This Saturday we will be at the Andrew Mueller Memorial Car and Truck Show!
At 20 years old, Andrew lost his life to a peanut allergy that he didn’t know that he had, two weeks after Hannah’s accident. He was tested at the age of five for allergies but was not allergic to peanuts then. He knew that he didn’t like peanut products, so he just avoided them. This allergy developed over the next fifteen years, and eating just a few peanut butter M&Ms by mistake, during the holiday season, led to a serious anaphylaxis reaction.
UNFORTUNATELY, 911 WAS CALLED!!…. As they were about to go to the hospital, in their own vehicle, the 911 dispatcher told them that they needed to stay where they were and wait for professional help. None of the first 5 first responders that came had a simple EpiPen! They, along with his family and a few close friends, watched helplessly as Andrew stopped breathing. By the time that an ambulance came with epinephrine, significant brain damage had been done. A short time later his family had to make the brave decision to choose organ donation for Andrew.
Now, in his memory, the Mueller’s have started raising money to equip all first responders with the EpiPens and the simple free training they need to administer it. Yes, they shouldn’t need to do this, but unfortunately, they do because most of the people in the positions to make these bipartisan, common-sense decisions lack the will to do it…
Through them we have become part of the Do It For Dillon training and we are honored to be part of their life-saving work!
Important Note: Dialing 911 is the correct thing to do if someone is suffering from severe anaphylaxis (two body systems effected or more). This should be done immediately after administering epinephrine, if available. When someone calls 911, they need to specify that an ambulance WITH EPINEPHRINE needs to be sent. We all need to work together to ensure that those who come to our aid at a time like this are properly equipped with epinephrine. Remember, an anaphylaxis reaction can become fatal in as little as 5 minutes, and statistically, around 1 in 20 people will experience anaphylaxis at least once in their life! Be knowledgeable and be prepared!!
Not all heroes wear capes; some just carry an EpiPen.
Hannah Helps Blog 