I wrote this when we thought that celiac disease was Oliver's diagnosis. I am keeping it here in it's entirety (though I changed the title) because I feel it still all very much applies.
During the past several months, I've come to realize the strong link between food and people. We take food to each other, we socialize over dinner at a restaurant, and we celebrate with food. These are scenarios that most people just take for granted. It breaks my heart that my baby boy will always have to pay such close attention to what he eats. A simple social gathering will not always be so simple for him.
I've gone four months without dairy (while nursing my little boy who is allergic to seemingly everything), and now I've added no gluten too. I feel like it's good that I'll know what he faces. I'll be able to tell him that it sucks when you can't have the bun with your hamburger or when you have to pass on the cupcake, but do I really know? After all, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for me, and that's a light that he won't have.
I hope that he will understand that others don't need to always cater to him. If he has to pass up something, it isn't the end of the world. If he has to eat something different, it will be okay. That's a tall order for a little boy, I know.
Most of all, I hope that he will be strong and be able to speak up for himself in such situations and I hope that I will be able to do the same.
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