Connecting the celiac disease and food allergy/intolerance community together by sharing our stories to food freedom. From our beginning struggles to striving after a diagnosis, we can all relate and help each other out by sharing what weβve learned and our unique personal journeys.
I have another wonderful Freedom Feature to share with you today! When Chelsea reached out to me to share her story, I had tears in my eyes while I read. Chelsea's story is a bit different, as she is not the one with the allergy, but her (almost) 2 year old son. The scary and heartbreaking eventΒ of finding out (the hard way) that a toddler has a severe food allergy is something that sticks with you forever and changes every aspect of your life. Food allergies are nothing to scoff at or to be taken lightly, no matter what age, gender, or walk of life. Now give Chelsea Gray, the beautiful mother of Noah and blogger of Today With Mama Gray, a warm welcome as she so courageously shares her family's story.
background: who are you?
Hi! I am a 27 year old happily married, mom to an energetic (almost) two year old who is learning to tackle my son's many life threatening food allergies, one day at a time! I work full time as a tax accountant, I have a knack for all things DIY, and I'm a lover of red wine and reality TV!
what was life like before your diagnosis?Β
Life was normal, easy, and much less stressful before our diagnosis (but whose isn't?!). I had a happy one year old, who was always battling an eczema flare up, and had started to slide down the percentiles in the weight department. So, we decided to introduce peanut butter to help boost some calories. Within 30 seconds of a pea-sized taste of my favorite food, our lives changed forever.
how did you find the right doctor and end up getting properly tested and diagnosed?
The day after my son'sΒ anaphylactic reaction I called the first pediatric allergist that popped up on Google, and he got us in quickly. We did blood work, and were basically told to stay away from everything because he tested positive for it all - peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat, soy, milk, etc. After joining a support group for parents of allergic children, I realized I wanted to get a second opinion. I learned how false positives are incredibly common, and just because blood work shows a positive, doesnβt mean you will have a reaction, etc. So, we scheduled an appointment with our wonderful allergist, Dr. Leickly. We did the whole testing over again...skin, blood, etc. But, this time, based on the results our new allergist was comfortable doing oral food challenges for several items! We have now been able to introduce four items into my son's diet and it has completely restored my confidence, my excitement, etc. It's been exhausting, but so rewarding. We still have a long, long way to go since he is still allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat, and eggs. But, we've made progress! I think it's so important to trust your gut, and not be afraid to seek out a new doctor if you aren't getting the care you deserve. It changed our lives!
how did life change after diagnosis?
Everything changed. Life as I imagined for my son and our family was just... different. I've dealt with a lot of anxiety each and every day since our diagnosis. I don't trust many people with my son, I am constantly reminding people to wash their hands, or not to kiss my child. I am constantly on edge. In group settings, I find it hard to enjoy myself, because I'm watching Noah like a hawk. It's draining, scary, and life changing. But, my son's diagnosis has also brought our family closer and allowed us to focus on what's important in life. My motto is that "everything happens for a reason", and we WILL make the most of this! We now have my son's eczema almost entirely under control now. After our diagnosis, the eczema he battled as a baby all kind of made sense. We kick ourselves for not questioning allergies sooner, but our pediatrician never made it out as a big deal, we just assumed it was hereditary. Oh how much we've learned since that life changing day!
why did you start your blog? what did you hope to achieve out of doing so?
IΒ actually started blogging when I was pregnant with my son as a way to write down memories, share stories, etc. But I took a long hiatus when life got busy taking care of a newborn! A few months after our diagnosis, I needed an outlet. I started blogging again, with a purpose. I wanted to share our stories (successes, and failures). I wanted to educate newly diagnosed families, as well as friends/families that don't quite understand what it's like to deal with life threatening allergies on a daily basis. You can't truly understand the stress, or emotions that go into each day unless you live it. Sharing our stories, tips, etc. gives insight and helps educate! I also wanted a creative outlet to write, focus on my love of DIY, and let another side of me shine through!
do you have a celiac/food allergy tip to give?
Trust your instincts...If you are nervous about a food, don't try it. Don't be afraid to speak up if something makes you uncomfortable about a situation! And of course, always carry TWO Epi-Pens. Also, find others in your community who relate to your situation. It's incredibly therapeutic to surround yourself with others who "get it!"
have any favorite gluten-free foods or brands to share?
Enjoy Life was our saving grace after our diagnosis. To find a brand that was dedicated to being Top 8 Free, changed my life and gave me hope!! We love ALL of their delicious products. We also love Ian's Chicken Nuggets and Fish Sticks, and Van's has many items that we enjoy!
can you share your favorite recipe with us?
One of our family staples is an amazing, and flavorful Shepherd's Pie. I've tweaked it from the amazing Cybele Pascal, and it's such a comfort food that comes together easily. So delicious! I've learned that so much of allergy free cooking is just using a lot of substitutions. It is possible to enjoy delicious meals that are safe for my family!
what do you hope to see in the future; for yourself and the gluten-free/food allergy community?
For my family, I hope we continue to work together as a unit to manage my son's allergies, that we would gain more confidence, and are able to give Noah as "normal" of a childhood as possible. I hope that awareness continues to grow for the community, and that more people would realize the severity of what we live with. Often times food allergies are assumed to be something that just gives an upset stomach, or a rash. People don't realize that something as small as a trace can truly threaten someone's life. I hope for stricter labeling controls to alert for cross contamination, etc. And I really just hope families learn to thrive and succeed while managing their allergies!
An incredible journey, but Chelsea has so much love and strength for her family that she is thriving. As I've talked about in my allergy posts, many childhood food allergies can be grown out of, so there is hope that Noah may lose these allergies with time. But until then, Chelsea and her family are doing everything right and her determination to raise awareness is the key. You never know when food allergies will strike. They are terrifying and life threatening. If someone tells you they or their child is allergic or can NOT have a certain food, please respect that and take every precaution you can. We need to lift each other up and make food allergy management as "easy" and safe as we can.
Make sure to follow along with Chelsea and Noah's journey on her blog,Β Twitter, or Instagram, and give them a virtual hug!
So tell me:
+ Did you or your child develop your food allergy at a young age or older?
+ Any questions for Chelsea?
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Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
I love reading these when you share them. I always learn about someone new.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's great!
Emily
I've never had a food allergy myself, but we have some family members who are lactose intolerant, have a nut allergy, and are gluten free. It's so important to remember their needs when planning for a party or holiday!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes it is, Emily!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant
Thanks for sharing your story, Chelsea. Great series, Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Nikki Frank-Hamilton
Wow! Chelsea and her story are eye opening! I'm so happy that they were able to get her son the help he needed and to find a doctor that would take the time to do the tests and work with them.
This whole series is wonderful, I love reading it each week, we are so lucky to have people like you and Chelsea to refer people to, those who are suffering from a food allergy. Thanks so much for doing this, hopefully the world will change and make things easier for us all to have good food that it good for us.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! His anaphylaxis story was terrifying!
Thank you Nikki, that means a lot!
sue
Thanks Rebecca for introducing Chelsea and her story to us. It is always heartbreaking when little ones are affected by illness or allergies which can be life threatening.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes, thanks Sue.
Farrah
Thanks so much to Chelsea for sharing her story! I really hope that awareness continues to grow as well (I definitely think it's a lottt better now than it used to be, but there's always room for improvement!)! Great interview! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Raising awareness should be your doctor project side hustle (hint, hint) π
Emily
I love it that she used something that could have been a huge challenge and turned into a way to minister to other people! That is incredible!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chelsea's attitude is so great and Noah is so lucky to have her!
Amberjane
Having girls with allergies myself I know what it is like - thank you for sharing Chelsea's story!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Food allergies are life changing for sure! For the entire family!
Mistie
This was a great interview and thank you to Chelsea for sharing her personal story. I teared up reading this, as our story is almost word for word the same. From pre-existing eczema to a surprise biphasic anaphylactic reaction, and doctor changes when it seemed there were unanswered questions. I think this is a common story too, which is exactly why advocacy like yours and Chelsea's is so important. Okay... lol, off my box. Sharing this!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Mistie! Feel free to contact me and we can have you on for your own Freedom Feature! We NEED as much outreach as we can get!
Michele Morin
What a great interview! Good questions that help us understand!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Michele!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
It's hard enough dealing with your own food allergies/intolerances so I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a Mum of a child with allergies! This is such a great story! Thanks for sharing, lovely girl! xo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea, when they are so young they basically become even more a part of you as a parent! So much vigilance!
Linda @ Veganosity
Chelsea has such a positive outlook, which will make her son's life easier as well. I know several moms who have dealt with the exact same issues and fears. It's not easy, especially if there are people in their lives who just don't understand the reality and dangers of food allergies. The mom of one of my son's classmates founded MOCHA Allergies . org because of her frustration with the lack of information on deadly food allergies. It's a great resource for anyone dealing with allergies.
Thanks for the great interview!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O, thank you Linda! I'm off to check out the site!
Gin
I agree with Chelsea that everything happens for a reason, but I don't often run into people who feel the same. It's amazing and inspiring to hear that coming from a mom who's dealing with so much trying to keep her little boy safe and healthy. Thanks for sharing your story Chelsea! I wish you, Noah and your family the peace and happiness you deserve.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chelsea has such a great mindset around all of this! She's only going to help Noah thrive, no matter what!
Sarah @ Bourgeois Essence
Oh wow I just found this post and it has touched me so much. I know from first hand experience how hard and scarry it must be for a mother to have a toddler that is allergic to some food. I was such a child and until today my mom still warns me about certain food...
Love what you are doing here <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you so much Sarah! I do hope all these stories help raise awareness about the severity of food allergies and that they can happen to anyone at anytime!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
Hugs to this momma!! I am sure having a child with food allergies is sooooo stressful. I must try that shepherds pie! Thanks for sharing this story.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Mommas' have that great instinct though to know what to do!
Chelsea Gray
Yay! Thank you SO much for sharing my story Rebecca! I absolutely love this series you are doing and how it brings such a community together! You are doing such a great thing, and I'm so happy to be apart of it!! Thank you again!! π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
And thank you so much for sharing your story!!! We're all in this together! xoxo
Psychic Nest
Wow that is a really scary experience and anaphylactic reaction is even more terrifying. I'm glad everything worked well!
Zaria
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The first time is always so scary as it's unexpected!
Trish R
I agree, food allergies are very scary with a young child! This is a great interview and important awareness raising for readers.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Trish!
Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete
Thanks for sharing, Chelsea!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks for reading Tiffany!!
Liz
SO scary to deal with such a life-threatening allergy with a young child. He's lucky to have such a great mom/family!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea! It's so much harder when a small child can't really be aware themselves!