Choose your adventure
[[The Milk Allergy |Milk Allergyl]]
You are excited to go to the annual summer carnival with your friends. As you are walking through the crowd, you can see and hear and smell all of the new foods this season.
Your friends are eagar to order their meals and get their "Instagram-worthy photo".
However, take a moment to assess your options. You're careful to avoid anything that might trigger your severe dairy allergy. Despite your diligence, you notice some stalls lacking clear allergen information, making it difficult to determine which foods are safe.
[[Take a Chance on the French Fries|French Fries]]
[[Sit out for now|Don't order anything]]
As your friends excitedly lick their ice cream cones and snap photo after photo, each one seemingly more Instagram-worthy than the last, you start to feel left out.
[[Wander off]]
[[Continue watching]]You decide to take a chance on the French fries, assuming they're safe since they're a simple snack. You pay for your snack at the cash and as you wait for them to be made, the man behind the counter pours cheese curds and gravy all over your fries.
Great.
[[Tell him you're allergy to dairy|Say something]]
[[Let your friends eat them instead |Share with friends]]"Excuse me, but I'm allergic to dairy," you say to the man.
"Oh, can you just pick it off then?" he says.
"NO!" you reply.
The man looks annoyed by your request so he makes you a new box of fries and rudely hands you them.
As you walk away, you feel disappointed by the man's lack of understanding and empathy. As you munch on the freshly made fries, you carry on, hoping that your small encounter will spark a larger conversation about food allergy safety in public spaces.
[[Wait where did your friends go? | Meet up with friends]]
You find your friends again and you're about to line up for your favourite ride. The ferris wheel! Suddenly your lips feel tingly and you start feeling itchy.
Panic sets in as you realize that despite your best efforts, you're experiencing anaphylaxis. You frantically search through your bag for your epinephrine injector, but it's not there. In your rush to leave the fry stand, you must have forgotten it.
You turn to your friends, explaining the urgency of the situation. They look at you with concern. One of them quickly flags down a nearby carnival employee, explaining the emergency.
[[Tell them to call 911 | Seek 911]]
[[ Find epipen injector]]Within moments, the ambulance arrives, and a paramedic rushes to your side with an epinephrine injector in hand. They administer the life-saving medication, the sharp jab of the injector piercing your thigh.
As you're whisked away in the ambulance, racing toward the hospital, your mind races with worry and confusion. Upon arrival, the doctor wastes no time in assessing the situation, asking you about what you ate.
You manage to say the word "fries," the realization sinking in that even a seemingly harmless snack can be a great danger due to cross-contamination.
The stand was also making frying funnel cakes in the same fryer and topping them whipped cream. You start to blame yourself, but, despite the close call, you're still here, alive to share your story.
As you lay in the hospital bed, surrounded by the hum of medical equipment, you vow to use this experience as a learning lesson. It's time for clearer labeling and stricter safety protocols so no one has to deal with this accident again.
As you race to hurry back to find your epipen injector, you're symptoms are getting worse. A sharp tightening in your chest is making it difficult to breathe.
[[Keep Searching|Keep Searching]]
[[Seek Help|Seek Help]]As you push through the crowd, someone next to you asks why you are pushing them. You explain to them that it's an emergency. Luckily, they are allergic to peanuts and carry an Epi-Pen on them. They hand you their EpiPen and you jab yourself.
[[911]]As you ask a medical assistant on duty, they inform you that there is no epinephrine available on the grounds. Panic sets in, and tears well up in your eyes.
Luckily, one of your friends has grown up with a food allergy in their family and knew to call 9-11 immedietily. While you searched, they already dialed and help is on the way.
With a reassuring hand on your shoulder, your friend offers words of comfort. As you await the arrival of emergency services, you feel grateful for their quick thinking and compassionate response.
[[911]]Within moments, the ambulance arrives, and a paramedic rushes to your side.
As you're whisked away in the ambulance, racing toward the hospital, your mind races with worry and confusion. Upon arrival, the doctor wastes no time in assessing the situation, asking you about what you ate.
You manage to say the word "fries," the realization sinking in that even a seemingly harmless snack can be a great danger due to cross-contamination.
The stand was also making frying funnel cakes in the same fryer and topping them whipped cream. You start to blame yourself, but, despite the close call, you're still here, alive to share your story.
As you lay in the hospital bed, surrounded by the hum of medical equipment, you vow to use this experience as a learning lesson. It's time for clearer labeling and stricter safety protocols so no one has to deal with this accident again.
As you wander off, you get a call from your friends asking where you went. They sound upset that you ditched them.
[[Catch up with them]]Your friends ask why you didn't order anything. You remind them of your dairy allergy, but they aren't understanding the severity.
"Have a little taste," one says. "It won't kill you."
[[Time to go home?]]
[[Remind them of your allergy again]]
When you get back, they alredy left. You wandered far enough that it took 20 minutes to get through the crowd.
[[Time to go home?]]
It can be frustrating when others don't understand the seriousness of your allergy. Sometimes, the best choice is to remove yourself from risky situations and seek the company of those who prioritize your well-being.
You decide to head home, prioritizing your safety and peace of mind. As you settle into bed, you remind yourself that tomorrow is a fresh start, filled with new possibilities and opportunities to surround yourself with caring and supportive people.
As you gather your courage, you address your friends once more, emphasizing the seriousness of your food allergy and the risks it poses to your health and safety. Despite your previous attempts, one of your friends remains skeptical, prompting her to look up information on her phone.
As she scrolls through the search results, her expression shifts from skepticism to shock and concern. She finds alarming statistics and heartbreaking stories of food allergy-related deaths. The reality of your disability hits home, and your friends realize that your warnings were not exaggerated.
With empathy, they apologize for their previous lack of awareness and promise to take your allergy seriously from now on. They pledge to be more supportive, ensuring that you feel safe and included in all future outings and activities.