There's definitely a range of reactions happening which confuses me.

Yeah, that happens. It's hard to predict which way a storm will go, so some people prepare for the worst, and other people prepare for what seems most likely, and other people just go into denial. (From my experience in several NOLA hurricanes, my best advice is to make sure you know how you're going to evacuate if you need to, and don't freak out.)

Lakeview.

Gotcha.

Avocado's got a very luxurious texture. The mouth feel is gorgeous. I'm not good with vegetables (it's fair at this point to tell me it's a fruit, but off point to no particular benefit), but avocado is rich, fatty, and delish. And it grew on a tree! Magic!

I have intolerances to a wide range of foods - some known, some unknown. I just ritually take claritin with me and sometimes take it before because I have itchy mouth, burning mouth, rashes, hives, whatever when I consume too much of some items (including fruit).

I'm not giving up fruit.

I eat eggplant in spite of itchy mouth because my mom has done so for all her adult life, and it seems to be one of those allergies that doesn't escalate.

Shrimp, I'm avoiding because that one can start out as itchy mouth and progress to anaphylactic shock, so I'd rather not risk it.

I always avoid eggplant. Not because I’m allergic; just because it’s really, really gross.

When Sammy was four months old, I had a cup of plain shrimp for lunch. That night he broke out in pretty bad hives. I have avoided shrimp since because they looked so bad and I know shrimp allergies can be serious. And my mom has them. And she and my brother are allergic to everything.

I did have additional eggplant at dinner, but not very much...

I eat eggplant in spite of itchy mouth because my mom has done so for all her adult life, and it seems to be one of those allergies that doesn't escalate.

That is my belief! But I figure I might as well avoid at least the stuff I don't like that much. I.e., eggplant.

Went with my parents to spring my grandmother from the hospital, and her face looks worse than ever! But in a heal-y way, so that's good. Somehow she feels like she can't uninvite all of the relatives who are planning to come over tomorrow (pre-existing plans), but my mother is going to make them stagger the times, at least.

I've long held the belief that eggplant (and tomatoes and bell peppers) taste nasty to me because they have a little of that nightshade alkaloid in 'em. Now I will further speculate that that might make some people's mouths itch. So, more of a sensitivity than an allergy