Anaphylaxis Journey: Fighting for Brynlee’s Life
“Our 1-year-old daughter, Brynlee, suffers from life-threatening food allergies to milk, peanuts, and tree nuts. She has already experienced anaphylaxis five times, and each episode has been terrifyingly close to fatal.
When Brynlee was just four months old, we noticed a rash that came and went, accompanied by uncontrollable itching. We took her to multiple pediatricians, a children’s urgent care, and even the ER. Each time, we were dismissed, told it was ‘just eczema,’ and advised to switch laundry detergent or slather on extra lotion. Frustrated and worried, I finally insisted on allergy testing. Reluctantly, her pediatrician agreed—and the results were shocking: Brynlee was allergic to milk, peanuts, and hazelnuts, even reacting through my breast milk. The pediatrician offered no epinephrine, merely saying, “Avoid these foods and give Benadryl for itching.” That wasn’t nearly enough.
Determined to protect her, I called Rady Children’s Hospital and got an urgent referral to an allergist. Dr. Susan Laubach became Brynlee’s lifeline. She confirmed the allergies with skin prick testing, crafted a thorough anaphylaxis plan, and prescribed Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injectors. I left thinking avoiding milk and peanuts would be manageable—but I had no idea the challenges ahead.
Milk was everywhere—lunch meat, bread, soups, chips, crackers, even “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.” Our 3-year-old son loved cheese, pizza, mac ‘n’ cheese, chocolate milk—you name it—and we had to rethink our entire home. Grocery shopping often left me crying in the aisles, overwhelmed by the sheer ubiquity of milk. Over time, reading labels became second nature, handwashing replaced sanitizer, and we slowly learned to manage—but the fear never fully went away.
The first real scare came after an oral food challenge. Brynlee tolerated peanuts at the allergist’s office, but just hours later at my parents’ house, she began sneezing, breaking out in hives, and turned blue in my mom’s arms. I shouted, “Call 911! I’m grabbing the epi!” My dad administered the epinephrine, and we rushed her to the ER. The doctor told me bluntly, “If you had hesitated, she likely would not have survived.” She was admitted for observation due to the risk of biphasic anaphylaxis, and the memory of that moment still haunts me.
Weeks later, another terrifying episode occurred during a routine Target trip. Her lips turned blue, she struggled to breathe, and I called 911 while racing down the highway, praying she would survive. A few weeks after that, she reacted to a DTaP vaccine in a way we still can’t explain. Each episode reaffirmed that food allergies are unpredictable and relentless.
Even on a long-awaited Disney Cruise, we could never relax. Pre-boarding, sanitizing, sitting in the last row—still, she came into contact with peanut residue, developed hives, and required epinephrine and hours of ER observation. The stress of simply living with a life-threatening allergy never stopped.
As a stay-at-home mom, I craved normal outings. We found a nut-free play center and dared to take our kids—but even there, exposure happened. A little girl with a peanut butter bar walked past, and Brynlee broke out in hives. After Benadryl wore off, she began vomiting and needed epinephrine again. Every outing carries risk, and every day is a careful balancing act.
The hardest part is awareness. Milk allergies are often underestimated compared to peanuts, but they can be just as deadly. Milk is hidden in countless foods, and even skin contact can cause full-body hives. We live in constant vigilance—avoiding restaurants, parks, and play areas. Her medical kit travels everywhere, and we ask strangers not to touch her.
Anaphylaxis doesn’t always look dramatic; often it’s silent. I lie awake at night, worried she might react in her sleep or while rear-facing in her car seat. I pray for more public awareness and understanding for children like Brynlee, who live every moment at risk. There are 32 million Americans with food allergies, including 5.6 million children—they deserve awareness, respect, and protection.
I am profoundly grateful I trusted my instincts and fought for Brynlee. Her life today is because I refused to accept ‘just lotion and Benadryl.’ She deserves a chance to live fully and safely, and we will continue to fight for that every single day.”
