Action.
Action is the result of your empowerment; it is what will enable you to develop a healthier lifestyle paradigm.
Anaphylaxes had the upper hand, prior to your diagnosis... It could have struck at any time, and, literally, wiped you out. Now, you are on the look-out for it... And you know the warning signs, and how to deal with it... You will make mistakes, but that's okay -- you'll be able to handle it. You are now equipped to keep the enemy at bay and win the war.
How do I define "winning the war"? There is no one definition. Anaphylactic allergies can be outgrown -- allergists suggest re-testing every seven years. However, we are not all that lucky. Some of us are in this for the longest haul of all -- the nature of these allergies, according to modern science, is unpredictable. So how do we win in this situation? We win the war by proactively addressing the issue -- by developing a positive lifestyle that allows us to enjoy the luxuries of life, sculpting out the bits that prove to be life-threatening, and erecting allergen barriers that provide us the maximum safety and freedom possible. We win the war by developing an alternative lifestyle that preserves an acceptable quality of life.
What's "acceptable"? Only you can define that. But I advise you to define parameters that are forgiving enough not to leave you feeling frustrated or deprived. Yep -- I just used the D-word -- only an insane person would see a huge, purple elephant sitting next to him/her and deny it peanuts. The deprivation mindset can suck you downwards like quicksand -- do yourself and everyone in your life a favor -- don't let it. It's okay to allow yourself to go there initially -- it does, after all, suck like a neverending Tootsiepop without the Tootsie... But noone will want to accompany you through your perpetual victim saga... And, frankly, the victim mentality spirals downward... Wrong direction.
In all probability, there are things in life that you either missed out on, or underappreciated before your anaphylactic allergy became active. Things that you might now be more open to trying... And, to your pleasant surprise, liking. When one door closes, another opens up... Somewhere... You just have to follow the draft.
Back to "action". Your Action Plan should, first and foremost, help you avoid anaphylactic events. It should be a "work in progress" for the lifespan of your allergy. As you have more life experiences and your body ages, you can refine the plan along the way. Talk to others who live an anaphylactic lifestyle -- ask them how they manage to safely enjoy activities that could potentially lead to an anaphylactic event (e.g. If yours is a food allergy, how can you continue to eat in restaurants without ending up in the ER at the end of the meal?).... If it makes sense to you, make some of their tricks your own -- create your own repertoire using the benefit of others' experiences in addition to your own. The best action plan for you is one that only you can devise, because you alone know every single thing you do every moment of the day.
Justice. Knowledge. Liberate. Let's go have some fun!
Action is the result of your empowerment; it is what will enable you to develop a healthier lifestyle paradigm.
Anaphylaxes had the upper hand, prior to your diagnosis... It could have struck at any time, and, literally, wiped you out. Now, you are on the look-out for it... And you know the warning signs, and how to deal with it... You will make mistakes, but that's okay -- you'll be able to handle it. You are now equipped to keep the enemy at bay and win the war.
How do I define "winning the war"? There is no one definition. Anaphylactic allergies can be outgrown -- allergists suggest re-testing every seven years. However, we are not all that lucky. Some of us are in this for the longest haul of all -- the nature of these allergies, according to modern science, is unpredictable. So how do we win in this situation? We win the war by proactively addressing the issue -- by developing a positive lifestyle that allows us to enjoy the luxuries of life, sculpting out the bits that prove to be life-threatening, and erecting allergen barriers that provide us the maximum safety and freedom possible. We win the war by developing an alternative lifestyle that preserves an acceptable quality of life.
What's "acceptable"? Only you can define that. But I advise you to define parameters that are forgiving enough not to leave you feeling frustrated or deprived. Yep -- I just used the D-word -- only an insane person would see a huge, purple elephant sitting next to him/her and deny it peanuts. The deprivation mindset can suck you downwards like quicksand -- do yourself and everyone in your life a favor -- don't let it. It's okay to allow yourself to go there initially -- it does, after all, suck like a neverending Tootsiepop without the Tootsie... But noone will want to accompany you through your perpetual victim saga... And, frankly, the victim mentality spirals downward... Wrong direction.
In all probability, there are things in life that you either missed out on, or underappreciated before your anaphylactic allergy became active. Things that you might now be more open to trying... And, to your pleasant surprise, liking. When one door closes, another opens up... Somewhere... You just have to follow the draft.
Back to "action". Your Action Plan should, first and foremost, help you avoid anaphylactic events. It should be a "work in progress" for the lifespan of your allergy. As you have more life experiences and your body ages, you can refine the plan along the way. Talk to others who live an anaphylactic lifestyle -- ask them how they manage to safely enjoy activities that could potentially lead to an anaphylactic event (e.g. If yours is a food allergy, how can you continue to eat in restaurants without ending up in the ER at the end of the meal?).... If it makes sense to you, make some of their tricks your own -- create your own repertoire using the benefit of others' experiences in addition to your own. The best action plan for you is one that only you can devise, because you alone know every single thing you do every moment of the day.
Justice. Knowledge. Liberate. Let's go have some fun!
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