I almost forgot...

I've been busy running around to the campsite, to class, back to the campsite, home....you get the picture. They are still out there and it rained most of the day. They are filthy and happy. More on that later.

I almost forgot to tell you what happened on Friday.

My phone rings during class cause I once again forgot to shut off my ringer. I was giving directions so I silenced it without looking. I finished up and then checked called id, and it was Ab's school.

I start imagining what is happening there.

I check my messages and it is the school nurse and she sounds urgent and tells me to call immediately, and that she was going to try the school.

Worries me more.

I call back within 30 seconds and get the nurse.

Me: Hi, this is Ab's mom, you just left a voicemail and I am returning your phone call.
Nurse: (still sounding urgent) Yes, we have Abs in the office and she's been exposed to pepperoni.
Me: Pepperoni? Seriously?
Nurse: Yes, she told me that she is deathly allergic to it, but I don't see record of it.
Me: To Pepperoni? As in the stuff on pizza? (in disbelief)
Nurse: She is itching and her throat is scratchy. Does she have an epi pen? Does she take medication? Do we need to medevac her out?
Me: We are talking about Abs _______ right?
Nurse: Yes
Me: She's not allergic to pepperoni.
Nurse: What?
Me: No, she's not allergic to it, she went on a field trip on Wednesday and someone had pepperoni pizza and then touched her and Abs decided she was allergic to it and she was itchy. Go figure, I have no idea.
Nurse: she's really scratching and it's red
Me: I imagine it is, if she is scratching it. She's not allergic to pepperoni, and if she was she shouldn't have eaten it. Send her back to class, she's fine.
Nurse: (starting to relax) Do you want to talk to her?
Me: Oh yeah.

Abs: Hello? (said in a weak sickly voice)
Me: Hey Abs, heard you ingested a little pepperoni
Abs: Yes, and I am allergic to it.
Me: No you aren't, but you freaked out the nurse
Abs: I really am allergic to it.
Me: Then drink a cup of water, go to the bathroom and you will be cured?
Abs: Are you kidding?
Me: No, get back to class and no more pepperoni.
Abs: Okay. (defeated)

I do listen to my students when they say that they are allergic to something. Once one told me he couldn't eat fish, so I called the nurse, and she said he could. I called the parent who freaked out and said he was deathly allergic to it and raced up to the school. I guess you can never be too safe. I did assure the nurse that if Abs was allergic to anything that I would make sure her teacher and the school was notified.

Once when Em spent the night with a neighbor girl at our old house, they served baked potatoes. She told the mom that she was allergic to them and asked for mashed potatoes instead. The mom was apologetic the next day that she almost gave her a baked potato.

If anyone asks, I must be allergic to celery.