Seafood

Ironically, I live in Maryland, so the crab and seafood here are amazing. Unfortunately, I wouldn't know because I've been allergic to seafood since I was a small child, about 3. It all started one night when my family wanted to explore my taste palate and get me to try new foods. My dad, then and now, continues to love all types of seafood, so he chopped up some tuna and put it on a plate for me. I was very young when this occurred, so I don’t remember too much, but from what my family has said, I took a small bite, and after half a minute or so, my lips were plump and bubbly. Following that, I started to struggle to breathe, so my parents rushed me to the hospital. They arrived and actually knew a nurse at the ER, who was our family friend; she recognized the urgency of my allergic reaction and quickly got someone to see me. It was my first time at the hospital, so they told me I was frightened and confused. One thing I clearly remember was throwing up, actually. I wasn’t too sure if it was administered or if I got anti-reaction medication, but I vomited the tuna on the floor and felt very relieved. I assumed my reaction wasn’t too serious because I felt perfectly fine right after. We left the hospital the next day and was prescribed an EpiPen for emergencies. Since then, I’ve had checkups and appointments to see if I’ve grown out of my allergy, but it seems to still be extremely present. I am 16 years old now, and I am allergic to even more variations of food. Maybe one day I’ll grow out of my allergies, but for now, I think I will stay away from fish.