The Fairness of Food Allergies

This week is #FoodAllergyAwareness week. For those of us with food allergy kids it's one of those "get out the message" kind of weeks.

You know, just like last week. But this week we have a hashtag and official graphics and stuff like that.

A story came out in the past couple of weeks about Ghirardelli.You know, the company that makes amazing chocolates and such. It seems that recently the company made the rather incredible decision to cease using peanuts and peanut products in their production lines. This decision also affects their ice cream shops which means sundaes will no longer be served with peanut butter sauce.

Oh. My. GAWD.

NO PEANUT BUTTER? IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD! HOW COULD THEY? IT'S SO UNFAIR!

No, that's not sarcasm. Those are the type of responses I'm seeing on Facebook and online about this "end of peanut butter sundaes as we know it" news.

Seriously. There are people out there who are BITCHING AND MOANING because they can't eat a goddamn peanut butter sundae on vacation.

And I want to say to them: Are. You. F**king. Kidding. Me?!?

You're going to complain because ONE ice cream shop has decided to stop selling a chocolate and peanut butter sundae? That's the biggest concern you have in your life? THAT'S what keeps you up at night? That's what drives you to place the blame on kids with peanut allergies?

Seriously?

As a mom of a child with a peanut allergy I commend Ghirardelli for their decision. I think it's a brave step to take. Lofthouse Cookies are now made in a peanut and tree nut free facility - a decision that was made to accommodate the growing number of people with peanut and tree nut allergies. No one threw a hissy fit about that.

But apparently the removal of peanut butter from an ice cream shop menu means the apocalypse is nigh.

Because what is life without a peanut butter sundae? How can you possibly go on without THAT? I mean it must be HORRIBLE to know that you'll never enjoy a Gold Rush Sundae at Ghirardelli ever again.

Kind of like knowing your child can't ever eat anything made with peanut butter because they might DIE.

Oh wait. That's right. It's NOTHING LIKE THAT.

You can't eat a sundae? Well guess what...my kid can't eat ANYTHING with peanut butter or peanuts in it. NOTHING. Because if she does she could get very sick. Or she could DIE.

So when I read all this horrible, hurtful, hateful comments about how kids with food allergies are "ruining it" for the "rest of us" and how parents of food allergy kids need to keep their kids out of places like Ghirardelli and how it's SO UNFAIR ... well it really pisses me off.

You know what's really unfair? Being 11 years old with numerous food allergies that could end your life or at least put you in the hospital. It's unfair that my child still can't go into Ghirardelli because they still serve tree nuts. It's unfair that my child has gone to birthday parties where she can't eat the cake because it isn't safe. It's unfair that there so many horrible assholes out there who think it's OK to bitch and moan about one goddamn bowl of ice cream that they can't eat when my child LIVES THAT EVERY DAMN DAY.

Just once I would like one of those idiots to walk in the shoes of a child with a food allergy for one day. These kids didn't ask to have these allergies. They didn't do anything wrong to make their bodies rebel against food. They don't deserve to be blamed for a decision that they had no control over.

No one asked this corporation to stop using peanuts and peanut butter. The company made a decision based on what they thought was right based on the reality that peanut allergies aren't going away. They're trying to do something good for a small population of people and quite frankly they should be commended for it.

Don't blame the peanut allergy kids for the fact that you can't have a stupid sundae. It's not their fault.

Just once look past the end of your stupid, selfish nose and realize there's a whole big world out there that needs a little compassion. Kids with food allergies have it hard enough - they don't need your hatred and narrowminded views.

Kids with food allergies need your support. And your compassion. And a hug. Just make sure it's a peanut-free hug.