Same Adventures, Different Girl

So, after my last allergy post, I bet you think you know what this is:

Or should I say, who it is.  But since I haven't mentioned it here yet, for some reason, I bet you didn't guess.  Surprise! It's not Little One.
Never one to be shown up by Her big sister, Little Miss has had Her own allergy adventures.
 
The first hint came when I gave Her a shrimp.  She took a bite, screamed, and threw it on the floor.  I turned to pick it up, scolding Her for throwing food, and by the time I was facing Her again, She'd been in a bar fight.  Her eye was swollen up, Her lips were fat.  Hives which could nearly rival a display of Her sister's.  We had a similar adventure with a peach.
So we packed Her off to Little One's allergist, and ran all the battery of tests.  As it turned out, Missy was allergic to:
Shellfish/crustaceans 
Peaches
Eggs
These kids, I'm telling you.  They could at least agree on what to be allergic to together, am I right? At least they have eggs in common.  It's so nice for sisters to share.  
Missy's food allergies aren't quite as sensitive as Little One's, in that if She touches one of those foods She might get a few hives, but probably won't end up in the hospital.  The real danger for Her would be actually eating it.  
But we don't really know for sure.  And, as allergists explain to us, the tough thing about food allergy, especially touch-sensitive allergies, is that every time a body reacts to an allergen, it becomes a little more allergic.  After enough exposures, a tipping point can be reached after which the next reaction could be life-threatening.  No one knows just where that tipping point lies.  It's like Russian-roulette with snacks! Fun. So we are careful with Missy, just the same.  
Recently a friend sent me a thank-you card for a meal I brought when her baby was born.  "Can't wait to return the favor!" it said.  I cracked up at that well-meaning offer.  She doesn't know what she's in for!  It's not like you can just bring us a lasagna. But it is the thought that counts, right?
Seriously you can't feed us anything.  Lucky for us we are a family of adventurous eaters, or we'd just all be surviving on applesauce or something.  In some ways it's been a blessing with the kids- they never had the option to get hooked on pizza or chicken nuggets.  For them, seaweed salad or curried lentils are a treat.  Seriously. 
Lucky for Little Miss that if She had to have food allergies, at least She was born into a family that knows how to deal with them like Paula Deen knows how to melt butter.  Lucky for Her She was born to a family that doesn't make eggs for breakfast anyways, that has a freezer full of vegan muffins already. 
And, as She appreciated on Her first visit to the ER, lucky to have a big sister who has Been There, Done That, and can sympathize, show Her the ropes, and watch Her back.

It makes me both sad and happy to watch them at a party or buffet restaurant, comparing notes on what looks safe and what doesn't.  Or to hear Little One coaching Missy or comforting Her when She feels left out.  
"Don't worry, Miss", Little One said at a recent play date when I refused a friend's offer to share a snack, "It's ok of we can't have that snack.  Mommy always has a snack for you.  Look, see?  Here's some grapes.  You can have grapes, then you and your friend can still eat together.  How 'bout that? You can just eat your own snacks on the same bench together!"
Missy perked up and smiled.  "Yeah! I not 'llergic to grapees! And Littal One you not eithah! You want some? I can share it." 

There's nothing pretty about hives and epipens and worry and fear.  But, like all things, there's always a silver lining.  It's sad that my girls have this extra burden to haul around through life.  Like being my kid isn't enough! But if they have to carry it, at least they have someone to help shoulder it sometimes.  And at least when people come over and it's teriyaki chickpeas and kale for dinner, I can use them as an excuse.