you're allergic to what? I've never heard of that. . .

So, the number one thing I've learned so far about being allergic to mammalian meats: outside of the medical world, and in some cases even inside the medical world, no one has ever heard of this allergy.

Every time I have tried to explain my condition to someone to date, I either get 1. puzzled stare 2. that they've never heard of such a thing or 3. that they aren't sure my allergist knows what she's talking about. After that, it's usually "I don't think I could deal with that allergy" or something to that effect. More about that in a later blog.

So, do people think you're crazy, or don't know what you're talking about? Do they ask you questions about this allergy that you may not totally know the answers to? I am including some links at the bottom of pages that were helpful to me in explaining what's going on in my world.

http://www.foodallergybuzz.com/2009/05/connection-between-ticks-and-red-meat.html
http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/reaction-33637-fall-allergic.html
http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2809%2901268-8/abstract

hope these help! The last one is a brief article written by Scott P. Commins, who has pioneered the research on this particular allergy. There's still a lot of unanswered questions about our condition, but we are farther along now than we were even a year ago. All these are definitely worthy reads; enjoy!