[suebee]

At times I find that some people say allergy when what they really mean is that a smell bothers them or they're sensitive to it. I'm one of those people. But that sensitivity may mean that I spend the rest of the day in a darkened room with a migraine or sneezing and coughing. Minor - but it sure can ruin my day.

I used to work with special needs kids. I had one little boy - Alex - who had severe food allergies. And not just if he ate certain foods. Often just smelling the food could provoke an anaphalactic reaction. They lived too close to McDonald's. They had to move. They used to go camping. Too many grills with beef on them, so they stayed home. When they went to see the ultra-specialized allergy doctor they had to fly because they couldn't risk having a reaction on a train. The airline had to make sure no beef or peanuts or a dozen other things were in the same cabin as Alex - or leftover smells of any of those things. God bless them - they were fabulous to deal with. I was involved in trying to make arrangements for Alex to go to school. Teleconferencing was an option, but that would mean he would never have any socialization other than his siblings. The school board was fabulous too. I didn't get to see how it turned out because I changed jobs and cities. But I thought that the little guy deserved the chance to go to school, because - quite frankly - I didn't think he would live long. Even when he was at the hospital he was exposed to life-threatening allergens - and this even though everyone was supposed to be informed and arrangements made accordingly.

So when I think of allergies I think of Alex, and I wonder if he's still alive and hope that he's having, or had the best quality life possible. I think that's worth a little inconvenience on my part. Sorry if this sounds a little melodramatic, but the changes I'd have to make to accomodate someone with allergies to food, or smells, or most other things for that matter, seem pretty minor compared to the difference it can make to them.

Sue