The Epi-Card

It's a credit card........ It's a compact mirror...............it's a box of mints......

NO, its the newest technology in portable ephedrine delivery - It's

THE EPI-CARD

Epi-Card will inject a dose of epinephrine through an easy-to-use, credit-card-sized device that is small enough to fit in a purse, wallet or pocket. He hopes his smaller design will alleviate the dangerous tendency seen in many people -- especially teenagers concerned about fitting in -- who "forget" Epi-Pen at home or leave it out of reach in a vehicle. The Epi-Card also will contain a spring device to retract the needle after use, a safety precaution no other injection system offers.

What is almost as cool as this new invention, is that it was invented by identical twins Evan and Eric Edwards who themselves suffer from life threatening food allergies. As a result of their personal experiences, they built their education around developing solutions for patients and their loved-ones facing the same challenges. Thus the Epi-Card and their company Intelliject were created.

This product is currently on the last stages of development. It is not yet approved by FDA, but they expect to get approval for the product in 2009.

If you want to read more about this really cool story an invention check out these links.

This is Allergic Girl's really great interview with the inventors Evan and Eric Edwards

http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3900/42426/edwards-intelliject

The Company Web site

http://www.intelliject.com/

A news article.

http://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2002/inventor-april-4-2002.html

Playing with Peanuts

I have to say I feel supremely honored. My fellow amazing blogger Jennifer B. at the Food Allergy Buzz did a post mentioning my strange fascination with odd uses of peanuts and how I find them both fascinating and disturbing at the same time. She had thought of me because she saw a board game called the Count Your Peanuts Math Game.

So, for Jennifer (great name by the way), and because the Holidays are on the way, I have tried to find other unique peanut games.

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Game

Description: The "Make Your Own Sandwich Game" now comes packaged in an adorable tin lunch box! What better way to transport all those yummy PB&J's you just made? Like the classic children's board game, this card game has you build peanut butter and jelly sandwiches using playing cards that depict all the ingredients. Only this time, a giant rubber fly might land right in your sandwich, or an ant might come and carry some of it away! If you can be the first to build 3 complete sandwiches, you'll win the game - and have yourself quite a feast! Game comes with 54 cards, a plastic fly, and game instructions. For 2 - 4 players, Ages 4 and Up.

http://www.areyougame.com/interact/item.asp?itemno=FX4264

The Nutty Elephant Game

Nutty Elephant is a spinning, talking, musical elephant with flopping ears and a trunk that moves up and down. Nutty is always hungry for peanuts. See if he will take one from your hand. As Nutty lifts his trunk up, up goes your peanut. Be the first to get all of your peanuts in Nutty's mouth and you win.
http://www.toysit.com/nutty-elephant-board-game/

The Comments From the Peanut Gallery Game

Description - The card game where your opinion counts. A fast-moving, fast-talking, really nutty game!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FJ2HFC?smid=A16VR4D4EUR82B&tag=priceg9-20&linkCode=asnProduct

Of course the last is my favorite of the group. But if you ever feel like playing with peanuts, here are some options.

Halloween with Food Allergies - Useful Resources

I have started trying to prepare for Halloween, and decided I should consolidate all my Halloween resources into one place. Here you go. There is some great information on trick or treating safety, candy alternatives, and safe candy information. I will tell everyone how we deal with Halloween here, that has worked so far. I know, you are holding your breath waiting.

Sure Foods Living

Allison at Sure Foods Living has made the most amazing list of information on almost every possible Halloween candy you can think of. It is completely awesome!!! Allison Rocks!!!!

The quick and easy candy information list.

http://surefoodsliving.com/2008/10/07/gluten-free-and-allergen-free-candy-quick-list/

The full and complete candy information list

http://surefoodsliving.com/2008/10/07/halloween-candy-for-kids-with-food-allergies/

Avoiding Milk Protein's great list of information on all sorts of candy

http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/candy.htm

Kids with Food Allergies Halloween info

Recipes

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=119&title=allergy_free_Halloween_recipes

Safety tips

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=42&title=Safely_celebrating_Halloween_when_your_child_has_food_allergies

Safe trick or treating

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=56&title=How_to_take_the_tricks_out_of_treats_when_your_child_has_food_allergies

From the AAAAI

a trick or treat checklist to give you ideas to make trick or treating safer

http://www.aaaai.org/patients/elements/1008/08halloween_checklist.stm

A nice article about the dangers of Halloween for allergic kids

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/124766.php

FAAN's tips on how to have a safe Halloween

http://www.foodallergy.org/Support/Halloween/SafetyTips.html

8 Tips published by Enjoy Life Foods

(of course one of them is buy lots of enjoy life foods to have on hand, but they are really good tips.)

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/img/media/Allergy-aware%20Halloween%20tips%20from%20Enjoy%20Life%20and%20Allergy%20Moms.pdf

Allergy Moms at About.Com

A great list of ideas and alternatives for making Halloween fun for the little ones no matter what.

http://specialchildren.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=specialchildren&cdn=parenting&tm=27&gps=67_964_1579_816&f=21&tt=13&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.allergymoms.com/uploads/newsletters/halloweentipstreats.html

Politics in America - The Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue

I unfortunately have caught the nasty virus that is going around, so I am not my usual witty self. However, in honor of the upcoming presidential election, I thought I would share another interesting peanut find -

The Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/roadside-statues5.htm

"Jimmy Carter Peanut Sculpture: Plains, Georgia
Publications International, Ltd.The Jimmy Carter Peanut Sculpture in Plains, Georgia, commemorates the former president's peanut-farming days.
Created by Dem­ocrats in Indiana for a Jimmy Carter visit during his presidential campaign in 1976, this roadside statue -- a 13-foot peanut -- pays homage to the former president's peanut-farming background and toothy grin.
Its creators subsequently gave it to the president, and it now sits only a stone's throw from his old campaign headquarters in Georgia."

Allergy and Asthma Saga -What I Learned - Breathing is Really Important

So, this exciting saga is turning out to be way to long. My first three part blog post!! What will be next??

Things have calmed down around here. Conor can breath again, and has developed an intense and frequent relationship with his new nebulizer aka fishy face, or dragon fish (because the fish blows steam). Conor is only experiencing minor roid rage from the oral steroids, and has not yet damaged himself or anyone else when overcome by his steroidal impulses. Michael is obsessed with the fishy face nebulizer, and stares at frozen like a deer in headlights, and Nataie could care less about the whole smoking buzzing object. All she cares about is making sure her roid raging brother does not destroy anything that belongs to her.

I said in my last post that I had some deep moral to share - so here it goes - Breathing is really important! That is deep isn't it. What I really mean, is I was so excited dreaming about the possibility of getting eggs back into our diet, I forgot how important breathing really is. Right now I am so happy Conor is not hacking, wheezing, coughing and barking that I could care less if an egg can ever set foot in our house. I think what I am trying to say is that I discovered how important it is to appreciate what we do have, and not what we don't. My mother has heart failure, and has been sick in and out of the hospital for the last few weeks, thus necessitating a flurried weekend road trip. Now also being reminded of Conor's other health issues, I really appreciate how good things are when they aren't so bad. It really all is relative......but breathing is really important.

We do have an appointment in two weeks to do an egg trial before getting Conor's flu shot. So you just never know........Breathing is important, but eggs are kind of nice.