Today was a mixture of frustration and then happiness. Dealing with restaurants can sometimes be very frustrating but other times it can help lead to a smile.
I am again going to explain a two restaurant evening that we had.
Restaurant 1
We went to a local pub which I have been eating ate for a while and normally have been able to eat without too much of a problem. The last time we were there I had a problem with the chicken wings but I was going to give the restaurant a second chance and I did tonight.
This is the last time we will be at this pub due to the server that we had and the response that we got from the kitchen. I ordered my wings and asked that the server let the kitchen know that I had a shellfish allergy. Normally that hasn't been a problem and they took precautions to ensure I could eat. Tonight the server came back and her response was "They can't guarantee that they would be safe". My choices were to figure out something else to eat or have nothing. After hearing a comment like that I wasn't going to eat because I felt that the kitchen staff was not going to watch and handle my food with care. Maybe they couldn't guarnatee that the wings were safe but the server never gave me any choices which was very frustrating. In most cases if I haven't been able to have some type of food most restaurants or pubs have been welling to suggest something else that I could have, tonight there was no willingness to help with alternatives.
I have now walked away from this pub for a long while, frustrated and may never know if it was the kitchen that couldn't deal with my shellfish allergy or if was just the server that couldn't deal with it. For now I cannot risk that establishment and will not go back until I know that real changes have been made.
Restaurant 2
After leaving the first restaurant and me not eating we headed off to a restaurant that shows that they really care and is able to deal with my various allergies and doesn't seem to have a problem with challenges.
We were seated with a server that we know and I was able to order my Fajitas without any problem and enjoyed my dinner. The manager was also there that knows us and I know that the kitchen is very careful to ensure that the possible exposure to my allergens is pretty limited. I know that there is no guarantee that I would not have an allergic reaction while eating out but at least it limits the possibility.
I never ask for a 100% guarantee that there will be no exposure to my allergens while my meal is being prepared but what I am asking is that some precautions are taken. My feeling is that with dealing with severe allergies there is no 100% guarantee to avoidance to my allergens, you just try and limit the exposure.
Yes my evening started out with a frustration but am happy that after changing restaurants I was able to smile and feel that I got at least some guarantee to limited exposure. Maybe it wasn't 100% but it was a lot better than 0% which was what I felt I would have got at the first pub.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Ups and Downs
I was having a really good month so haven't been posted and maybe that is part of the problem.
Friday I didn't have a good day as I ended up have another severe allergy reaction. I am not 100% sure what it was from but I think it was due to clams being cooked at the show that I was at. I waked by an area and it didn't seem to bother me but I walked down the next aisle and ended up feeling really rotten.
This reaction hit me very fast and thank goodness my husband was with me and I took a benadryl and thought it was going to be ok. I walked a few more feet and ended up feeling worse. Thank goodness a security guard was near by and got me a chair. This ended up with first aid being called.
This is the first time that I have every had emergency aid but thank goodness that the reaction ended up being not too severe and after getting some rest I was feeling better. I did end up drinking a litre and a half in about an hour.
I have been pretty scare the rest of the weekend but thank goodness having my husband around has helped me deal with the fear. Now to see how things go over the next week.
Friday I didn't have a good day as I ended up have another severe allergy reaction. I am not 100% sure what it was from but I think it was due to clams being cooked at the show that I was at. I waked by an area and it didn't seem to bother me but I walked down the next aisle and ended up feeling really rotten.
This reaction hit me very fast and thank goodness my husband was with me and I took a benadryl and thought it was going to be ok. I walked a few more feet and ended up feeling worse. Thank goodness a security guard was near by and got me a chair. This ended up with first aid being called.
This is the first time that I have every had emergency aid but thank goodness that the reaction ended up being not too severe and after getting some rest I was feeling better. I did end up drinking a litre and a half in about an hour.
I have been pretty scare the rest of the weekend but thank goodness having my husband around has helped me deal with the fear. Now to see how things go over the next week.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Lessons I have learned
While dealing with my various food allergies I have learned quite a few lessons and I hope that I can help others deal with their food allergies a little easier. Here are some of the lessons that I have learned.
1. Never to afraid to ask what is in something because ingredients do change and something what was safe may not be safe any longer or something what wasn't safe may be safe now.
2. Read ingredients on items you are going to purchase each time for the same reason you always ask about ingredients.
3. If you think something is wrong with the food that you received never be afraid to push it aside and don't feel that you must eat it. This is one lesson that has been very hard for me to learn.
4. Know that in most cases people you are eating out with will understand if you cannot eat something. Business lunches are very stressful but you have to take the same precautions when dealing with servers and kitchen staff. People that can't deal with reasonable precautions really don't care and these are the people you limit your business lunches with.
5. Let others know that you have severe food allergies and teach them how to use the auto injector (epi-pen or twinjet). You never know when someone may have to help you or someone else with a severe allergy reaction.
6. Understand that you are not different than anyone else, we are all unique. Dealing with severe food allergies is difficult but everyone has their own challenges that they deal with.
These are just some of the lessons that I have learned and I hope these will help others. I will continue to write up the lessons that I learn so that I can help others.
1. Never to afraid to ask what is in something because ingredients do change and something what was safe may not be safe any longer or something what wasn't safe may be safe now.
2. Read ingredients on items you are going to purchase each time for the same reason you always ask about ingredients.
3. If you think something is wrong with the food that you received never be afraid to push it aside and don't feel that you must eat it. This is one lesson that has been very hard for me to learn.
4. Know that in most cases people you are eating out with will understand if you cannot eat something. Business lunches are very stressful but you have to take the same precautions when dealing with servers and kitchen staff. People that can't deal with reasonable precautions really don't care and these are the people you limit your business lunches with.
5. Let others know that you have severe food allergies and teach them how to use the auto injector (epi-pen or twinjet). You never know when someone may have to help you or someone else with a severe allergy reaction.
6. Understand that you are not different than anyone else, we are all unique. Dealing with severe food allergies is difficult but everyone has their own challenges that they deal with.
These are just some of the lessons that I have learned and I hope these will help others. I will continue to write up the lessons that I learn so that I can help others.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Quiet week
I haven't been posting this week as things have been very quiet for me. My allergies have been Ok and have really been watching what I have been eating.
We did go out for dinner a couple of times to restaurants that were very safe and we both enjoyed our dinners. It's nice going to someplace where I do feel safe and can relax some while having dinner. I know that I always have to be somewhat alert but knowing the restaurant understands how to deal with my allergies makes it a little easier.
Well now to see how next week is.
We did go out for dinner a couple of times to restaurants that were very safe and we both enjoyed our dinners. It's nice going to someplace where I do feel safe and can relax some while having dinner. I know that I always have to be somewhat alert but knowing the restaurant understands how to deal with my allergies makes it a little easier.
Well now to see how next week is.
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