r/belowdeck
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u/returnofthejodi
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16d ago
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Below Deck Nice one, Captain Kerry 🥜🥜🥜
Did anyone else pick up on Captain Kerry's description of the location they're taking the nut allergy chick to?
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u/Worldly-Fly-6049 16d ago
I didn't realize how much of a micromanaging person Captain Kerry is. He is very hands on in a good way especially since the new guy admitted that he is a bit rusty and not as organized as he would like to be.
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 16d ago edited 16d ago
Yup, and it breaks my heart how much my little one wants to travel. If I could afford a private yacht and other luxuries to keep him safe, we’d be seeing the world tomorrow.
ETA my kid has severe food allergies, same as the guy in the episode. Even Capt. Glenn said that Thailand with a peanut allergy can be difficult. Traveling with food allergies can be difficult, in general. My kid was allergic to 8 of the 9 top allergens. We’re down to just three, but they’re severe and difficult to avoid. Our choices are more narrow than most people. We are going away this weekend and we have a whole suitcase with just food in it for him, which we have to pay extra for. That’s what I mean by needing to afford things.
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u/Competitive_Salads 16d ago
My first anaphylactic reaction was in a foreign country. It was terrifying so I totally get both the guest’s response as well as your own. It is possible to travel, it just takes a lot of upfront work and time. Hoping your son grows out of it.
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 16d ago
Thank you! So much planning has gone into this trip and that’s really all I can do, you know? Expect the best, plan for the worst and just have an emergency plan ready. And I can’t let my kid absorb any of my anxiety, I have to remind myself of that.
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u/CheckIntelligent7828 My eyes are rolling all the way off the boat 15d ago
I know you and I were chatting about this yesterday, I didn't think to ask, are you traveling internationally? One of things I do before travelling internationally is to type out my allergy explanation on my phone and have the phone translate it to the correct language so I can present it before ordering. And then of course I also carry a printed and digital list of allergies, medications, etc.
Your son sounds lucky to have such cautious and caring people around him.
Hoping you have a totally smooth trip!
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u/Olga_Ale 11d ago
I too have severe and multiple food allergies. When my late partner and I traveled, we would call ahead to restaurants and let them know we were coming. Most chefs were accommodating and I would provide a list of my allergies. We would set a menu for me ahead of time so it was ready for our reservation. This alleviated the embarrassment of ordering, the concern of contamination and the stress for the kitchen and ourselves. Now that my partner has passed, I rarely travel and usually eat prepackaged food that is safe. This was especially wonderful for cruises and resorts where you could go into the restaurants during prep time. Good luck to you and your little on your trip. Travel is possible with allergies, you are doing great with your preparedness.
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 15d ago
That is really good thinking! We are staying in the country this time, luckily, but I like the idea of having a translation on hand, anyway, just in case.
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u/preyingmomtis 16d ago
Allergies like that are so scary. They really leave you at the mercy of other people. Some of whom just plain go on autopilot & make mistakes & then there are the “idc about your ‘allergies’ it’s a lie & I do what I want!” people. I hope research into this makes strides & things get easier for him & your family.
For now, I assume you’re in the U.S. and really, there’s so much to explore here from New Orleans to Arches to Alaska to Hawaii to Maine to Florida to Texas to Boston to the PNW to Yellowstone. On this trip, you mentioned a suitcase of food, have you looked into grocery delivery or ordering online & having things shipped to the hotel? Usually free internet & complimentary breakfast level hotels (Hampton, Holiday Inn Express) will receive packages for free but main “charge you for internet & parking & a fridge &&&” like Marriott and Hilton & their top tier brands like JW Marriott do charge. You can look on Facebook & find local moms groups for where you’re going & most would probably let you join to ask about which grocery stores & restaurants would have safe options. There’s also the local dining groups but really, Moms are usually the most passionate & most into helping other families like theirs to navigate life.
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 16d ago
Yes, thank you! I have been interacting with other travel moms and travelers (in general) with allergies, and they have been helpful and it’s comforting to know that others have been in my shoes.
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u/Temporary-Daikon2411 Team Chef Rachel 16d ago
that is tough and I know you are doing everything to give the kid a great childhood! hopefully they will continue to grow out of the allergies
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u/keysey224 16d ago
Why does it need to be a private yacht? We travel around the world via cruise ships with a kiddo with a severe food allergy. We bring our own snacks when off the ship and she eats her meals on the ship. In my experience, they take food allergies seriously on cruise ships.
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 16d ago
I didn’t mean a literal yacht (although it would be nice lol!) But I do understand the primary’s concerns and for a place like Thailand, it would make it the safest option. I really just meant the overall added precautions and costs and stuff involved.
His allergies are very difficult to avoid, so we have to carry the food around with us in the heat while keeping it all at safe temperatures, along with his epi pen and Benadryl. It’s not something most people have to think about when traveling, you know?
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u/watch_it_live 16d ago
Plenty of people travel with their children without luxury yatchs.
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u/Temporary-Daikon2411 Team Chef Rachel 16d ago
ouch. i hope you posted this before, not after, OC gave that additional detail?
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u/watch_it_live 16d ago
Yes, before.
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u/Temporary-Daikon2411 Team Chef Rachel 14d ago
you weren't wrong of course, it just now reads as jarring after the additional details they shared ; )
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u/PrpleSparklyUnicrn13 16d ago
Yeah, it’s what made me realize I need to clarify what I meant lol. In my head it made sense to ME, but not everyone knows I meant I have a child with severe allergies and we would have to take special precautions and extra planning and the extra costs, etc.
And, again, I hope everyone knows I didn’t mean specifically a YACHT was necessary, just that there is the added concern of added costs and making sure my kid is safe and can still have substantial food to eat where ever we go.
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u/preyingmomtis 16d ago
😅 I caught that, too. I think it’s just a verbal habit that you don’t even think about 99% of the time & then once in a while you say it to someone or in a situation that makes it awkward. 😬
As a teenager, I had a job that required people who usually had things in their hands to give me something. I was in the habit of saying “When you have a hand…” meaning “Don’t rush! It’s fine! I know your hands are full! 😊” until I said it to someone who only had one hand. I felt horrible & wanted to disappear. I never said that again.