EpiPen: the pen that Saves Lives

It doesn’t matter whether you have allergies yourself or if you know people that do. Everyone should know how to properly administer an EPIPEN auto-injector. Epipen.ca is a website that helps people understand anaphylaxis and how to properly use an Epipen or Twinject products.

About EpiPen^® (epinephrine)
Epinephrine - also known as adrenaline - is recognized by healthcare professionals as the treatment of choice for severe allergic reactions. It is the drug form of a hormone that the body produces naturally. EpiPen^® is an auto-injector that administers a pre-measured dose of epinephrine. During anaphylaxis, administering EpiPen^® and EpiPen^®Jr helps to decrease the body's allergic reaction.

Some of the ways EpiPen^® works include:

- Relaxing the muscles in your airways to make breathing easier

- Helping to reverse the rapid and dangerous decrease in blood pressure

- Relaxing the muscles in the stomach, intestines, and bladder

Epipens can’t save someone’s life. BUT when someone is having going into anaphylactic shock Epipens CAN give them the extra time needed to make it to the hospital. The best feeling in the world is when you know that there are people around you that you can trust. People that you know will be able to take care of you when something bad happens.

Is the 'Kiss of Death' real?

Have you ever wondered if the “kiss of death” is real? Well for people living with food based allergies it can be. I found this video while serving the web and if none of my other posts sums up how important understanding food based allergies are then I think this definitely will.

Anaphylaxis Canada produced this video explaining that people who deal with allergies don’t worry about the minuet thoughts like “am I wearing the right shade of lipstick?” or “should I close my eyes?” They are worried about meeting new people who aren’t aware of the situation and may have come in contact with what they are allergic to. Imagine that you are allergic to shellfish and you meet someone at a bar and go in for the kiss. How do you know if that person ate some shrimp or muscles before they came to the bar? One kiss is all it needs to trigger a reaction.

Makes you wonder how I’ve even made friends at all, or a boyfriend for that matter. It all comes down to acceptance and understanding. I surround myself with people who accept my allergy and understand that when they are around me or going to meet with me somewhere that they can’t eat the same things that they used to. I am very lucky to have found people like this and I hope that any future friends I meet are as accepting too.

Everyone comes with 'baggage' does your include Chestnuts?

Dating can be simple or complicated... Exciting or boring... Tedious or fast-paced... but have you ever stopped to think that it could be deadly?

"Your food allergy may seem like an uncomfortable topic to bring up, but it's definitely much more comfortable to talk about it than to have a reaction. Be upfront with people you are interested in. If they care about you, they will understand and want to learn about how they can help keep you safe."

For most people the concept of meeting someone, asking them on a date and continuing from there seems very straight forward. But for people dealing with allergies it can be very difficult.

There are people allergic to specific types of cleaners... what do you think would happen if they got into a car on their first date after it had been cleaned with orange scented pinesol?
Of course there are people with food based allergies... how do you think they handle their first kiss? Or if they want to hold someone's hand? Or even go to a restaurant or bar?

It's awkward talking to people about your allergies and precautions as it is without giving a speech every time you meet someone new like... "Hi I'm [__] nice to meet you. I'm fatally allergic to __, __ & __ so before you shake my hand, give me a hug or try to kiss me goodnight tonight do you think you've eaten or touched anything that can harm me? No? Okay let's go then!"

Anaphylaxis Canada posted a (slightly corny but informational) video about teenage dating and dealing with food based allergies that I found very uplifting...



It's easier if your the first little while you go to places on your terms - not theirs. Go to restaurants or locations that you're comfortable with - or just hangout at home. The first few weeks I dated my boyfriend we were either hanging out in my backyard (got to love dating in the Summer) or at the park... etc.

It may be awkward but you do have to let them know what they are getting into. My boyfriend is almost more concerned about my allergy then I am now. He reads everything for me and gets very angry with his family if there is anything potentially harmful in the house when he warns them I'm coming over to visit. (His parents even bought me an allergen-free cookbook for Christmas!)

It's hard to explain allergies to people sometimes, but if they are really interested in you, or really enjoy being your friend then they will be understanding and patient with you. After all, how hard is it to just run upstairs and brush your teeth for 2min before you leave anyways?

Food based Allergies aren't Funny

I just had the opportunity to watch a new public service announcement from FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) about food allergy bullying. Now the concept sounds very laughable but it does happen.

With so many children growing up with allergies its hard to protect them from everything - God knows I could never love anyone more than my Mom because she HAS tried. But I hope that more people come to realize these problems as they become more common. And I hope everyone takes the time to start learning about these things as I have made many posts about these topics.



Most children with food based allergies take a risk going to public schools (or even leaving their house) everyday. Just think about it for a minute... Who touched that book before you did? Who sat in that desk before you did? Who used the piece of red chalk at the front of the room before you did? What did they eat for lunch before they touched these things? Did they wash their hands? Do the teachers or custodial staff come and clean between classes? I doubt anyone ever thinks of these things but for family dealing with food based allergies they have to think of it all the time.

It gets worse when you enter bullying into the mix. There are physical and verbal abuse of course... but when you start smearing peanut butter or orange pulp on doorknobs and desks then gently wiping it off so the residue cant be seen that can be VERY dangerous. The same goes for roommates in college/university or even coworkers. The worst is when they forget your allergy but don't care enough to clean it up themselves and expect you to... with a food allergy you cant be cleaning up nut shells on your own or sanitise your kitchen while your roommates are gone just so that you can cook some pasta.