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Coming to Grips with Multiple Food Allergies

The Food Allergy Files: Coming to Grips with Multiple Food Allergies | completemama.com

Twas the night before Christmas… and I’m writing an update about my kids’ food allergies. (Okay, I’ve been working on it for a while because nothing is speedy around here these days.) I’ve actually been working on a post to share what our first Halloween with food allergies was like (How’s that for slow?), but I am going to back-burner that post and share it some other time.

I don’t think I wrote about this before, but my oldest went to his follow-up with the allergist and was diagnosed with asthma. He’s had trouble with lots of flares beginning in August. The asthma flares seem to be triggered by illness, possibly environmental factors, and his latest anaphylactic reaction seems to have also been a trigger. Being that it’s cold season, he’s been spending a lot of time using his nebulizer. His next follow-up is in March but we’ll probably be back before then.

My youngest went to the allergist for her allergy testing a couple weeks ago, and I am still trying to catch my breath after getting the results. She is allergic to: Eggs, Soy, Milk, Coconut, Sesame Seed, Peas, Peanuts, and Tree nuts. She now has her own Epi-pen, and she is to avoid shared equipment for peanuts and tree nuts, just like her brother. Her peanut RAST was literally off the chart, class 6, which is the most severe class of allergy. She is also likely allergic to amoxicillin, but her allergist said she’s just a little too young to do the test for that. She’s to avoid any amoxicillin until she can do the test. In addition, she likely has asthma too, but she’s too young to do that test also. The doctor got us another nebulizer for her. (Saying it’s been a great year to have health insurance in this family is a huge understatement.)

So, whew. We knew something like this was coming, because like I’ve said before, THIS is the kid we’ve been worried about allergy-wise. It is overwhelming to get diagnosed with so many food allergies. A few random thoughts:

  • You can’t even imagine the excitement we feel when we find a packaged product that is safe!
  • The peanuts and tree nuts were a complete shock. I asked them to test for those “just to be cautious” since we don’t expose her due to her brother’s allergies.
  • Her symptoms that caused us to test: Random bouts of hives, eczema all over causing her to scratch until she bleeds, and random bouts of vomiting.
  • When her nebulizer was delivered, I had the choice of getting another table top one like my son’s or getting a travel one that will plug into a wall or a car. I opted for the travel one, so we can use a nebulizer anywhere. I am not even being sarcastic when I say that was exciting!

This combination of allergies kind of crosses us over the threshold from “looking for which products are still safe on the shelf” to “accepting there is very little we can buy in a package and that we’re going to have to make most things from scratch.” I think it took a little while to truly come to terms with that, but now we accept it. We may as well embrace it and become great cooks! (Related: I got a new bread machine, and I’m so darn excited! I picked it because it’s supposed to be great for gluten free, and my intent is not to “gluten” it since I can’t have gluten. So far I’m really happy with it, although buying the necessary ingredients has been a challenge since I can only find certain products locally in Bob’s Red Mill brand, and they contaminate with nuts. Thank God for online shopping.)

So life got more challenging, but we can do this. Only God knows the reason for these challenges, but we accept them and we’ll all do our best with the support of our family and loved ones. A number of friends have put me in touch with their food allergy mom-friends, and that community is just so amazingly helpful and supportive.

Here some bible verses that have helped me get through this challenge:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ~James 1:2-4

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Merry Christmas to all!

Everyday Blessings: January 2014

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." ~ Psalm 118:24

Everyday Blessings is a monthly series about capturing the joy in each day. My goal is to share one thing I have been grateful for each day. The blessing I share may not be the biggest or most important thing that happened that day. The idea is to capture joy for all the little things that make life beautiful.

Here are my blessings for each day in January 2014:

  1. Ringing in the New Year with family.
  2. Was singing Jingle Bells with my oldest, and my 20-month-old started singing along. She couldn’t enunciate well, but she really knew it! It is such a gift to watch my kids grow and learn.
  3. A phone call with a loved one and trust in God’s plan.
  4. My kids are so adorable when they say goodnight to each other. Completely turns my heart to mush.
  5. We had guests attend church with us today.
  6. My 3-year-old is so enthusiastic when he dances. It makes me smile.
  7. Being able to comfort my little one, who has not been feeling well. Have to admit, I enjoyed the snuggles.
  8. Holding my favorite coffee mug and breathing in the warmth while enjoying the beauty of sun shining on snow.
  9. Breathing in the fresh, crisp air outside after being house-bound for three days due to a sick little one.
  10. I had a tough morning, and a stranger at the grocery store was really nice to me & the kids. You really never know when a just few kind words can lift someone up. They did for me on this day.
  11. Seeing my son have a lot of fun at a birthday party. The smile never left his face.
  12. Grateful to God for always listening and guiding.
  13. Grateful for the ability to give my kids some down time when they’re not feeling well. This time it was my oldest that was sick with a cold.
  14. I left my travel mug filled with coffee in the car while I was grocery shopping, and when we returned my car smelled like coffee. Love that smell! (Bonus: My mug is great at keeping coffee hot for a really long time!)
  15. It felt nice to able to help some people today.
  16. Sneezed in the bathroom, and then heard a knock on the door. It was my one-year-old bringing me a tissue. Too cute! (In case anyone is wondering how I ever managed to be in the bathroom by myself: Henry Hugglemonster. Another blessing. Double dipping today.)
  17. Putting on pants right out of the dryer. So warm!
  18. A much-needed Mom’s Night Out and a husband who was willing to put both kids to bed by himself.
  19. Family time and the sweetest kids ever.
  20. Ice cream.
  21. My son was upset at bedtime but still was able to come up with something to be thankful for today. Easily. Heart-warming. (Yes, he does everyday blessings, too.)
  22. Husband had an unexpected day off work and we decided to take the kids out for breakfast. Always good to have some bonus family time.
  23. Singing along to Billy Joel in the car.
  24. Love being able to pick up my little one easily with one arm. These days won’t last forever.
  25. I have two legs and I can run, even if those runs often don’t feel good lately.
  26. Really smart and helpful friends.
  27. The helpfulness of friends… again!
  28. Animal footprints in the snow.
  29. Google. It’s so nice to live in an age where information is so easily available.
  30. Sunshine, nice and bright.
  31. Warmer weather today was a nice relief from the cold month we’ve had.

What are you grateful for today?

Ringing in the New Year: 2014

Well, the New Year is upon us again. I’ve been thinking a lot about the past year and all that has changed for me.

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." ~ Zora Neale Hurston

I just love that quote by Zora Neale Hurston, and I think about it with every changing year. While there were some questions this year, overall I believe there were more answers, and for that I am grateful.

Reflections

In February, I resigned from my job to become a full-time stay at home mom. It was a huge and difficult decision that I agonized over. Staying home was the path I felt I needed to take for the good of my family, but it was not at all easy to decide to take a break from my career. I do think it was the best choice, but I still regret my inability to be in two places at once. (Darn it!)

A lot of other things changed as well. I started running again and ran a half-marathon in October. I found a groove with taking care of the kids and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of time I’ve had with them. I spent more time outside than I have since I was a kid. I made some new friends. I started reading more. We joined a new (to us) church and have gone (almost) every Sunday. We continued to make improvements in eating healthier.

There were a couple of challenging things about this past year also. This isn’t the right time to write about them, but I felt the need to acknowledge that not everything has been sunshine and rainbows. But God gives us challenges to help us grow, right? I am learning everyday.

The Coming Year

I have never been one for making “resolutions,” but I do have a number of goals I am working on. Initially I made a list of about 25 goals to share in this post, but I think I will keep them to myself for right now and share them in pieces over time.

All of my goals for the coming year can be summed up in 2 words anyway: Do Better.

Everyday I strive to be a better mother, wife, friend, and person. Everyday I pray for God to show me the way.

"He guides the humble in what is right, and teaches them his way." ~ Psalm 25:9

Happy New Year to all! May your year be filled with many blessings!