela said last night,giving up shell fish beats being dead.
ps….I’m going to have to sit down and write a will. If you have one I applaud you. If not,get one made up.
There are simple templates online you can fill out and have signed by 2 witnesses.
Then you make sure your loved ones know what you want.
Take care….
Adventures in Food. 