October Allergy Observations (Chat thread)

[lil_miss_understood]

We're a little late, but it's here and we can't ignore it any longer.
Last chat thread is here.

Welcome to those just joining us. Feel free to jump in with both feet. We'll do our best to help.

I'm tired today and probably will forget to update or I would say I would. DS1 *may* be getting released from the hospital today (appendectomy for those who don't know) and I have 2 sick LOs besides. I'm thinking we're going to have to take a break from our menu plan bc we haven't managed to get to the store for groceries and I'll have to rely on our freezer stash of foods for a couple of days at least. I'm not looking forward to the aftermath of this round of illness.
I'm presently trying to psych myself up for TED recipe testing. Might as well do it when I don't have to so it's fun, right? Besides, I'm still not entirely convinced DS3 is totally allergen free. There are some things that have me suspicious- like the little patch of dry skin behind his ear that comes and goes and his spitting up.
Anyway, have fun!
Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadians in the crowd and Happy Halloween to any who celebrate that holiday!

[chlobo]

JR,

Sorry to hear everyone is sick.

I'm totally convinced we're all still suffering from "something" food related but I have no idea how to figure it out. It's subtle. Except for Adam's roving around the bed last night that kept me up all night.

[Theloose]

for the new chat thread. I was going to ask, but didn't want the job of putting it together...

Originally Posted by chlobo

JR,

Sorry to hear everyone is sick.

I'm totally convinced we're all still suffering from "something" food related but I have no idea how to figure it out. It's subtle. Except for Adam's roving around the bed last night that kept me up all night.

to everything she said. But sub Adam with dd. She wasn't exactly roving, but let's just say I've been awake since an hour before dawn, and she was up till crazy hours last night. On top of the mysterious "something" reaction, I'm starting to wonder if she reacts to going to the toddler amusement park that we have season passes for... We only ate our own food, and she doesn't usually react to traces (that I can tell). Maybe it's just overstimulation? She would NOT go to bed last night... You'd think she'd be completely exhausted after a day of fun!

[mamafish9]

JR, here's the linky I managed to screw up posting earlier, for the beefalo.

And LOL on the toddler mysterious food reactions... I blame everything on teething and zeolite, but who knows if it is true!

I am overwhelmed by my cow's milk kefir. I make about a quart a day, and my tsp of kefir grains turned into 1/4 CUP overnight. It's completely out of control. And DS won't drink it by the afternoon because it's so grainy/thick.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by mamafish9

JR, here's the linky I managed to screw up posting earlier, for the beefalo.

And LOL on the toddler mysterious food reactions... I blame everything on teething and zeolite, but who knows if it is true!

I am overwhelmed by my cow's milk kefir. I make about a quart a day, and my tsp of kefir grains turned into 1/4 CUP overnight. It's completely out of control. And DS won't drink it by the afternoon because it's so grainy/thick.

thanks!
if i ever had any hope of getting dairy back, you KNOW i'd be beating down your door for grains. i say take them to saturday market and give them away to the whomever wants them.. there's also a kefir grains recipes thread that was started by menomena i think and whoMe participated in..

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by mamafish9

JR, here's the linky I managed to screw up posting earlier, for the beefalo.

And LOL on the toddler mysterious food reactions... I blame everything on teething and zeolite, but who knows if it is true!

I am overwhelmed by my cow's milk kefir. I make about a quart a day, and my tsp of kefir grains turned into 1/4 CUP overnight. It's completely out of control. And DS won't drink it by the afternoon because it's so grainy/thick.

You've tried taking the grains out in the morning and refrigerating the kefir till afternoon? Does it still get thicker? (I don't exactly have real milk kefir experience )

The biggest thing that has me concerned about dd is the random mild pimply rash that's been hanging around for almost a week now... Plus crazy (not) sleeping. And she has all her teeth. I guess I just assume everything is a nutrient deficiency. I want my hair and arsenic test results back! Oh but I got my midwife panel back, and my vit D is 49. After a summer of medium sun, and a partial small bottle of D3. Woo hoo, I don't have weird vit D issues!

[lil_miss_understood]

OMG.

I just got off the phone from speaking to a nurse at the hospital. Now bear in mind before I start that his allergy bracelet says DAIRY ALLERGY. The conversation went something like this:

<DH gives the phone to the nurse after about 5 minutes of trying to play telephone on the telephone>
Nurse: Hello?
Me (already so ticked that I was yelling into the phone trying to get the guy to hear me while DH was on the phone): Hi.
Nurse: I want to give him Pediatric Ensure.
Me: And I said no.
Nurse: it's lactose free.
Me: he can't have it.
Nurse: It only contains the milk proteins.
Me: He's allergic to dairy.
Nurse: It doesn't contain lactose.
Me: He's not lactose intolerant. He's dairy allergic.
Nurse (begins to speak very slowly and clearly- the way you speak when you think someone is truly an idiot): ... it says it only contains milk proteins.
Me (I return the favor of speaking very slowly and clearly): Yes. Milk proteins. You're a medical professional, right? Can you tell me what the milk proteins ARE? I can tell you, if you like. Casein and whey. You know how I know that? He is ALLERGIC to milk PROTEINS.
Nurse (sounding stunned): Oh... Okay.

Something like that. Except it took a few goes around of me telling him that DS1 is allergic to milk proteins not "just" lactose intolerant before he actually got it. Really. It's THAT hard to get?!

eta: during one of the go rounds, I said "he's allergic to milk. Not lactose. Milk." which I think is how we got onto the emphasizing of the word proteins.

[lil_miss_understood]

Oh yeah and did I mention that they were trying to give him the broth from beef BARLEY soup last night?

[Theloose]

When we change the world, one of the highest priority things will be to get decent nutrition and awareness into hospitals. Wow. I hear it's hard for a diagnosed celiac to get safe food (and medicine) at a hospital. Seriously, what's with the disconnect? Isn't this basic, basic stuff?
I was afraid at first that you were going to say they gave it to him, then asked. At least you caught it in time!

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by whoMe

When we change the world, one of the highest priority things will be to get decent nutrition and awareness into hospitals. Wow. I hear it's hard for a diagnosed celiac to get safe food (and medicine) at a hospital. Seriously, what's with the disconnect? Isn't this basic, basic stuff?
I was afraid at first that you were going to say they gave it to him, then asked. At least you caught it in time!

In a way, they did- or tried to. DH came home for a shower and they took it to ds1. He told them he couldn't have it and mom was sending food from home. They told him it was ok, he said he'd wait for the ok from mom or dad.
eta: and argued w/ dh after he got there for about 10 minutes before he called me too.

ETA: I'm just grateful that we've taught DS1 to refuse food so well that he remembers even while under the influence of morphine.

[tanyalynn]

JR, I'm stunned. At some point, I think writing to them, just to let them know of the HUGE legal liability they're setting themselves up for. Not that the legal liability is the important part of course, but I bet if you send a few copies, including one to their legal department, that may drive change more than just saying hey, you almost caused anaphalaxis in my son. Seriously, what's the point of the bracelet?!?

I am so sorry you had to do that fight. That's just wrong. I'm really impressed with your son, sounds like a good kid all-around (between that and some of the other stuff you've said about him).

Around here it's raining. I guess I forgot how much it rains in the fall/winter here in Houston, or maybe last year was unusually dry. But we are doing the big garage clean-up anyway, we're getting rid of cubic yards of stuff. It's stunning. But the garage will look nice and be more functional, and making some more progress on the house too. Got lots done in the spring, the summer was just hot and sticky and yuck, and now that it's cooling down, we're getting going again.

And DH is feeling motivated to make changes. I am thrilled. For several years now, he's felt out of control of his life, things just happen and he has to deal with it. Feeling like I have the ability to affect change in our lives has been a huge help in coping with all this, and he hasn't had that. But I think he's getting it, and I think it's a really good sign.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

In a way, they did- or tried to. DH came home for a shower and they took it to ds1. He told them he couldn't have it and mom was sending food from home. They told him it was ok, he said he'd wait for the ok from mom or dad.
eta: and argued w/ dh after he got there for about 10 minutes before he called me too.

ETA: I'm just grateful that we've taught DS1 to refuse food so well that he remembers even while under the influence of morphine.

Yikes! You've got a great kid there. Good job!

[lil_miss_understood]

Yes, he is a great kid.
DH thinks I should just drop it. I think not. How do we expect people to be educated about a medical condition sa allergies if even the HOSPITALS are clueless?

[chlobo]

JR, I wouldn't drop it. That is totally asinine. I mean they guy didn't know and he was a medical professional? Hellooooooo? Definitely let someone know. Just using the word lawsuit in a sentence will certainly make them listen a little harder.

[chlobo]

Ok. A pox on whoever posted the links to the donuts. Now I want to make them. But, I can't find a mini donut pan that doesn't have non stick coatings.

Any ideas?

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Ok. A pox on whoever posted the links to the donuts. Now I want to make them. But, I can't find a mini donut pan that doesn't have non stick coatings.

Any ideas?

Donuts? What? Where?
I've been trying to figure that out for a while... I figure a muffin tin but what from there?

ETA: Oh yeah, and DH's excuse for the idiocy this morning is that "lots of people say they're allergic to dairy when they really just mean they're lactose intolerant".

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

OMG.
Something like that. Except it took a few goes around of me telling him that DS1 is allergic to milk proteins not "just" lactose intolerant before he actually got it. Really. It's THAT hard to get?!

eta: during one of the go rounds, I said "he's allergic to milk. Not lactose. Milk." which I think is how we got onto the emphasizing of the word proteins.

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Oh yeah and did I mention that they were trying to give him the broth from beef BARLEY soup last night?

What a bunch of morons!! I was telling DH last night. I said can you imagine if this was some little old lady with no family to bring her food and yet the hospital can give her food that makes her sick? How horrible is that?! Ugh. I was so glad at the Children's Hospital when I took DD2 for her toe infection. They wouldn't even give her the acetominophin suppository because it had soy in it and they weren't sure if it would cause a reaction "that direction" as it would going through the mouth. I mean the kid is already sick, and they want to feed him what he's allergic to? I swear, the world is filled with idiots.

Whenever someone says they're allergic to something, I ask them to clarify. I say allergy or intolerance? And if they say allergy, I ask if it's contact, ingested and/or anaphylaxis?

My back has been hurting since last Monday (fair) and DD2 hasn't slept since then. I thought she slept on the 4th night, but she really just slept with DS in his loft bed (that she's fallen off of before). She's a crab and a half, and so am I. I woke up at 3am to ice my back last night. It was horrible. I can't believe it's all from some iodized salt. I'm wondering if it's something new....

[kjbrown92]

Oh and can you put the word CHAT somewhere in the title because when I do a search and I know it's in a chat thread, but I don't remember when, I do a search with chat to find them all.... I know, picky, picky.

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Donuts? What? Where?
I've been trying to figure that out for a while... I figure a muffin tin but what from there?

ETA: Oh yeah, and DH's excuse for the idiocy this morning is that "lots of people say they're allergic to dairy when they really just mean they're lactose intolerant".

Must have been posted in another thread. Here it is:

http://www.heiressintraining.com/200...ughnut-recipe/

Did you remind DH that one does not get a medical alert bracelet for lactose intolerance?

[lil_miss_understood]

I've been living on leftovers but now they're all gone. So I'm making hot dogs with canned beans and fries for supper bc I don't want meatloaf or chili and don't have buns for sloppy joes. I guess I could make dirty rice... Oh wait. Nope can't. I used all my beef broth for soup for ds1.