Gina Clowes of AllergyMoms.com: My Story

That was the beginning.

The doctor explained that since I was breastfeeding, I had to avoid all the foods to which he was allergic, including milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, garlic, banana and more.  It wasn't easy, but unlike any reducing diet I'd ever gone on (and gone right back off), this one was for my son. Cheating on the diet was not an option.

The good news is that I fit into my jeans from college. The bad news is that I was so cranky, tired and miserable that no one wanted to be around me.  

It was very difficult to go to parties or bunko or even out to dinner. I avoided so many foods that I'd really long for what others were eating. I knew that I was only on the diet for a limited time (six months), while my son would be on this diet indefinitely.  It was only the first glimpse at how challenging his life would become.

Support From Friends and Family

As we shared the news of my son's food allergies with friends and family, we naively assumed that they would rush to learn as much as possible and do whatever they could to accommodate him.  Many pleasantly surprised us, but others never really learned enough to gain our confidence.

The pressure and stress that this invisible condition creates can affect everyone in the family. It is so important to get support from family and friends but also from other allergy moms and dads. There is a comradery there and an understanding that those outside the "allergy world" will never get. The exclusion and isolation that can occur is often just as difficult as managing the special foods and the potential for anaphylaxis.

Any mom can tell you that there is no greater pain in life than seeing your child hurt, physically or emotionally. Yet sometimes getting roughed up a little in life brings out the best in us and our kids too.  We empathize with our son, but we teach him that food allergies won't stop him from being every thing he was meant to be.

So this story ends with me back at work, but this time I don't need to leave the house. I now facilitate a local support group and am active in food allergy advocacy. I have an online support group with thousands of members worldwide, and I have a children's book due out this summer. This is not the life I would have ever imagined, but it's a terrific one. We don't get to choose our cards in life. All we can do is the best job we can with the cards that we're dealt.

Gina Clowes is founder of AllergyMoms.com and our new guest blogger. She will write a new blog for each week in May, Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. She will also write a blog every month for MyAllergyNetwork.com