Real-Life Food Allergies in College
- Pull off gray safety cap.
- Press black tip against thigh.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
I used to do these steps all the time with an orange. It felt so easy and simple.
The first time I used my EpiPen ®, I was in Guatemala returning home from a camp.
I was waiting for my airplane to take off, and I had to get out because I was having an anaphylactic reaction.
When I swallowed the allergen, I knew something was wrong, and then suddenly it clicked in my mind that I was alone and that I was having a reaction. I knew it was time to use my EpiPen; it couldn’t wait.
All the practices with the oranges that seemed so simple and easy suddenly seemed scary and complicated. But it was a matter of death and life. And I knew how to do it; I just wasn’t expecting it.
I sat on the floor and held the EpiPen tightly. I suddenly felt ready. The instructions were clear in my head:
Pull off gray safety cap.
Press black tip against thigh.
Hold for 15 seconds.
All of the sudden I heard a “click,” and I began counting slowly.
It wasn’t that painful; it felt more like a relief. I felt a mix of emotions: I was exhausted, happy, sad, homesick, scared … and tons more. But I learned that you’re never alone if you have your EpiPen and you know how to use it.
I also learned that the EpiPen instructions are missing a step: Courage.
