Woman Uncovers The Surprising Cause Of Her Sudden Red Meat Allergy -- A Tick Bite
August 15, 2023
Katie Cahoj suffered a tick bite causing a meat allergy and now she's sharing her story to alert others of this life-changing side effect.
Katie Cahoj was raised on a cattle farm. Red meat and dairy was a way of life. What started as a suspected panic attack turned into a life-changing and life-threatening allergy.
Woman Suffers Scary Symptoms
Katie, a lover of the great outdoors, is an avid hiker and kayaker. If it was an activity that involved being in the depths of the Ozarks–you could be sure to find her there.
RELATED: Sudden Red Meat Allergy Made Eating Painful For Mom And It’s All Because Of A Tick Bite
As an outdoors gal, she was no stranger to bug bites, including ticks. But after one day spent outside, she noticed a few weeks later she felt strange. Katie noticed how her shoulders and neck felt tight. She even had trouble breathing, and her heart rate was erratic. At that moment, she thought she was having a heart attack. Katie even wondered if she was dying.
Katie immediately sought medical care, where her nurse practitioner said she might have suffered a tick bite causing a meat allergy. But it wasn’t an allergy she had ever heard of. Doctors suggested she had contracted ‘Alpha Gal’ Syndrome.
Tick Bite Causing Meat Allergy
Some ticks carry a molecule called alpha-gal in their salvia, which is found in mammals. Katie thought the mere idea of being allergic to red meat was insane. But she took the allergy test anyway and continued to assume the symptoms she was experiencing were due to stress.
That’s when she found herself in the fight of her life during an episode of anaphylactic shock after eating a breakfast filled with cheese and sausage. Little did she know God was about to use her situation to help thousands around the world with her story.
Katie realized then the nurse practitioner had been right. A tick had infected her with the ‘alpha gal’ molecule.
RELATED: Grieving Family Cautions Others Of Tick Bites After Losing 2-Year-Old
At first, Katie Cahoj was devastated to suffer a tick bite causing a meat allergy. After all, she was raised on a farm where there meat and dairy was a staple. For a short time, she fell into a state of fear, too afraid to eat anything because animal products could be found in numerous products in the grocery store. She said, “I had to read every single label. I was afraid to eat anything."
Katie didn’t want to live in fear anymore. She wanted to enjoy nourishing her body the way God intended.
“I felt very defeated for a long time,” Katie said. “Then I thought, no, this is not who I am. As a person, I need to get over myself. I need to figure this out.”
Using Her Story To Inspire Others
Instead of letting fear take over, she used faith and food in a way to overcome her new life-altering allergy. The result was a love of cooking, creating, and gratitude.
She fell in love with cooking, creating recipes, and sharing her story. God then opened doors for Katie Cahoj to publish her first cookbook titled, ‘An Alpha Gal Cooks,’ a cookbook created with safe recipes for other people suffering from the disease. How incredible is our God? He took Katie’s fear and allergies and turned them into something extraordinary! Her book and story are bringing hope and healing to others.
Let Katie’s story of the tick bite causing a meat allergy be a reminder no matter the circumstance or tragedy, God can and will work all things together for your good and for his kingdom. He can take our ugly circumstances and turn them into packages of hope!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Melissa Gilbert Shares Pic And Cautions Others After Mystery Bug Bite Puts Her In The Hospital
“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28.
WATCH: Katie Cahoj Offers Support For Tick Bite Causing Meat Allergy
LISTEN: Loads Of Truckers Come to Save The Day At Boy's Birthday | Woman Stops To Help Mystery Creature In Texas
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Gregg Hammond
Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Deepen and Strengthen Your Faith - Your Daily Prayer - October 25
What does it take to deepen and strengthen our faith? 2 Timothy 4:7 likens our faith to running a race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Deepen and Strengthen Your Faith - Your Daily Prayer - October 25
What does it take to deepen and strengthen our faith? 2 Timothy 4:7 likens our faith to running a race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Past Stories
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
- UPS Driver Jumps into Action As He Spots Elderly Woman on the Ground & Says It Was All God
- Rescuer Braces for the Worst After Spotting Kitten on the Side of the Road, Then Sees a Paw Move
- AJ Griffin Gives Up High-Paying Career with NBA to Follow God
- These Former Conjoined Twins Finally Go Home After Their First Birthday
- Teenager From Iowa Uses His Flying Skills to Help Hurricane Helene Victims
- Son Saves For 9 Months and Surprises Mom By Paying Off Her Mortgage
- Woman's Home is Surrounded By 100 Raccoons, and They Aren't Leaving Anytime Soon
- Dog Saves Her Owner's Life By Sitting in the Middle of the Road
- Widower Shares the Last Thing His Wife Told Their Son Before She Passed Away From Cancer
- A Nurse Saved Her Life 35 Years Ago, Now, She is Surprising Her With a Visit
- These Twin Sisters Have An Important Message To Share On Their 102nd Birthday
- This Brave 5-Year-Old Saved Her Mother's Life By Calling 911
- 79-Year-Old Broke Her Ankle After Scattering Her Mom's Ashes, Then Strangers Save the Day
- Dad Travels Through Mud and Debris to Walk His Daughter Down the Aisle
- Owner's Trip to the Vet with Unwell Dog Results in the Craziest X-Ray
- After Getting Lost in Yellowstone, This Precious Cat Made His Way Back Home To California
- Mom's Funny Response To Daughter's Dirty Sock On The Floor Goes Viral & Ends Up Doing Good
- A Kidnapped Boy Is Found After 70 Years and Reunited With His Family
- This Puppy Was Found With a Note That Read 'Help Me,' Now He's Looking For a New Home
- Excited Mom Couldn't Wait to See Son's Back to School Pictures, but Funny Results Make Her LOL
- When This Police Officer Pulled Her Over, He Changed Her Life Forever
- She Just Met Her Vietnam Veteran Father After 50 Years, Now He is Walking Her Down the Aisle
- Fearless Father Waits on Porch to Catch the Stranger Peeking in His Daughter's Window
- This 5th Grade Teacher Eats Lunch In the Cafeteria Every Day
- Amy Grant Has a New Perspective After Losing Her 'Superpower' in Bike Accident
- 'God Did It' Says 18-Year-Old After Waking Up From a Coma Following a Crash
- These Four Sisters Share a Birthday, Which is Quite the Miracle
- Dad Harmony Sings a Beautiful A Cappella Rendition of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love'
- Couple's Outstanding Boogie Woogie Dance Performance
- Siblings’ Cover of Dolly Parton’s Classic ‘I Will Always Love You’ Is Incredible
- Pastor and Wife Were Killed in a Car Accident, But Their Kids Have a Message of Hope
- Outstanding 'Amazing Grace' Cover Music Video by Celtic Woman
- Carrie Underwood Helps With Leading Worship at Tennessee Church
- 8-Year-Old Kid's To-Do List Goes Viral As a Wholesome Reminder for Us All
- 'Holy Forever' Lyric Video by Chris Tomlin and CAIN
- Elementary Teacher Talks About the Power of Words and Kindness By Using Toothpaste
- Prayers Pour in for Loretta Lynn's Family After the Death of the Late Singer's First Grandchild
- Dennis Quaid Singing 'On My Way To Heaven" is an Inspiring Performance
- Charming Elderly Couple Share Sweet Dance to 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"
- Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Adorably Sing a Sassy Duet to Celebrate 36 Years of Marriage
- Rory Feek Performs Beautiful Tune 'I Do' After Finding Love Again
- Driver Shows Up to Deliver Pizza to Elderly Man's House, Then Comes Back with His Lawnmower
- What Parents & Grandparents Don't Know About 'Easy' Recipe Trend Could Be Dangerous
- Nearly 1,500 Students Gather to Worship Jesus at Texas A&M Revival
- 96-Year-Old Shares the Secret to a Happy Life and His Words of Wisdom Are Truly Inspiring
- In God's Divine Timing, Wedding Ring Is Returned to Man's Widow After It's Lost for 60+ Years
Top Artists
Top Music Videos
CCM Magazine Steven Curtis Chapman Shares the Heartfelt Message that Helped While Grieving His Daughter
Crowder Crowder Moving Official 'Somebody Prayed' Music Video
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Mandisa Mandisa - Shackles (Praise You)
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson 'The Cross' Powerful Lyric Video
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.