The First Time We Used an EpiPen

Even though I have carried an epi-pen around in my bag for more than a decade (not the same one obvi, they expire every year), I have never actually taken it out to administer before. Hindsight and better communication with our doctor tell me I should have given it to Riley more than once. But a cookie changed all that, and we had to use the epi-pen for the first time.

The day after returning from Miami, as I walked into the salon, Remy’s school called. The teacher said she had accidentally given Remy a chocolate chip cookie. He ate half of it before she realized what had happened.

I froze. All the blood drained from my face. The room began to spin a little.

She said he threw up. A lot. And now he was sitting at the table, playing with a friend. I told her I would be sending my husband to pick him up, and I explained that if anything else happened, she was to administer the epi-pen and call 911.

Stu flew into action. He was closer to the school than I was. So he was going to pick Rem up. I left the salon immediately and from my car I called Remy’s allergy doc. She told me we had to give the epi-pen and take him to the ER. Since he definitely ingested egg, he had to have a dose of epinephrine. Stu called as I was hanging up. He was at the school, and Remy had started throwing up again. I relayed the doctor’s orders. One of the teachers (she’s an EMT too) hit him with the epi. The screaming was too much for me. I was crying in my car.

As Stu was heading to the hospital, I stopped at the house for extra clothes (Stu and Rem were gross). And I grabbed other hospital essentials – extra diapers, wipes, chargers. One of my friends said she would pick my big kids up for dinner if we didn’t make it back in time.

By the time I got to the hospital, Remy was doing pretty good. He looked ok. He was high on all the meds and playing with his toys in the ER room. The doc kept us for several hours. And then we were discharged.

It was interesting how this event effected me differently than any of the times we’ve brought Riley to the ER. I think it was because Remy is so small. He can’t verbalize when something is wrong or off with the food. Looking back over the last 10+ years of being an “allergy mom” I am so grateful that Riley’s reactions were never worse; there were several times when he should have been given the epi too.

Anaphylaxis is terrifying. It can come on in a matter of seconds. The ONLY thing that will stop an anaphylactic reaction is epinephrine. Any food can be an allergen… there are 9 that the FDA requires manufacturers to label on food, called the Top Nine. Any food allergen can be deadly… there is NO SUCH THING AS A MILD FOOD ALLERGY. ALL food allergies are potentially deadly.

And because of these horrifying truths, I am neurotic about my boys and food. More food allergy info can be found here: FARE: Food Allergy Research & Education.

For more of our food allergy adventures check out that time I suspected Remy’s allergy or what it’s like to eat at home.