PA Daughter Graduated College (and lived there with MFA!)

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LaurensMom:
I just had to post that Lauren graduated from college last weekend.

She is has LTFA to PN/TN and chose to live gluten-free. At the beginning of her senior year, we discovered her choice to avoid gluten changed to a need and she also needed to avoid corn, soy, dairy and eggs as well. We didn't test. It was advised and since being off those foods, her condition has dramatically improved.

In college, she lived by herself for 4 years and it took a bit of time for her to learn to reach out, but she did.
We had some scary calls - "Mom, I've random hives on my arm and torso". Not a big deal in itself, but scary because she lived alone. Thankfully, campus police can do well-being checks.
She had exposure in a classroom after an ice cream party from the prior class. - eyes swelled shut but no other symptoms. Thankfully, a kind invididual saw and took care to watch her.
She had one violent sickness the campus doctor believed was a stomach virus but Mom, knowing DD and how she gets sick, knows it was a reaction.
Her PA was challenged on a number of occasions. Sometimes she stood up. Sometimes it wasn't worth the battle (she knew they wouldn't get it). Once I had to get involved.

But she is OK.

True we were only 1/2 hour away from her and could be there in 15 minutes in an emergency
I would love to brag about how well she did but that is not the point of this post. In the past when I had met people with LTFA, and who were further in their life adventure than she was, while I knew there were never any guarantees, it always gave me some comfort.

I haven't been on this site much (I was active on older site when she was younger) but I was welcomed here and when I have needed support, ya'll have been there. Thank you.
Thank you to those who laid the foundation for her that she was able to build upon.
I hope and pray that anything we have done at college helps those who are entering this year - possibly even at different college as there was significant attrition in some key staffing areas. Hoping the education we gave them went with them to their next college.

It was by far from easy (FA-wise), but she did it.

I hope and pray that her next adventure in the work-force, which is riddled with food at every turn, is as 'smooth'.

PurpleCat:
Awesome for her! It's a great life milestone on its own, enriched by her success at living independently with food allergies!

So many of our kiddos are now in college and beyond. I love hearing about their successes!