Sharing this from my blog today because I think that everyone could use the message, practice compassion: You Gotta Get It. Something I have found extremely hard growing up with life threatening food allergies, is people understanding and accepting the fact that you have LIFE THREATENING food allergies. From the first moment you share your story, you can get an indication on how things are going to go. Theres a lightbulb moment, when they comprehend this person will die if this isnt taken seriously. You can almost watch it ding above their head. However, often times there simply is no lightbulb moment. They simply stare at you and go Wow thats crazy. A lot of times I think they really think just that, its crazy, therefor it cant be real. People with food allergies know all to well about this lightbulb, because they have to walk around and pray for it to appear above everyone in their lives heads. They wait for the ding above the waiter as they order their food, the school teacher as she hands out nuts to the class, the family members at parties, even their close friends. We wait and wait for the ding, but sadly most times what we get is a roll of the eyes or a wow. Sometimes we even get the oh yes I understand but there was no ding so in other words your being told what you want to hear. Ive had these types of people my whole entire life. I find it funny when people think they can fool me, because dont you think I know by now who gets it and who doesnt? But thats just it, theres these ignorant people who just cant Get It. Ignorance is bliss for these folks and they would rather put the information in a drawer in their head, than fully let it sink in. My greatest advice for these people would be, it could be you. It could be your child, lover, family member or closest friend, somebody you care about the most, blue and gasping for air in front of you. It could be their lifeless body lying in front of you, all because you couldnt get the Epi in them fast enough. It could be you sitting there wondering why all because of a piece of food residue left on a desk... It could be you going throughout life feeling like a space alien because people dont understand what you have witnessed and been through. I constantly wish there was a way to get this through peoples minds. Those images and feelings. That fear of losing your life or somebody you love the very most. This, is my life. This is my image, of lying there trying to get air begging my mom not to let me die. This is my burden, and I dont force it on the world. I dont go to school, because its just not safe for me and I cant expect an entire school to understand and provide for my needs. Should I have to have this mindset everywhere I go? At what point is it okay to just ask that one person goes a little extra mile to keep me alive? At what point can I walk outside and not feel like this world is a battlefield against me and society. I cant. Because the reality is that people are cruel and selfish, and if they want to eat nuts on the airplane they will, regardless of someones life. If they want to feed their child peanut butter, they will, even if their child is going to be with an allergic child, they may even sneak it into their lunchbox. Its just another example of how messed up our world can be. We are selfish, we want what we want and we dont think about how it will affect others. If theres anything Ive learned from my disease, its to trust no one. However, Ive also learned about a little thing called compassion. About thinking your choices through and if somebody can be hurt from your choices, make the right one. Choose whats kind and upright, even if its a bit harder or less comfortable for you. Also, always be grateful for those who do in fact Get It and go out of their way to do whats kind. God bless them because they are bringing up the next generation and do you want to live in a cold and selfish world forever? The fact is that my life could end any day from my disease regardless of peoples caution or not. I can accept this, but I wont accept it if a person can prevent it with something as simple as holding off in certain areas eating a certain food, or wiping down a counter, or buying sour candies instead of everything peanut for a party or group. I wish it was, so I could try to sympathize with everyone, but its simply not that hard. I can guarantee you that suffocating and your throat closing is a lot harder. Practice compassion, be kind, do whats right. That is whats going to break the cycle. You gotta Get It . Www.kendallhollinger.blogspot
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 04:03:21 +0000
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