Cedar Mulch, a Pecan, and Congress

We've had one too many nights of watering eyes, itching eyes, and red, swollen eyes. While Anna Zane struggles with mild-to-moderate outdoor allergies (in addition to her food allergies), these last couple of weeks have certainly shown more intense symptoms.

Then Saturday happened. After being outside for a few minutes with a friend, Anna bolts in complaining from visibly watery eyes, itching, and congestion suddenly onset. I gave her Zyrtec and made a mental note. 

I thought something HAS to be going on outside because these symptoms seem to be building. She's played outside a lot the lately because the weather has been bearable -- which is rare. 

Cedar Mulch

That afternoon -- like a light bulb moment -- it hits me: We just had major landscaping done to our front and back yard, which was now covered in cedar mulch. 

Guess what is Anna Zane's #1 outdoor allergen? CEDAR!

Later that afternoon, Anna's symptoms increased in severity. She was at: itchy, puffy, watery eyes; nasal congestion; sore throat, sore and stiff neck; upset stomach; and ear pain -- along with feeling lethargic. Sunday wasn't much better. 

That was it: I was convinced. The repetitive exposure to the mulch exacerbated her symptoms. It was so severe, at one point, I thought I might need to give her an epinepherine injection. I stopped short of that because after a prolonged period, her symptoms didn't progress to her airways, lungs, and no significant swelling like what occurs when she has a sesame anaphylactic reaction. 

Monday finds her home from school and at the allergist, who burst my mulch bubble. He thinks it is very unlikely the cedar triggered this type of response because she is allergic to the tree pollen not the wood. He prompts me some more and thinks maybe it is a viral incident, but that doesn't really make sense either. So we've opted to keep up a rigorous antihistamine regimen (three times per day at least), and to document any additional flares with photos and notes. 

A Pecan

Then we drive home. Anna Zane remembers something we'd both forgotten: She touched a pecan just after her friend arrived on Saturday.

Mystery solved.

With that said, the pecan does not explain her previous less severe itchy/red eyes that have occurred before Saturday, but it most certainly explains the much stronger, obviously allergic reaction she had on Saturday -- and that lingers still today. She's on day 4 and still struggling. 

I'm thankful her reaction to the pecan didn't involve wheezing and significant swelling. I'm discouraged because a quick, 2-second touch of pecan resulted in all of this. No eating, no rubbing a pecan all over her face. Just a touch. It's a sobering reminder that her food allergies are no freaking joke. 

We are still watching for any continuance of symptoms. She may have some newly developed outdoor allergies, or we may need to pursue cedar oils (from the wood) more seriously. All of which require more testing.

Congress

Along the food allergy lines, I'd like to ask your help. You see, sesame isn't considered in the "top 8" by the FDA so it does not require food and cosmetic companies, etc., to disclose sesame in their ingredient list. Sesame oil and seeds and tahini can lurk in verbiage like "spices," "natural flavoring," and what not. Recent studies show that 1 in 1,000 people have a sesame allergy, which is a more common incidence than tree nuts. Tree nuts get lumped together and thus represent a higher percentage. Even in Anna's instance, she can eat almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios all day long -- all tree nuts -- but she cannot touch a pecan, walnut, Brazil nut, or cashew. Yet, the FDA makes no distinction between these and labels them all as "tree nuts." By not knowing what foods contain sesame or were produced in the same facility of sesame, food buying becomes tricky and taxing. Yes, meaning literal phone calls to manufacturers asking about the definition of "spices" and "bread crumbs." 

Anna Zane has never swallowed sesame in her life. She's only rubbed a microscopic oil in her eye once and touched her tongue to some hummus. Her allergic reactions are intense and severe -- and bi-phasic anaphylactic, which is some of the worse reactions you can have.

Yet, right now there is a bill making its way to Congress that has the support of the Food Allergy Research and Education -- and the support of Bryan and Emily Youree.

H.R.5425 and S.2647 is on the floor and is being supported by FARE. If enacted, this legislation would require that sesame be labeled under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and that allergen information be included on the labels of non-packaged foods sold at retail.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider contacting your legislators asking them to support this bill. Yes, I am begging! It is so easy to do; you can click this link HERE.

I encourage you to mention in the "personal message" section to mention that you know someone who lives with this terrible food allergy.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ANNA ZANE!