Community. Fraternity. Equality. ...and Food Allergies

Ok. Maybe I'm not French, but I felt community, fraternity( and sisterhood) and equality this weekend at the FARE Teen Summit. Once again kids gathered and bonded over being just like everyone else in the room -- and video games and karaoke and hair cuts and school and dating and bullying and allergens and Epi-pens. 

  While parents talked about eye rolling and 504s and college planning and Epi- pens. 

  It was fun. It was tiring. It was informative. But mostly it was about finding community, sharing strategies and making new friends.

   For me, oldster that I am, it was seeing old friends too. Friends I met at previous Summits-- and sharing pictures of our college age kids and telling the middle school folks-- you can do it AND it gets easier. 

  I'm very grateful for my food allergy community and the opportunity to speak about my experiences. And I learn something new every time -- like there's a mobile help alert system( wireless) that you can get your child (ok it's sort of like an old person's Life Alert system). So if he's alone and having a reaction or she passes out-- someone calls and help is sent. Something to think about. 

 So great to see everyone, and as I said in my presentation: it's doable-- and remember it's Who is at the table-- not what's on it that counts.