There was a time when I enjoyed staying in hotel rooms and eating out regularly. Maybe it’s just me getting older, but somehow the whole deal has lost most of its flair. I’m popping another Claritin D as we speak, trying to fend off the headache and sneezing that comes with almost every hotel experience. Why is that? Am I just getting older or is it environmental factors?

My allergies are bothersome, but my son has one that is lethal: He is allergic to peanuts, cashews, and a list of other nuts and legumes. The night we discovered it he had eaten only a sliver of a cashew and we had to call an ambulance. The poor little guy takes it well, but it scares me silly. Every restaurant experience begins with a discussion about whether they use peanut oil for cooking and are there any nuts in the dishes or breads we wish to order. By the way–one of the children’s favorite fast-food places, Chik-Fil-A, uses peanut oil. Bummer.

I spoke with a chef at Disney this week. He said that when he started working there 15 years ago it was a rarity to have someone inquire about food allergies. Now he is seeing about 150 customers per week who need special attention and advise. What is going on? Is it the pesticides we are using? Is it because of genetic crop-building procedures? Talk about roadturns–this one is going in the wrong direction.

Our son’s doctor recommended that he wear a medical alert wristband. Plenty of people do that for special medical conditions and it is something that paramedics and others know to look for. Searching for the right one for Zach, I found that the variety of choices available for Medical ID is impressive. There is even a Medical Watch available. The one that fits him best is the necklace with a pendant. Mama said gold. I said silver. Zach gets gold.

Since he is too young to really understand the situation, though, we took it a step further. We made up a button to pin on his shirt that says, “Don’t Feed Me, Ask Mama First.” It all sounds a bit much perhaps, but if you would have been there to see the boy in the hospital that night you would understand.