Does Your Gerbil Food...!!!! Have Nuts?

Monday morning I got a phone calle from the school nurse. This is how she started off the converstation, "Hannah's class is not going to be able to get Gerbils because the Gerbil food has nuts." The face I made was priceless. I took a breath and asked her to repeat herself. I then informed her that we have had Gerbils for two years and not once has Hannah eaten their food or had an allergic reaction to it. Furthermore, putting that responsibility on my daughter's shoulders was asinine. So for 30 minutes the nurse and I went a couple of rounds on the phone about nut allergies and the people who have them. Wes and I were so disgusted by the converstation that we went over to the school to talk to the Principle. We brought our Gerbil food which just happens to be NUT FREE. I know...contain your amazement. The Principle was at a meeting but we got to talk to the VP who informed me that earlier that morning...before the nurse had called me....they found NUT FREE Gerbil food and would be able to proceed with the "Great Gerbil Experiment". I told her I would have appreciated more of an open dialogue between them, the nurse and Hannah's teacher, and asked that Hannah's teacher call us, not the nurse. I felt better. The VP was great and I should have walked out the door then and gone home, but the nurse wanted me to pick up a form for our Doctor to fill out. I should have listened to my good shoulder angel and left the building. Wes and I told the nurse what we had just been told about the Gerbil food and she did not believe us. I had to go and get the VP to tell her what was going on. Daft...or what? Then we got on the topic of her wanting Hannah to eat by herself again. That was a battle she was going to lose and frankly I don't think she understands who she is trying to tangle with. All she could get out was that the school was going to be held liable for anything that happened to Hannah and that they had to cover their butts. I kept asking for a form to fill out stating that they would not be held responsible. If she had her way all the children will allergies would eat outside in a plastic tent with armed guards, not because she wanted what was best for the kids but because she doesn't want to be held liable. Of course, I mentioned Canada and that Audrey went to a Nut Free School...and all she could stammer out was that this was not Canada and obviously there was something wrong with how Canadians do things. This made me laugh...absurd.

The only really good thing that came of the visit was that we got to see Hannah eat lunch. There were only two children in her class eating peanuts and they were not by her. We got to see Audrey going to Art class. Wes and I talked to Hannah's teacher and gave her the name of the Gerbil food that we buy at Petsmart...not the moon.

A closing note - Mocha Joe endorses food without nuts, she says her coat is extra shiny and she does not have that salty smell.