Sheri’s Story

Sheri is 51 years old and currently living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is a mom of seven and has been working as a therapist for 15 years. Sheri suffers from oral allergy syndrome and is allergic to tree nuts, raw fruits, and raw vegetables.

Sheri has adult-onset allergies which developed after she had kids. She first noticed after eating a tree nut caused a tingling sensation in her mouth. Never have experiencing food allergies before, she didn’t think much of it until it happened again. She stopped eating nuts after she noticed this reaction.

Allergic reactions can vary for her. Sometimes she may get a stuffy nose, itchy and swollen eyes, or an overall unwell feeling. Her reactions began to increase in severity over time. She’s only had to use an EpiPen twice. One of the most severe reactions she suffered from was triggered from just peeling an orange for her daughter. Thankfully, her son was home and able to administer an EpiPen and call an ambulance.

“I went cationic. I just started feeling kind of weird, like I could understand and hear everything that was going on, but I couldn’t respond at all.”

 The second time she had to use an EpiPen was after a doctor told her she was no longer allergic to apples. He reassured her that she had out grown the allergy, and she would be fine if she ate an apple. After hearing this, she took it as good news and ate a small piece of an apple. This triggered a severe reaction.

Sheri carries antihistamine with her and will take one in the event she does have an allergic reaction. In the past, she was more diligent with keeping EpiPens on her. But as she began working from since the pandemic, she doesn’t bring them with her as often due to being home more often.

Sheri’s allergies have brought upon a fear of being a burden to others, which often manifesting in being less careful than she wants to be or often blaming herself. She recognizes that she downplays the severity of her own allergies, which results in less urgent response in moments where she does accidentally consume an allergen.  

“It should be that I’m nervous, or fearful, or like, I should react soon. But it usually is not the appropriate reaction. And usually it’s like, ‘Oh I’ll be fine, it’s not that big a deal.’”

Despite her own struggles to prioritize her allergies, she has seen a general lack of awareness or sympathy from others. Sheri recalls getting notes from her kids’ schools requesting that nuts are not packed in lunches due to a child’s allergy. Parents in the class reacted as if this was an overreaction and an inconvenience to them.

“It’s not somebody being a diva. It’s a life-or-death issue for some people.” 

Sheri believes that there is not enough awareness and education surrounding food allergies in our society. She acknowledges that as someone who has food allergies, she is not as informed as she wants to be.

When she does seem food allergies represented in the media, it’s often for comedic purposes. She hopes to see that change and have media be a tool for food allergy education.

“It’s not showing that you can live a productive healthy life, even with [food allergies]. It’s manageable, but you need to be informed appropriately.”  

Before having food allergies herself, being mindful to other’s allergies wasn’t on her radar. She urges people to normalize talking about food allergies, and that everyone should openly engage in conversations about them.

“Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. You’re worth it. It’s not inconvenient…There’s a way to manage this so you have a decent quality of life.”

She urges other’s to be accommodating to people with food allergies and treat them with patience and kindness.

“Don’t judge. Try to understand. Ask questions, ask what you can do or shouldn’t do. Listen, and just be supportive.”