We've all heard about walking in somebody else's shoes to understand them better. Though we can never truly experience the life of a person afflicted with severe allergies, those of us without any can sure try. Dismissing someone's allergies for the sake of simplicity is all too tempting. The fact is that if someone you love or respect has allergies, the best way to cope with it is to put yourself - as best as you can - in his or her shoes.

There is no doubt that this rule is always put to the test. My wife and I enjoy going out for dinner. How we go about planning or choosing a restaurant is different than most. First off, my wife Jennifer is allergic to an armada of assorted foods. Some examples include flour, wheat, eggs, nuts, potatoes, dairy, seafood and corn. "The worse thing about my allergies is that I have already tried these foods before and I know what I'm missing," she once told me. How the allergies arrived remains a mystery. It all comes down to the usual debate about environment or genetics. None have sufficiently given her some comfort.

What makes ordering off a menu so difficult is that some of these foods or ingredients are essentials in many cooking recipes. For example, it's not enough for her to ask if any of the foods have come into contact with nuts. She needs to know exactly how all foods are prepared, and this can often feel like a heavy chore. No matter how diligent we are we can never be sure. We put our trust in strangers and that leaves a hint of worry. Many times she is tempted not to ask any questions and just order. In fact, this is exactly what she did on one occasion and she nearly paid a heavy price for it. In her denial, she proceeded to order an entr