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made a mistake :(

orchid8407orchid8407 member
in Food Allergy

Yesterday I was getting ready for work/ daycare and I packed up DD's food for the day. Well, I sent the wrong container to daycare for her lunch.  It was our left overs with a cream sauce.  DD's was plain in another container. Had to use the Epi for the first time and went to the hospital.

The daycare instructor even text me to ask what DD's lunch was because it smelled delicious. I text back, but she didn't see it before lunch time. That should have tipped me off because she had that lunch several times before.

I have been so guilt ridden. Could not sleep, doubting my ability to work full time, thoughts of how I could make a better system for making her safe and why I didn't do it better.

DD has been in daycare for a full year now. She's 16 months. My family told me that this is the first accident and we are now experienced for future mishaps. I just can't get over the fact that it could have been prevented and I was the one to make the mistake. I mixed avocado in her yogurt in the morning, put it back in the fridge on top of what I thought was her lunch container, grabbed the yogurt and container and went out the door. Her face swelled and she had hives everywhere. There was an epi pen in her locker and hydroxazine with medicine dropper. We had a plan in place, just can't believe it happened.  :(

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Re: made a mistake :(

  • Jen748Jen748 member

    Hugs!!! It was an accident and they happen. This is why EPI pens give me such comfort - knowing they are there for the oops like this gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

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  • aniceucchikaniceucchik
    hey its gonna happen! dont beat yourself up!!! I licked my finger yesterday to try and get some food off jacobs face and a few minutes later i noticed he had hives. Apparently i still had dairy left over in my mouth from my morning cereal...everything is a learning experience!

    Jacob Alexander 7/23/09
    Allergic to Dairy, Eggs and Peanuts Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
    Jameson Adam 6/1/11
    Allergic to Peas...so far Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
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  • magdusiamagdusia member

    I'm sorry!  i get those working doubts all the time and wonder how I'm still working full time.

    I think this was just a remainder of how serious this is and how careful you must be. Thankfully the epipen worked and she's ok.  thankfully you had a plan and it worked.

    We completely avoid all allergens in our house. It sucks!  and if we do order something from a restaurant, we don't keep leftovers... even if it's a lot. No leftovers from a restaurant will ever reach our fridge. 

    Maybe as soon as you have leftovers, you draw a HUGE "avoid" sign on it.. or maybe do red bags for bad stuff.. something where can be easily identified. 

    Don't beat yourself up over it though. she's safe and  you just got a big remainder.

    hugs

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  • luvmagoldnluvmagoldn

    Hugs!  The one time DS got the Epi I gave him a cup with cow's milk in it thinking it was his soy milk.  I felt TERRIBLE.  But things happen.  That's why we have the Epi right?

    In the follow up with the pediatrician I got all emotional about it but she said now you know how to use the Epi, you saw that it worked and you got him to the hospital like you knew you had to.  You've done it.  Now you don't have to fear giving the Epi - you knew what to do.  That made me feel a tiny bit better. : /

    Hugs again! 

    image

    My twins are 5! My baby is 3!

    DS#2 - Allergic to Cashew, Pistachio, Kiwi

    DS#3 - Allergic to Milk, Egg, Peanut, Tree Nuts and Sesame

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  • orchid8407orchid8407 member

    Thanks ladies. I appreciate the support after a day like that!

    Could you help me make a better system?  Do you have designated areas in the fridge, designated containers, what do you do that works for you?  We have labeled containers for DD on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

    If you work, what do you do for food preparation. Evening or morning?  The beginning of the week is the easiest because we make food and divide it up in her containers to put on the bottom shelf. Working full time, I get tired at night so I try to make enough dinner in the fridge for her lunch the next day.

    Any tips, suggestions, advice etc would be great!! 

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  • magdusiamagdusia member
    imageorchid8407:

    Thanks ladies. I appreciate the support after a day like that!

    Could you help me make a better system?  Do you have designated areas in the fridge, designated containers, what do you do that works for you?  We have labeled containers for DD on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

    If you work, what do you do for food preparation. Evening or morning?  The beginning of the week is the easiest because we make food and divide it up in her containers to put on the bottom shelf. Working full time, I get tired at night so I try to make enough dinner in the fridge for her lunch the next day.

    Any tips, suggestions, advice etc would be great!! 

    my system wouldn't work for you since my LO stays home with a nanny.  We also pretty much avoid all high allergens in the house (you will not find dairy/eggs/nuts, but you will find soy since it's low and does not require an epipen).   We also don't bag lunches for work since we get to order free lunch (we don't get a lunch break though)

    But here are some ideas... keep a safe shelf in the fridge/pantry for your FA child. You can buy specific color bags and containers (have her choose the color.. if she's old enough).  This way if you're packing your lunch and her lunch.. her lunch will go into a "RED" bag and yours will always be in a blah color (so hers stands out).  You can even order cool stickers with her name on it "only DD" and post it on the bag

     

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  • Jen748Jen748 member
    imageorchid8407:

    Thanks ladies. I appreciate the support after a day like that!

    Could you help me make a better system?  Do you have designated areas in the fridge, designated containers, what do you do that works for you?  We have labeled containers for DD on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

    If you work, what do you do for food preparation. Evening or morning?  The beginning of the week is the easiest because we make food and divide it up in her containers to put on the bottom shelf. Working full time, I get tired at night so I try to make enough dinner in the fridge for her lunch the next day.

    Any tips, suggestions, advice etc would be great!! 

    We are a peanut/nut free family - it was easiest for us just to cut it out for all of us even though DD is the only one allergic.

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  • Kim72508Kim72508
    I'm so sorry!  Don't beat yourself up.  Accidents happen.  Use it as a learning lesson.  Our system might work for you....we use an actual lunch box for DS when he goes to daycare.  I pack his lunch for the next day as I'm making dinner.  Then it goes right back in the fridge.  We also avoid allergens in the house unless we prepare something for ourselves after he goes to sleep.  No leftovers in the fridge!
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  • FortMyersBrideFortMyersBride
    We have used a nanny since DS was eating solids. Every leftover that goes in the fridge or food in thr pantry that doesn't clearly list allergens gets a big DS safe" sticker on it. If it doesn't have the sticker, the nanny will not feed it to him, regardless of how plain the leftover looks (ie-wouldn't give unlabeled veggies in case they had some sauce on them). Now that he goes to preschool I just pack his lunch the night before and put it in his lunchbox in the frig, so all that has to happen is grabbing the lunchbox on the way out the door.
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  • g_belleg_belle
    we have a "safe" shelf in the refrigerator and the pantry for my son's snacks.  I follow his daycare menu to make packing easy (if they are having cereal bars at breakfast- I pack a safe one for him etc.).  That menu is hanging on the fridge so I can see exactly what I need.  If you are using leftovers etc. for your daughter- I'd buy some kind of special containers that are just for her food.  You could easily print some safe/not-safe labels (buy label paper at office max and make them in Word) so that you can label other things. 
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  • Wendy1210Wendy1210
    Just remember that she is ok and that is ultimately what matters. LO is eating baby food but is starting regular solids. I am considering the allergy free home but not sure my hubby will go for it. But I do like the idea of the special shelves and containers.
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  • EXL311EXL311 member
    I totally understand why you feel that way since I would too if I was in that situation.  From an outside standpoint though it was a simple mistake and you know now that your plan for if/when that does happen works.  I think doing different color containers would be a good idea.  Like your DD's food goes in containers with a red or pink lid, while everyone else's food only go in containers with a blue lid.  I also like the red bag idea.  I think it's great to establish this now so as she gets older she'll be used to knowing what is hers and what isn't.
    Dee Dee DS Elijah Xin 3/11/05 DD Evangeline Mei 8/24/06
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