In case you missed it on facebook...
Showing posts with label food allergies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food allergies. Show all posts
Saturday, February 22, 2014
What's Next...
Yesterday was Benjamin's last appointment for this round of treatment.
I left off guessing that Benj would want to try cheese at dinner Thursday night. I gave him a couple of options, cheese being one, but in fact he wanted to eat the meatballs that were in our plans for dinner and which contained egg. By the end of dinner his plate was clean, but he had only eaten part of his meatball. He said it made his mouth feel funny, but as it was a pretty spicy meatball he concluded that it was just the spices. However, a little while later we noticed his eyelids were very slightly swollen and there were bright red patches on his cheeks. Within a few more minutes the redness was gone, but his eyelids remained just barely puffy.
He was a bit restless during the night and when he woke up in the morning he was also struggling slightly with his breathing. The asthma response was very mild, but in the past any breathing issues have only escalated with time. I tested his air flow with a meter we use everyday and he was only slightly below normal, but not in the "caution zone" and certainly nowhere near the "danger zone." Our appointment was early, at 9:30, I decided not to give him any medication so the doctor could evaluate the response. By the time we left the house, an hour later, he was no longer struggling at all for breath. Previously he has NEVER kicked a breathing issue without the use of his meds.
We brought the meatball that had caused the reaction the night before to the doctor. On the way it also occurred to me that the house where we were staying had some plug-in-type air fresheners that could have been part of the asthma response.
The doctor asked about our experience with trying another new item and we reported the slight response to the meatball. We gave him the meatball and he tested Benjamin's muscle response to it, which showed that he was still allergic to something in it. Using the same procedure, he strengthened Benjamin's response to all the ingredients in the meatball. (There is no way to know what ingredient caused the reaction.) Based on my limited understanding there are at least two possibilities for why he reacted: It could have been a new "pattern" to one of the same allergens (I'm not clear on exactly what this means, it's just the language the doctor uses.) Or it could have been a reaction to an ingredient he has always been allergic to, but that we didn't realize because the more major issues were obscuring it. It makes sense to me, based on what I have learned, that it could be that with the big things out of the way and his body already more healthy it is responding to things it just previously didn't have the health, sensitivity or strength to respond to. I'm not sure.
We also talked about the asthmatic response that morning and my theory about the air freshener. He confirmed that the ingredients in air freshener were strongly suspect and tested him for an ingredient common to all air fresheners, which he was indeed allergic to. He pointed out, however, that we had been staying in this house for 3 days and it took him until the 3rd morning to have a response, which was very mild. I also remembered later that we didn't go to the house for the first time until after Benj's first appointment, which obviously was the most dramatic for the beginning of his body's healing process. The way this all played out encourages me that it is reasonable to believe that he really is stronger already.
We talked about next steps, which include a follow-up series of appointments in a month (shorter next time - only 2 days of visits), and testing out various foods until then. We have a plan for the safest way to test out some of the more volatile allergens (such as milk and peanuts). We will start out by putting a tiny bit on his finger and if there is no reaction progress to a tiny bit on his lip, followed by a tiny bit on his tongue. We plan to take the testing process very slowly and methodically. The doctor assured us that if he does react it will be much more mild than previous reactions and he instructed us to bring a sample of anything that causes a reaction to our next visit.
After our appointment we went to a restaurant and allowed Benj to eat part of his hamburger with a bun (something he definitely could not have before, primarily because corn syrup is often used in packaged breads) along with more Heinz ketchup. He didn't have any kind of a visible reaction, but when we returned home (after a 4-hour car ride) he reported that his belly hurt. Although the bun is suspect I think it could have also been the long period of sitting and/or the general emotional upheaval of the last several days.
One final encouraging experience to end what has turned out to be an enormously long post! Thursday afternoon I peeked my head into the room where Benj was having his rest time. He was playing with Legos. I told him I was going to go on a little walk and asked if he wanted to go with me. It's important to note that Benj is characteristically reluctant to go outside and I can not recall him ever agreeing willingly to go on a walk. His face lit up, he jumped up and said, "Yeah! That's sounds like great exercise!" On our way out of the yard he picked up a stick and as we walked he was running along, whacking bushes and rocks and generally expelling lots of creative little boy energy. There are lots of factors which could have caused this burst of outside bliss, but it is clear to me that that afternoon Benj had the energy to just be a little boy which he simply just did not have a couple of days prior.
Going forward I am anxious to see how our hopes and initial observations play out against time and real life. We just don't have enough hard data yet to know if and how this has truly helped him. The initial results have been a mix of huge encouragement and cautious questions. I think there is still more healing to take place in Benj's body, but I am so hopeful that it can happen.
I left off guessing that Benj would want to try cheese at dinner Thursday night. I gave him a couple of options, cheese being one, but in fact he wanted to eat the meatballs that were in our plans for dinner and which contained egg. By the end of dinner his plate was clean, but he had only eaten part of his meatball. He said it made his mouth feel funny, but as it was a pretty spicy meatball he concluded that it was just the spices. However, a little while later we noticed his eyelids were very slightly swollen and there were bright red patches on his cheeks. Within a few more minutes the redness was gone, but his eyelids remained just barely puffy.
He was a bit restless during the night and when he woke up in the morning he was also struggling slightly with his breathing. The asthma response was very mild, but in the past any breathing issues have only escalated with time. I tested his air flow with a meter we use everyday and he was only slightly below normal, but not in the "caution zone" and certainly nowhere near the "danger zone." Our appointment was early, at 9:30, I decided not to give him any medication so the doctor could evaluate the response. By the time we left the house, an hour later, he was no longer struggling at all for breath. Previously he has NEVER kicked a breathing issue without the use of his meds.
We brought the meatball that had caused the reaction the night before to the doctor. On the way it also occurred to me that the house where we were staying had some plug-in-type air fresheners that could have been part of the asthma response.
The doctor asked about our experience with trying another new item and we reported the slight response to the meatball. We gave him the meatball and he tested Benjamin's muscle response to it, which showed that he was still allergic to something in it. Using the same procedure, he strengthened Benjamin's response to all the ingredients in the meatball. (There is no way to know what ingredient caused the reaction.) Based on my limited understanding there are at least two possibilities for why he reacted: It could have been a new "pattern" to one of the same allergens (I'm not clear on exactly what this means, it's just the language the doctor uses.) Or it could have been a reaction to an ingredient he has always been allergic to, but that we didn't realize because the more major issues were obscuring it. It makes sense to me, based on what I have learned, that it could be that with the big things out of the way and his body already more healthy it is responding to things it just previously didn't have the health, sensitivity or strength to respond to. I'm not sure.
We also talked about the asthmatic response that morning and my theory about the air freshener. He confirmed that the ingredients in air freshener were strongly suspect and tested him for an ingredient common to all air fresheners, which he was indeed allergic to. He pointed out, however, that we had been staying in this house for 3 days and it took him until the 3rd morning to have a response, which was very mild. I also remembered later that we didn't go to the house for the first time until after Benj's first appointment, which obviously was the most dramatic for the beginning of his body's healing process. The way this all played out encourages me that it is reasonable to believe that he really is stronger already.
We talked about next steps, which include a follow-up series of appointments in a month (shorter next time - only 2 days of visits), and testing out various foods until then. We have a plan for the safest way to test out some of the more volatile allergens (such as milk and peanuts). We will start out by putting a tiny bit on his finger and if there is no reaction progress to a tiny bit on his lip, followed by a tiny bit on his tongue. We plan to take the testing process very slowly and methodically. The doctor assured us that if he does react it will be much more mild than previous reactions and he instructed us to bring a sample of anything that causes a reaction to our next visit.
After our appointment we went to a restaurant and allowed Benj to eat part of his hamburger with a bun (something he definitely could not have before, primarily because corn syrup is often used in packaged breads) along with more Heinz ketchup. He didn't have any kind of a visible reaction, but when we returned home (after a 4-hour car ride) he reported that his belly hurt. Although the bun is suspect I think it could have also been the long period of sitting and/or the general emotional upheaval of the last several days.
One final encouraging experience to end what has turned out to be an enormously long post! Thursday afternoon I peeked my head into the room where Benj was having his rest time. He was playing with Legos. I told him I was going to go on a little walk and asked if he wanted to go with me. It's important to note that Benj is characteristically reluctant to go outside and I can not recall him ever agreeing willingly to go on a walk. His face lit up, he jumped up and said, "Yeah! That's sounds like great exercise!" On our way out of the yard he picked up a stick and as we walked he was running along, whacking bushes and rocks and generally expelling lots of creative little boy energy. There are lots of factors which could have caused this burst of outside bliss, but it is clear to me that that afternoon Benj had the energy to just be a little boy which he simply just did not have a couple of days prior.
Going forward I am anxious to see how our hopes and initial observations play out against time and real life. We just don't have enough hard data yet to know if and how this has truly helped him. The initial results have been a mix of huge encouragement and cautious questions. I think there is still more healing to take place in Benj's body, but I am so hopeful that it can happen.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
This Feels Like a Dream
We took Benj in for his second visit with the applied kinesiologist today. He asked how Benj was feeling, how he slept last night, and how everything went with his experience trying something new. Benj reported that he feels great, slept great, and that everything went smoothly with the popcorn last night.
In talking with my friend I had learned that we might go in today and find that there were new patterns or viruses that needed to be addressed that would only show up after the first one was fixed, so we were prepared for complicating factors and more treatment, but as the doctor checked him using the allergens he treated for yesterday, Benj remained strong for each one. He found no new issues. We did remember a couple of other things to test for and treat, which he easily did, but other than that it was a pretty straightforward, short appointment today.
Benj started taking the professional quality vitamin supplement the doctor recommended today and we still need to get him one specific vitamin (riboflavin) for some skin irritation at the corner of his mouth caused by a deficiency, but overall not much new happened.
We are immensely encouraged that so far he has not had any complications. We gave him regular ol' Heinz ketchup at Chick-fil-A for lunch today. This is something that in the past has caused him hours of major tummy pain because of the corn syrup in it and he was 100% fine. We plan to test something new at dinner tonight. I haven't asked him yet what he wants to try. My guess is cheese.
Thank you for your prayers and support, friends. So many of you have been invested in Benjamin's health and allergy issues in various ways from cooking special meals for us to keeping him safe in the church nursery. Please continue to pray that anything else that needs to be resolved will come to the surface before tomorrow's appointment. We will keep you updated!
Benj started taking the professional quality vitamin supplement the doctor recommended today and we still need to get him one specific vitamin (riboflavin) for some skin irritation at the corner of his mouth caused by a deficiency, but overall not much new happened.
We are immensely encouraged that so far he has not had any complications. We gave him regular ol' Heinz ketchup at Chick-fil-A for lunch today. This is something that in the past has caused him hours of major tummy pain because of the corn syrup in it and he was 100% fine. We plan to test something new at dinner tonight. I haven't asked him yet what he wants to try. My guess is cheese.
Thank you for your prayers and support, friends. So many of you have been invested in Benjamin's health and allergy issues in various ways from cooking special meals for us to keeping him safe in the church nursery. Please continue to pray that anything else that needs to be resolved will come to the surface before tomorrow's appointment. We will keep you updated!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
The Beginning of Healing?
I have been reluctant to write for the past few months. I can't pinpoint a reason, other than exhaustion and lack of mental space ... but that's a different post for a different time. Maybe.
But I can not let the events of today go unrecorded. And I absolutely can not hold back the praise due to The Healer for answering our prayers. We believe we have seen a significant step forward in bringing healing to Benjamin's body.
Around Christmastime we were approached by a friend of ours who had seen a doctor for some pretty significant health challenges. She had seen some pretty dramatic relief from life-long food allergy issues and asked if we would be interested in taking Benj for evaluation and treatment. We were unsure if we would proceed because of several complicating factors. Honestly, it just seemed like a really off time to be trying to deal with this issue because of so many other things going on in our life right now. But as I talked to her more and heard some of the amazing stories of what this doctor's specialized knowledge had been able to accomplish for his patients I became convinced we had to try.
Today was our first visit with the doctor. He asked about Benj's history, different issues he has experienced, and some of his specific allergens. He then started to test him. The first allergen he pulled out was dog. The basic procedure was that he would hold a vial of an allergen close to Benjamin's body and test the reaction of his muscles. A weakened muscle would tell him that Benj was allergic or sensitive to that allergen. He showed Benj that the way it affected his body was so strong that if Seth was touching him and the vial was near him it would make Seth's muscles weak! Unsurprisingly, the dog vial affected him significantly. The doctor then began to tap Benjamin at various points on his head and back, explaining that he was actually erasing the allergy from Benj's body, reprogramming his body's response. He took the vial away and brought it close again, pushing on Benj's outstretched arm as he did. The arm remained strong and did not give way. He said, "OK, that one's done. What's next?"
This very surreal procedure and proclamation were repeated again and again as we went through the list: dogs, cats, grasses, trees, dust, dust mites, molds.... We had some sample items from environments where he has had significant asthma reactions in the past. The doctor would agree, "oh yes, you don't like this place at all!" and tap, tap, tap, "OK, all better." Whaaaat?
Next we moved onto foods. Benj commented soon after we told him our plan to take him to see this doctor, "Well, if it works, I hope corn is the first one to go!" So when the doctor asked him what he wanted to work on first we definitely agreed it had to be corn. Tap, tap, tap. "What's next?" As he continued to work we had some interesting surprises. Most significantly, he found Benj was very sensitive to fructose...you know, fruit? Yeah, it was pretty much making him sick every time he ate it. We were also surprised to find that he was sensitive to the lactose (sugar) in milk, not the casein (protein) we had always thought, and what had appeared to be an oat allergy was actually a virus that was activated by oats in his body. The same was true with peanuts. Dealing with those is on the agenda for tomorrow.
Too good to be true? It definitely sounded like it. At the end of the appointment he asked us if we had questions. Well, yes, many. Such as, "what just happened?!" I thought that, but what I actually asked was, "so what do you want us to do in the next 24 hours?" (We have appointments with him for 3 consecutive days.) He said, "I want you to test one thing." You mean like feed him something he is (was?) allergic to? Yep. That's what he meant. We asked Benj what he wanted to try and he picked popcorn. So tonight Seth popped a small pan full of popcorn and we watched with smiles on our faces (and a bit of anxiety in our hearts) as Benj ate popcorn for the first time in his life. An hour and a half later he was still completely pain free (he gets severe stomach cramps with corn) and now, several hours later he is sleeping peacefully. I honestly can't wrap my head around it.
A couple of other significant moments from our visit that I don't want to forget:
1. The doctor commented that with all the problems his body was having he wasn't absorbing nutrients properly. With the help of a vitamin supplement he said he's going to start growing like crazy. (If you don't know, Benj is 8 and wearing size 5's. This was definitely great news!
2. He asked about school. I told him Benj is smart and does well in school but he has issues paying attention. He said something along the lines of, "Well, of course he does. He feels terrible! You're going to see a big difference in school."
Do we know yet that Benj is completely healed? No. Do we know that he will be completely healed? No, not for sure. But I do know my son ate popcorn tonight and is not in pain in his sleep. And I say, praise God for that!
But I can not let the events of today go unrecorded. And I absolutely can not hold back the praise due to The Healer for answering our prayers. We believe we have seen a significant step forward in bringing healing to Benjamin's body.
Around Christmastime we were approached by a friend of ours who had seen a doctor for some pretty significant health challenges. She had seen some pretty dramatic relief from life-long food allergy issues and asked if we would be interested in taking Benj for evaluation and treatment. We were unsure if we would proceed because of several complicating factors. Honestly, it just seemed like a really off time to be trying to deal with this issue because of so many other things going on in our life right now. But as I talked to her more and heard some of the amazing stories of what this doctor's specialized knowledge had been able to accomplish for his patients I became convinced we had to try.
Today was our first visit with the doctor. He asked about Benj's history, different issues he has experienced, and some of his specific allergens. He then started to test him. The first allergen he pulled out was dog. The basic procedure was that he would hold a vial of an allergen close to Benjamin's body and test the reaction of his muscles. A weakened muscle would tell him that Benj was allergic or sensitive to that allergen. He showed Benj that the way it affected his body was so strong that if Seth was touching him and the vial was near him it would make Seth's muscles weak! Unsurprisingly, the dog vial affected him significantly. The doctor then began to tap Benjamin at various points on his head and back, explaining that he was actually erasing the allergy from Benj's body, reprogramming his body's response. He took the vial away and brought it close again, pushing on Benj's outstretched arm as he did. The arm remained strong and did not give way. He said, "OK, that one's done. What's next?"
This very surreal procedure and proclamation were repeated again and again as we went through the list: dogs, cats, grasses, trees, dust, dust mites, molds.... We had some sample items from environments where he has had significant asthma reactions in the past. The doctor would agree, "oh yes, you don't like this place at all!" and tap, tap, tap, "OK, all better." Whaaaat?
Next we moved onto foods. Benj commented soon after we told him our plan to take him to see this doctor, "Well, if it works, I hope corn is the first one to go!" So when the doctor asked him what he wanted to work on first we definitely agreed it had to be corn. Tap, tap, tap. "What's next?" As he continued to work we had some interesting surprises. Most significantly, he found Benj was very sensitive to fructose...you know, fruit? Yeah, it was pretty much making him sick every time he ate it. We were also surprised to find that he was sensitive to the lactose (sugar) in milk, not the casein (protein) we had always thought, and what had appeared to be an oat allergy was actually a virus that was activated by oats in his body. The same was true with peanuts. Dealing with those is on the agenda for tomorrow.
Too good to be true? It definitely sounded like it. At the end of the appointment he asked us if we had questions. Well, yes, many. Such as, "what just happened?!" I thought that, but what I actually asked was, "so what do you want us to do in the next 24 hours?" (We have appointments with him for 3 consecutive days.) He said, "I want you to test one thing." You mean like feed him something he is (was?) allergic to? Yep. That's what he meant. We asked Benj what he wanted to try and he picked popcorn. So tonight Seth popped a small pan full of popcorn and we watched with smiles on our faces (and a bit of anxiety in our hearts) as Benj ate popcorn for the first time in his life. An hour and a half later he was still completely pain free (he gets severe stomach cramps with corn) and now, several hours later he is sleeping peacefully. I honestly can't wrap my head around it.
A couple of other significant moments from our visit that I don't want to forget:
1. The doctor commented that with all the problems his body was having he wasn't absorbing nutrients properly. With the help of a vitamin supplement he said he's going to start growing like crazy. (If you don't know, Benj is 8 and wearing size 5's. This was definitely great news!
2. He asked about school. I told him Benj is smart and does well in school but he has issues paying attention. He said something along the lines of, "Well, of course he does. He feels terrible! You're going to see a big difference in school."
Do we know yet that Benj is completely healed? No. Do we know that he will be completely healed? No, not for sure. But I do know my son ate popcorn tonight and is not in pain in his sleep. And I say, praise God for that!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Lunchbox Roundup
Here's the thing: lunch is forever a mystery to me. I never know what to make. I mean, I know about the basics. We do pb&j (well, for Benj it's sb&j or h...but I digress). So anyway, I'm not opposed to the obvious but, well, you know, there's only so many sandwiches you can eat. And also one of my goals this year was to improve the general healthfulness of our diet, which sort of disqualifies endless rounds of the aforementioned sandwich.
So I'd like to ask the readers, if you would kindly participate, What is your favorite lunchtime menu?
Oh, and since I would like this to be actually helpful to me I'm going to ask for ideas that fit into these guidelines:
So I'd like to ask the readers, if you would kindly participate, What is your favorite lunchtime menu?
Oh, and since I would like this to be actually helpful to me I'm going to ask for ideas that fit into these guidelines:
- Easy. Think "making a sandwich"--that's about how much time it should take. The exception would be if you have a suggestion that can be made in large quantities ahead of time and frozen. But even then I just don't do complicated/time-consuming. (I'm guessing I'm not the only one....)
- Homemade with simple, natural ingredients or simple pre-prepared foods. By "homemade" I mean only that it's not a pre-made meal or a box mix-type of thing. Unfortunately I just can't do things like heat up a can of soup because of Benjamin's allergy restrictions. Feel free, however, to suggest a fabulous, easy, homemade soup because even if your recipe has things in it that we can't eat I can probably modify it. :) An example of simple pre-prepared foods might be yogurt.
- Healthy. You know, balanced, not excessively fat-laden.... Nothing ultra-fancy just...sensible. The whole foods/organic/you-shouldn't-eat-x,y,z-main-food-groups school of thought is completely lost on me...just so you know. :)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Goals for 2011
I know most people usually post a New Year-related post around, oh, say, the 1st of January. So, I'm a little behind. Meh {shrug}. Oh well. (On a related note, be looking for our Christmas New Years Family Update letter in your email inbox soon.)
Here are a few of my personal goals for 2011. I'm excited about everything God is teaching me already this year!
Here are a few of my personal goals for 2011. I'm excited about everything God is teaching me already this year!
- God - to adopt prayer as a theme for direction and focus this year ...
- Seth - not sharing, but I have some :)
- Benjamin - to foster independence and eagerness to take on responsibility, to be more consistent about his allergy regimen (meds) and more creative with his food options
- Talia - to help her control her tongue and become more thoughtful of others through careful listening, to provide muscle-strengthening activities and experiences to challenge and strengthen her (she is diagnosed with low muscle tone)
- Leila - to read outloud to her more often, to implement physical therapy strategies consistently (No, she's still not walking; yes, she is 20 months old.), to monitor weight gain and healthy intake, to teach basic first-time obedience (another round of the "terrific two's" coming right up!)
- All Children - to teach them to work and serve others cheerfully through implementation of age-appropriate duties ...
- Taking Care of Myself (physically, mentally) - to run a 5K, to get up earlier than the children consistently, to get 7 hrs. of sleep every night, to read 12 challenging books on subjects such as parenting, educating children, biblical counseling, biblical topics, wisdom/life topics and to take notes/journal as I go ...
- Homemaking - to keep my plan simple enough that I will stick with it, to provide easy, fast, healthful, economic meals for my family that fastidiously accommodate Benj's allergies
- Teaching/Mentoring, Ministry & Relationships - I have several goals in this area, mostly involving specific relationships and ministry opportunities, which I'm not going to share publicly. The main focus of my goals in this area is to focus on my strengths (like one-on-one relationships) and not spend a lot of time and effort in areas where I am simply not gifted (like leading small groups).
- Finances - to continue to shop wisely and hunt for excellent bargains, but to let it occupy a much smaller chunk of my time and attention, to actively work to reduce our budget, not just get great bargains ...
Friday, January 21, 2011
Benjamin's Hot Chocolate Recipe
I have been planning to try to create a corn-free, milk-free hot chocolate for Benjamin for a couple of months now. Yesterday after playing out in the snow I finally made this creation for him. It was his first hot chocolate ever! (I don't know why it never dawned on me to try it sooner.) He loved it!
Benjamin's Hot Chocolate
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 Tbsp. white sugar
a dash of salt
1 Tbsp. very hot water
Microwave these ingredients, 10 seconds at a time, until boiling.
Add:
3/4 cup soy milk (Silk brand is completely corn-free, 8th Continent has a small amount of xanthan gum, a corn-derived product, which doesn't bother Benj who is very corn-sensitive)
Microwave again until hot, but not boiling.
Add:
1/8 tsp. vanilla flavoring (Baker's, sold at Wal-Mart, is one corn-free brand)
Optional:
Add 2 Tbsp. or more cold soy milk to bring to drinking temperature.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Corn-Free Madness!
I've known for a long time that this corn allergy business is beyond anything I've dealt with thus far (and I thought wheat was bad!), but it seems I am discovering more complicating factors almost weekly.
Today I was poking around on a vitamin website to see if I could take advantage of a $10 off $50 order by stocking up on some calcium supplements we need for Benj. Since he is dairy-free he doesn't get the calcium he needs from food sources. Even though he drinks soy milk and eats his leafy greens better than any kid I've ever seen, he doesn't have the benefit of calcium-rich cheeses, sour cream, and sauces, etc. that help many kids get the calcium they need (1000mg for a child his age--isn't that crazy??). Multivitamins provide only a tiny fraction of the RDA.
Anyway, the wonderful nutritionist I worked with earlier this year had recommended a particular calcium supplement that she found to be corn-free. I looked it up on this website and was pleased to find I could get it for 41% off the retail price. However, when I reviewed the list of ingredients it appears they have changed their formulation and the first ingredient on the list is corn-derived fructose. I searched ingredient listings for over an hour and found exactly *zero* calcium supplements that are safe for Benj to take. Bummer.
I guess we will be trying to add lots more leafy greens, tofu, and oranges into our diet. Hmm...I wonder if Benj would eat sardines?
Today I was poking around on a vitamin website to see if I could take advantage of a $10 off $50 order by stocking up on some calcium supplements we need for Benj. Since he is dairy-free he doesn't get the calcium he needs from food sources. Even though he drinks soy milk and eats his leafy greens better than any kid I've ever seen, he doesn't have the benefit of calcium-rich cheeses, sour cream, and sauces, etc. that help many kids get the calcium they need (1000mg for a child his age--isn't that crazy??). Multivitamins provide only a tiny fraction of the RDA.
Anyway, the wonderful nutritionist I worked with earlier this year had recommended a particular calcium supplement that she found to be corn-free. I looked it up on this website and was pleased to find I could get it for 41% off the retail price. However, when I reviewed the list of ingredients it appears they have changed their formulation and the first ingredient on the list is corn-derived fructose. I searched ingredient listings for over an hour and found exactly *zero* calcium supplements that are safe for Benj to take. Bummer.
I guess we will be trying to add lots more leafy greens, tofu, and oranges into our diet. Hmm...I wonder if Benj would eat sardines?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
A wise admonition
Our family decided to take an impromptu trip to McDonald's with a friend after church this morning. Not having planned it out beforehand, I had not packed our customary "allergy survival kit" which includes a Healthy Life hamburger bun and our bottle of Hunt's ketchup, both of which are corn syrup-free, unlike their standard McDonald's counterparts.
When we got to McDonald's we debated for a minute on whether or not to strip Benjamin's hamburger of its bun and deny him the delight of ketchup for his fries. We have been extremely diligent about his diet lately and he has not had any reactions for awhile. Based on this, and the fact that the amounts of corn syrup in a hamburger bun and 1/2 tablespoon of ketchup are most likely extremely small, we decided not to make a big issue of it. Our McDonald's trip passed without incident.
After dinner this evening Benjamin was seized with a sudden and severe case of stomach cramps. He laid down in the living room and the next thing we knew he was moaning, crying, writhing, and screaming in pain. I took him to sit on the potty which, suffice to say, produced results which relieved his symptoms entirely. Knowing I hadn't fed him anything taboo for dinner, I concluded that the reaction was a result of the earlier indulgence we allowed him. Obviously I concluded that we would not be able to take such risks in the future.
Wanting him to connect the pain he had just experienced with the cause to help him accept what we would have to deny him in the future, I took him on my lap and said,
"Benj, do you remember the bun you had on your hamburger and the ketchup you ate with your fries this afternoon?"
"Yes."
"Well those had a little bit of corn in them. Mommy and Daddy thought it would be ok, but I think that's what made you feel so sick a few minutes ago."
Looking at me with great big, serious eyes he said, "Mommy! You shouldn't do that to me!"
When we got to McDonald's we debated for a minute on whether or not to strip Benjamin's hamburger of its bun and deny him the delight of ketchup for his fries. We have been extremely diligent about his diet lately and he has not had any reactions for awhile. Based on this, and the fact that the amounts of corn syrup in a hamburger bun and 1/2 tablespoon of ketchup are most likely extremely small, we decided not to make a big issue of it. Our McDonald's trip passed without incident.
After dinner this evening Benjamin was seized with a sudden and severe case of stomach cramps. He laid down in the living room and the next thing we knew he was moaning, crying, writhing, and screaming in pain. I took him to sit on the potty which, suffice to say, produced results which relieved his symptoms entirely. Knowing I hadn't fed him anything taboo for dinner, I concluded that the reaction was a result of the earlier indulgence we allowed him. Obviously I concluded that we would not be able to take such risks in the future.
Wanting him to connect the pain he had just experienced with the cause to help him accept what we would have to deny him in the future, I took him on my lap and said,
"Benj, do you remember the bun you had on your hamburger and the ketchup you ate with your fries this afternoon?"
"Yes."
"Well those had a little bit of corn in them. Mommy and Daddy thought it would be ok, but I think that's what made you feel so sick a few minutes ago."
Looking at me with great big, serious eyes he said, "Mommy! You shouldn't do that to me!"
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Birthday Boy
Benjamin's
biggest news, of course, is that he turned 4 years old yesterday. This was the first year that he was really old enough to remember what a birthday is enough to anticipate and be excited about it. He really enjoyed the "royal treatment" as opposed to some past years in which he has been pretty overwhelmed by the whole thing.
At
church they sang to him in the "big room" (a children's church time for preschoolers) and then
he got to be the helper and pass around the green cup for the offering. (He was pretty pleased with all of this. :) ) After church we got to go to McDonalds (the one with the slides) for lunch. While he was playing he ran over to me several times to tell me breathlessly, "I am having SO much FUN!" When we arrived back home we revealed the Lightning McQueen (from the Pixar movie "Cars") cake I had made him. He loved it! He speared the entire slice with his fork and devoured it in a few big bites!
By the way--to any readers who deal with allergies & gluten free diets--did you know Betty Crocker has a new gluten free line? They have yellow & devils food cake mixes as well as chocolate chip cookie & brownie mixes. The yellow cake was good. It wasn't crumbly like some other brands I've tried. I used powdered egg replacer for the 3 eggs and it worked fine. Just thought I'd share for those of you who might be interested.
Anyway
... after cake he had a great time opening his gifts. Other years this has been a very slow process, sometimes taking some coaxing and prompting. Not this year. He tore into each bag & package with great enthusiasm. He was thrilled to receive many of the Cars characters he didn't have, along with a large play mat with streets & buildings on it (he calls it his "carpet.") He spent the rest of the afternoon happily acting out scenes from the movie and zooming his cars up and down streets.
He has also been excited about some new books and puzzles.
At dinner we took turns telling Benjamin how he is a blessing to each of us and what we like about him. It was a sweet time of expressing what Benjamin means to us.
Benj has also been learning and developing new skills. He is in our church AWANA program this year as a "Cubbie." He is learning Bible verses like a pro. It is such a joy to see him hiding God's Word in his heart.
He is also becoming such a great helper and big brother. This afternoon I came into the living room from tucking Talia in for her nap and he was sitting next to Leila, who had previously been crying. He was holding a teething toy for her, which she was happily chewing on while gazing lovingly at her brother. Surrounding her were several other toys which Benjamin had brought to her. I was so amazed at his compassion (he didn't let her cry or call for me to make it stop, he helped her himself) and insight (he knew what to give her). What a mature little man!
biggest news, of course, is that he turned 4 years old yesterday. This was the first year that he was really old enough to remember what a birthday is enough to anticipate and be excited about it. He really enjoyed the "royal treatment" as opposed to some past years in which he has been pretty overwhelmed by the whole thing.At
church they sang to him in the "big room" (a children's church time for preschoolers) and then
he got to be the helper and pass around the green cup for the offering. (He was pretty pleased with all of this. :) ) After church we got to go to McDonalds (the one with the slides) for lunch. While he was playing he ran over to me several times to tell me breathlessly, "I am having SO much FUN!" When we arrived back home we revealed the Lightning McQueen (from the Pixar movie "Cars") cake I had made him. He loved it! He speared the entire slice with his fork and devoured it in a few big bites!By the way--to any readers who deal with allergies & gluten free diets--did you know Betty Crocker has a new gluten free line? They have yellow & devils food cake mixes as well as chocolate chip cookie & brownie mixes. The yellow cake was good. It wasn't crumbly like some other brands I've tried. I used powdered egg replacer for the 3 eggs and it worked fine. Just thought I'd share for those of you who might be interested.
Anyway
... after cake he had a great time opening his gifts. Other years this has been a very slow process, sometimes taking some coaxing and prompting. Not this year. He tore into each bag & package with great enthusiasm. He was thrilled to receive many of the Cars characters he didn't have, along with a large play mat with streets & buildings on it (he calls it his "carpet.") He spent the rest of the afternoon happily acting out scenes from the movie and zooming his cars up and down streets.
He has also been excited about some new books and puzzles.At dinner we took turns telling Benjamin how he is a blessing to each of us and what we like about him. It was a sweet time of expressing what Benjamin means to us.
Benj has also been learning and developing new skills. He is in our church AWANA program this year as a "Cubbie." He is learning Bible verses like a pro. It is such a joy to see him hiding God's Word in his heart.
He is also becoming such a great helper and big brother. This afternoon I came into the living room from tucking Talia in for her nap and he was sitting next to Leila, who had previously been crying. He was holding a teething toy for her, which she was happily chewing on while gazing lovingly at her brother. Surrounding her were several other toys which Benjamin had brought to her. I was so amazed at his compassion (he didn't let her cry or call for me to make it stop, he helped her himself) and insight (he knew what to give her). What a mature little man!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
