Reflections on Halloween and growing up as me

Some may find this comic funny. For many, it's a reality. Growing up I was a kid with allergies, back before allergies were really well known.

Try being a kid in the 70's who couldn't drink Kool-Aid because you're was allergic to 3 of the red dyes used, 2 of the yellow dyes AND sugar. Who had couldn't have normal popsicles (my mom had to make apple juice popsicles for me) or ice cream. Who had a mother that had to send special lunches to day care and school because of allergies and not being able to partake food at friends birthday parties. I know I was lucky in that my allergies were not as contact sensitive as many with peanut allergies. But it was just one more thing that alienated me and made me different from the other kids. Just one more thing to be teased about and called freak/weird/loser.

Even now, as an adult, I have to turn down lunch invitations due to allergies. Or I go to be social then end up making the others feel bad because I am stuck with plain white rice or nothing at all. I have to do the "is it worth being ill for the next X amount of time or do I just decline" for many things. Even now, as an adult, there is a bit of hurt being playfully teased with "plates of death" even if the list of "plates of death" is significantly smaller than when I was a kid. It's easier to laugh off at 40 than it was at 4. It's easier now that I have friends who also have medical or chosen food limitations. Doesn't mean it's still not hard. Doesn't mean there still isn't envy of those who can order anything they want without having to first weigh consequences.

I have great sympathy for the kids today who are now going through what I went through as a kid. The only thing I envy them for is that it is now "socially acceptable" and more recognized.

But this experience is another reason I give toys and pencils out at Halloween instead of candy. I can't do much but at least there is less chance of mom and dad taking away a pencil than a snickers bar.