Another Nut Allergy Story

[EpcotBill]

We were in Epcot one morning and my DS wanted a pastry from the Fountain View cafe. OK, we ask if the croissants are nut free, no nuts, nut oil, never been touched by nuts...etc. The CM assures us no nuts.
DS takes one bite, his face turns red, taps me on the arm and says "can't breathe".
We take DD out of her wheelchair. I carry her. DW gets DS in the wheelchair and run to first aid.
The paramedics are there in about 2 minutes. In the meantime the nurse gives DS a shot of adrenalin.
After about 30 minutes he was OK just very tired.
We went back to our resort, and he slept the rest of the day.
I went back to the Fountain View later to find out what happened. It turns out they used the same tongs to pick up everything. Nuts or not.
Since then we always watch out for that.

 

[JudithM]

Sorry you had that experience, but glad your son survived.

My husband has an allergy to shrimp - not other shellfish, just shrimp. We were out of town at a seafood restaurant with several other friends. My husband ordered a sampler platter & made it quite clear he could not have shrimp or anything that was cooked in or near the shrimp. When the food arrived I immediately noticed shrimp on his platter. Someone in the kitchen substituted shrimp when they ran out of one of the items that was supposed to on the platter. And the waiter was not made aware of the substititution.

A few years ago we went to a local Chinese buffet. Again we asked about shrimp. Many entrees were identified. My husband got a chicken dish. He was about to take a bite when our friend sitting next to him adamantly told him to put down his fork. The chicken dish had baby shrimp in it.

So your experience & the ones above all prove we have to continually be on alert.

 

[SueM in MN]

Wow. There are hidden dangers all over.
I would not have thought of the tongs, but I can see how they would pick up a little of whatever was in them last.
Glad everything worked out for both of you.

 

[erinch]

EpcotBill,
do you carry an epipen?
we had a horrific experience when our DS was spending a few days with friends.
They served a blueberry cobbler with pecans on it.
Since they are sensitive and caring, they had made my DS his own nut-free cobbler in a different pan.
THEN THEY USED THE SAME KNIFE TO CUT THEM BOTH

My hubby and I each thought the other had left the epipen with them.
They ended up taking a harrowing ride in the fog on rural Maine roads to meet the ambulance;
he made it by the skin of his teeth.

They got us on the phone as it was happening. We were staring at the epipen here in pennsylvania,
powerless to beam it over the phone line.

the moral for us was that no matter how careful we are,
there's no guarantee even the most caring will ever "get" exactly
what a fatal allergy to one little particle means.

 

[EpcotBill]

We do have an epipen at home but we forgot to pack it on that trip to the World.

That incident took place when my son was 14 years old.
He hasn't had a major episode since then, and he's 21 now. He's is very careful about nuts. If there is any doubt at all, he won't eat it.