peanut-allergy service dog for charlie

Being a parent is unlike anything a person will ever do.  With it comes immense responsibility, pride, worry, and of course, unconditional LOVE.  For a moment, picture your own children (or just children you love like your own!)  Think of a smile, the way he flutters his eyes just before he goes to sleep.  Think of the way his little body snuggles against you after a nightmare or a long day.  Think of the fierce protectiveness you feel when your child is ill or teased by a classmate. 

Now imagine that EVERY time you are away from your child and you receive a text message beep...your palms get sweaty and your heart beats faster.  Why?  Because invisible residue from something as simple as a PEANUT could cause a fatal reaction.  His body looks at this food as an intruder and despite numerous ways of making him "safe" - there is always room for error.  Questions I ask myself daily..."Will the next time I see him in a hospital?  What if a classmate has peanut residue on his/her hands?  Please, please remember to keep your hands out of your mouth buddy.  Will other adults recognize anaphylaxis?"

This is NOT the kind of mom I want to be, the kind of life I want for my child.  In January at a birthday party Charlie went into anaphylaxis and almost stopped breathing...because somehow invisible peanut residue got into his mouth.  We still do not know exactly what happened but within minutes he was vomiting, turning blue, swollen, and gasping for air.  I never, ever want to see my child this way again.

So, after a lot of though, I decided to try to get an extra layer of protection - a peanut allergy dog.  This dog can detect even the smallest bit of peanut at the grocery store, restaurants, and at school.  These dogs are AMAZING - but come at a high price.  We are attempting to raise this money as quickly as possible so our family can be just a little safer.  Thank you so much for considering a donation!