Talking Allergies

Hi! Just found the forum today and was browsing through. I'm severly allergic to peanuts and legumes. I don't know about tree nuts but I have avoided them all my life and I'm currently fighting for a new law to protect food allergy sufferers in the future. I'm going to see an allergist in November to see exactly what I'm allergic to food wise, I suspect sesame and want an exatct level on the peanut along with glutin, I'm getting snot nosed when I eat pretzels and I haven't seen an allergist in about 20-25 years so I think it's time.

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

Hi and welcome to the board.

What kind of law are you fighting for?

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Well, to explain it thoroughly you have to understand that my mom taught me to tell everyone that would be in my life of my deadly peanut allergy. As I grew up, I took her advice and told everyone right down to friends, bosses and co-workers, I told everyone. Well. my best friend was no different, she has known since I started hanging out with her. I've known her now for 11 years. She was my best friend, I loved her like a sister and we never had but one spat in our entire 10 year friendship and did I mention she hooked me and my husband up. We have been happily married for 7 years this October 24.

I had always explained to her what would happen everytime the subject came up, atleast several times over the length of the friendship always telling her that I would and could die if I ate it or got into it some how, cross contamination.

She invited my kids and I to her youngest son's birthday party on 5-15-04. My daughter who was 7 years old at the time and I attended, I was 26 years old. She was late to the party and when she arrived, I was the first person she spoke to. She was carring a cake and had a plastic bag on her arm, she says, "I got your favorite cake!" How nice of her to remember my favorite cake. She went straight into the house. I followed a few minutes later and entered the kitchen to see a cake on the table and kids everywhere. We sang happy b-day and I exited the kitchen and sat right outside the screen door. My daughter came out with a peice of cake and chocolate ice cream. I told her to sit beside me and I started to tease her trying to swipe my finger across her cake, I kept missing and she told me to cut it out! So I did. About 10 minutes later she asked me if I wanted her icing now and she knew I did so she gave it to me. I only had 3 bites of icing and no ice cream and threw the plate away, right inside the door, approximately six feet in total. I wanted to spit and the urge wouldn't go away. I'm telling myself this isn't happening but my mouth isn't lying to me. It was becoming evident that I just ate peanutbutter something. I am suspecting the ice cream. I turned to see her staring at me through the screen door and I asked her, "What's in the ice cream?" and she said vanilla. I said, "NO it wasn't, what's in the ice cream?" she said "Chocolate Peanutbutter".

It was down hill from there, I almost died and spent two days on life support. I knew in my mind I wasn't coming out alive and when I did, I almost couldn't believe it. It was only through God that I survived. As for my best friend, she told me to get over it, she blamed my daughter for trying to kill me and could never say sorry. I was at my lowest point in life and felt like it was a planned poisoning to see if I were lying about it, not caring if I would die, almost hoping for it and if I did, it would probly be considered accidental. This was no accident, I wish it was. I feel if she can remember my favorite cake, she should remember that peanuts will kill me. What goods the cake if I'm dead eh? I have examined and tore this day and her thought process apart and put it back together only to find it the same day in and day out and that is deliberate. I tried to press charges and told the Asst. D.A. what she did and he said it's only food. and I have to prove intent. How do you prove your best friend hates you if you've never had a fight so to say? How do you do that? I had the door slammed in my face and given no justice for her outrageous attempt on my life.

Lots of tearful nights had awaited me, I was in so much physical and emotional pain, I couldn't talk and I was just so devistated, I was completely saddened and very angry. I was mad because she did it and got away with murder, she murdered a part of me, my sense of safety and security, it's gone and I'll never get it back therefore I do not trust anyone when it comes to food.

My law will be known as "Lara's Law". "Lara's Law" will prosecute anyone who encourages and induces anaphylaxsis with a 10 year minimum sentence. If in the event death occur a mandatory life sentence with out the possibility of parole would only be appropiate. This law will be drafted and introduced by State Rep of PA Richard Kasunic in January 2007. I am going to fight for the law NATION WIDE!

It's what you call ROUGH JUSTICE!

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

Sorry to hear all you went through.

I can't help but think about your daughter through all this. It must have been horrible for her. It was not her fault at all, but I'll bet she blamed herself anyway.

Had she eaten the ice-cream? Is she unfamiliar with the taste of pb and didn't recognize it? My youngest is 8 and he hardly ever eats pb -- never at home, and it's banned at his school. He usually recognizes it because he hates the smell and taste - but it if was mixed with chocolate, he might not notice it.

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Your story sounds similar to one another person posted elsewhere. If I can find it, I will send you a link - maybe you can work together. (She's also in the US.)

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

<smacking self in forehead>

The familiar story -- I think it was posted by you. Either that, or the exact same thing happened to two people named Lara.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

It's me! I just found this place and posted. I am a member of pa.com under Adelaide. I get dumb moments too! SUCKS DOESN'T IT! I work best by myself so it seems. I've found alot of supportive people in this quest for justice. I just don't want this to happen to anyone else and have the person walk away. I could use all the help I can get but it seems as though I've got to do it myself. I'm gonna get the ball rollin and hopefully this law will get us much needed publicity in a good way. I hope that "Lara's Law" will never be used but I can't say that will be the case because there will always be that one person in our lives who will do the unspeakable and inconcieveable.

As for my little girl, she doesn't consume peanutbutter and never ate it til she was 4 or so along with my son too. I could never teach her or him to know what it taste like or smells like because it wasn't around them because of my peanut allergy and with it being in chocolate ice cream, I had a hard time smelling it and I can smell PB a mile away it seems. My kids do not eat PB on a regular basis and they both know how deadly it is for me and don't make me prove it with my life. It was difficult for her to say the least. She witnessed alot that day, to much if you ask me. It scares her stiff to watch me eat. It was not her fault and I had to make sure she knew that! I will not blame her for a moment and I WILL NOT let anyone else blame her either! She had no idea what was about to happen and neither did I. This person taught me a lesson I could never teach myself and that is to not trust anyone and if that is what I had to learn then I'm okay with that, we all have to learn the hard way and so will my ex best friend of 10 years. I like to say I'll teach her a lesson she'll never forget. I also keep in mind that I will never lie about my ex best friend. Everything I say will only be the truth and I will let her defame her own character, she does a good job without my help. Everything I say is nothing but the truth as everyone knows that knows her.

Her conduct was outrageous and she will be held accountable by knowing that she is the reason why we have "Lara's Law". This is my justice, this is why I'm here; to protect others and make others accountable under the long arm of the Law. Even though she will never be prosecuted under my law or even see a day in jail for this, it is justice enough for me knowing that no one will be able to do this and walk away like it's no big deal.

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

There was something posted at pa.com regarding a fire-fighter. I can't recall the details. As a joke, someone hid peanuts under her mattress. I can't remember whether or not she had a reaction - but I think there was talk of legal action. It was done as a practical joke, but as we know it had the potential for a deadly reaction.

I'm mentioning this to you, because finding instances where someone knowingly and intentionally risks another person's life/health with regard to allergies might help you. There have also been instances of student's using an allergen to scare/threaten someone -- and some schools are actually recognizing it as bullying. With many schools now having anti-bullying rules in place, the students are getting suspended/expelled. Again, this is just information that if you search the details, it might help you.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

I know of one case in Vancouver where a teen got PB held to his face at school and went into anaphylactic shock. It was going to court. I'm not sure what has happened with the case.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

These are the reasons that we need stiffer penalties. I can't see the joke in someone dying all for a laugh. When I talked to Matthew Wright a PA House Rep, I explanned to him that all someone has to do is mix it in safe food or give it to my dog so he could lick my face to deliver the silver bullet for you. It can happen in every imaginable thought of deliverance and I see no laws in place to protect persons with deadly food allergens. This law will cover all deadly food allergens, that is, it has to be medically documented that it is the source of anaphylaxsis and you should be protected. This is how I want it and I will fight to have it the way I want it.

I ran into someone allergic to mushrooms and just yesterday I found someone allergic to maple and corn syrup causing anaphylaxsis. I think all foods could pose a danger to a specific person and if causes that person death and you encourage it then you should be prosecuted whether your joking or not.

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

If anyone can help me with true stories, it would be of great help. Thanks.

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

Jawana, Welcome, and good lord, what a story!

Some friend. You must have thought this over a million times. Did she ever express that she doubted your allergy? Did she ever exhibit signs of aggression or being not quite right pyschologically? Was she jealous of you?

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

She never seemed to doubt it and even said "how bad it sounded". I told her when I first met her of my allergy to of all things peanuts. I told her my son's father kissed me knowing he ate peanuts and wished me dead and refused to take me to the hospital. I think he did this because I was pregnant and he didn't want the responsibility of the baby. I left this creep go because I escaped with my life and unborn son who he has never layed eyes on and I promised myself never again will I let this happen. I was 16 years old at the time. As I told her what he did, and how I almost died, she said you must miss it. Not really. How can I miss something I've never had to enjoy and causes death? I knew with some education and no experiments, I could get her to understand and she did for the most part. I explained that if she ate peanuts and drank after me and then me after her that I could die, if she ate it and didn't wash her hands and opened the door and I touched the knob and picked my nose, I could die. It doesn't take much. "That's bad" was her exact response.

As for agression or being psychologically disturbed, hinsight is 20/20. She was never and I mean NEVER was agressive with me but she has assulted others and has a criminal record for this (bar fights involving alcohol). We had only one minor argument out of 10 years and that was over her dating her cousin who she has a baby with. I did not judge her because of this, who am I to judge. She did have some sense because she hooked me and my husband up, we've been happily married since. There is one thing that bothers me about this and that is she always said I owed her for this. She would never elaborate and I felt our friendship was enough. I never suspected she would feel I owed her my life.

Another thing that bothers me after the fact is how she would drink from my Mt.Dew and say she never had peanuts or PB. I think she was testing me to see if I react and when I didn't, she felt I was a liar and she called my bluff. I don't believe she did this all the time but did do it even though I didn't react.

As for being jealous, she may have been. I don't feel she had anything to be jealous of, geeezzzzzzzz, I can't even eat peanuts, but why else would she do it other than being jealous and not being convinced til I had to lay down and prove it with my life. Does having a wonderful gorgeous man, a home(free and clear), a minimum wage job and two kids that fight constantly constitute jealousy. It could.

She won't even discuss it with me other than blaming my daughter, telling me to get over it and "I thought you'd only get a rash" as her latest excuse. I didn't even get an apology. I don't want it unless its worth it weight in gold and I know that's not gonna happen.

After 16 months of tearing this apart and putting it back together and finding it so soo deliberate, I forgave her and she knows this. I didn't forgive her to make herself feel better, I did it for me as I could not bear another day holding that bag with no one to help me through it but GOD. This is why I forgave her, to rest my soul and ease my pain. Boy does God work in mysterious ways. He saved me and He'll guide me. It doesn't however answer my question to her and that is WHY?

Maybe somethings are better left unsaid.

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

Yeah, the why is the big unanswerable. You see this kind of thing with school bullies trying to test what happens to a peanut-allergic kid, but what could motivate a grown woman? I don't know why some people just don't want to believe allergies are as serious as they are, but yours is perhaps the extreme case to show that it happens.

I'm glad you have your wonderful husband and your two kids (yes, even if they fight) for support. And pa.com and us!

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Thanks Gwen! I'm grateful for everything even my kids who fight constantly! Is there a cure for that? Thanks for the welcoming me into the forums! God bless you all!

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Peanut Allergy Survivor

Yes there is a cure. It takes about 20 years. When my boys were small I wondered who would kill who. (Only slightly exagerating.) As adults they actually help each other and get along.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings