There’s something really wrong with the world when a little boy can be harmed by an apple.
Yes, an apple.
Brief history here: Some people…including my son…are sensitive to can’t tolerate foods that are naturally high in salicylates/phenols. Apples are one of those foods. For most people they’re a food that’s as natural, healthy and as “American wholesome” as it gets. One a day is supposed to keep the doctor away, right? Well, not exactly…for my son, anyway.
Apples are “legal” on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet he follows, but they have given ‘C’ some grief in the past, so we’ve avoided them for about a year. In a weak moment, and with a special enzyme to help avoid the problems, I gave ‘C’ an apple. What I didn’t realize I needed to do was watch him like a hawk while he ate it. After all, he’s 6 and he’s eaten them before…
In the two seconds that I turned my back to open the front door to an arriving friend… (Isn’t that always the way these tales begin? )… ’C’ runs over to greet the friend. Does he say “Hi”? No. He was too excited. Instead, ‘C’ held out his hand to show the man his special treat…his treasure.
His apple… or should I say, the nub that was left of it. SON OF A B#TCH!!!!!!
There in his hand was the bottom inch of the core. Did he eat the top half? The friggin stem? The little brown pits…which have arsenic in them??!! Panic struck. I tried to get his to throw it all up…until he almost bit off my finger in self-defense.
Quick, call the chiropractor (who treats him for everything). God Bless this man. He is always so calm and reassuring and never makes you feel like the bad mother you feel like you are.
So ‘C’ got his apple…with an activated charcoal “chaser”. Of all the supplements, vitamins and such stuff I’ve had to force into ‘C’, this charcoal was by far the most vile. But the doctor said it’ll absorb everything…not to worry. And ‘C’ appears no worse for the wear. Thank God. But me? Well…
I am glad I listened to that “voice” that said to buy the activated charcoal. Its been knocking around in the very back of the kitchen cabinet where all the vitamins and supplements are stored for several months now. I highly recommend every household get some for emergency use. You never know when it’ll save a life…or at least a trip to the doctor or ER.
Hmmm. There’s something very fitting about the thought of Santa stuffing some activated charCOAL in my little devil’s angel’s stocking for being on the shit nice list this year again…
