Page 125 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

(birthdays) or chocolates (Valentine’s Day), it basically leaves me excluded from all of those special days. So that sucks. But, in a way, it doesn't. You see, I decided to treat my allergies the way I want others to treat my allergies. I flip allergies on their head in my own head and think that they are cool. I think auto- injectors are cool! What a cool, intricate device that is so simple. Yet it can also help save lives!
Taking some wisdom from one of my friends, and applying it to food allergies, you should have some fun with them. That's how I want others to see my allergies. I do not what people to see them as flaws I have or something to be embarrassed about. I often have fun with my allergies and say things like "I'm allergic to eggs, dairy, soy, seafood, nuts, apples, pears, cherries, and homework." I just try to sneak it in there for a bit of humour.
I figure that I’m likely to have my allergies for a long time. So I might as well accept them, have fun with them, and treat my allergies the way I want others to treat them—without any stigma attached to them and simply as a normal part of life.
Quick Tip - Remember that you are an expert when it comes to your own food allergies—much more than your friends are. Keep in mind that you know what you’re talking about and that others may not.
When things go wrong
Cut Assumptions, not Corners, by Erika
I was attending a weekend leadership retreat away from home. We spent the weekend at a location where they ran camps during the summer and rented out cabins during the fall, winter, and spring months other groups. On our first day there, I spoke to the kitchen manager about my allergies, the severity of them, and the necessary precautions required to avoid cross-contamination. The kitchen manager assured me that everything would be okay. He went over the menu with me and cleared every meal.
On our first lunch, a server brought a salad dressing bottle, which he claimed was solely balsamic vinegar and olive oil, which I had asked for, since I was unable to have the regular dressing. I was deep in conversation with another leader and was confident that the head chef and kitchen staff had understood my allergies and that everything would go smoothly. I mean, it was just vinegar and oil. I poured it directly on the salad and had a very small bite. Immediately, I knew it was not vinegar and that they had given me soy sauce and olive oil instead of balsamic vinegar. I was lucky that, this time, the reaction was not severe. Once I had recovered, I went to the kitchen staff and explained what had happened. I asked to speak to the kitchen manager and head chef and asked them to pour a new bottle of vinegar and olive oil in front of me. I also asked if they could label it so I would get the same bottle for the next meals. They agreed and proceeded to fill a new bottle and write my name on it. I thanked them for doing so and returned to the cabin with my friends.