Public Places

Peanuts at 20,000 Feet

I was on an airplane heading on vacation and the person sitting beside me opened up their bag and brought out a big bag of peanuts. I am allergic to peanuts and get very anxious and stressed when I’m near them. I asked the passenger if they could not eat their peanuts and explained the severity of my allergies. They were completely fine with not opening them and were quite interested in learning more about anaphylaxis.

What can others learn from this?

Be upfront about your food allergies. You shouldn’t hide them, since you might find yourself in situations where you experience unnecessary anxiety and risks because you didn’t speak up in the first place. Tell the airline ahead of time and ask the flight attendant to make an announcement, or simply speak to those in the rows around you about avoiding nuts during the flight.

Take me out to the Ball Game

I went to a major league baseball game with a group of friends where unfortunately we found many fans in our section eating peanuts and throwing their peanut shells everywhere! I felt nervous and knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the game there. My friends suggested that we go up to the upper deck where we can have lots of space and I wouldn't be anxious about my peanut allergy. We decided to move to the worst seats in the stadium where we had an awesome time because we could be as loud as we wanted! We even got on the jumbo tron!

What can others learn from this?

Get your friends on board. If they are aware of your food allergies and what situations you feel uncomfortable with, they will more than likely help you out.

Have you encountered a difficult situation regarding your food allergy in a public place? How did you manage it? Share your experience!