Ongoing Alaskan mama chat December! - Page 8

[dislocator3972]

I don't have time to individually comment on everything, but Congrats to baby Asher and momma!

So Adelaide and I made it perfectly from Fairbanks to Seattle, then Seattle to Minneapolis, then we found out our flight from Minneapolis to Colorado Springs was a 'phantom flight'!! It didn't exist!

So baby and I spent the night in a hotel and arrived in Colorado a day late. Luckily, I had been paranoid and brought PLENTY of diapers. Glad to be a breastfeeding family!

Adelaide is loving all her family and I'm loving to watch her meet them. I think all the sweets are making my milk extra fatty (does it work like that??) because DD is growing SO FAST. I am SURE that she woke up from her nap today significantly bigger than when I put her down.

Colorado is beautiful, and family is wonderful, but I'm sure missing Alaska!

[roadfamily6now]

a phantom flight?? what the?

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Penelope, thanks so much for relaying the info and asking for thoughts/prayers. It's been a really rough week (it seems like it's been an eternity... it's hard to believe we got the diagnosis a week ago).

Mom was released from the hospital yesterday. We see the oncologist next week. They placed the shunt in her liver to help restart it's function and they seem to think it's working, I am, however, not too convinced. Her jaundice seems worse since surgery. They said it would take a week to clear, but she seriously looks much worse than before the procedure. Other than the pain, she seems to be fine though, so maybe I'm just being a little paranoid.

The prognosis isn't good, at all. They've basically told me there is nothing they can do. They talked radiation/chemo to reduce the size of the tumor, but that it's not going to save her. I'm begging her to also check out alternative medicine, as I've read that vit c IVs have been just as successful of reducing tumors as chemo/radiation and the Vit c makes you feel a hell of a lot better than the poison version does.

I'm still having a very hard time digesting everything. It just doesn't seem real.

[Denali]

A girlfriend of mine had pancreatic cancer, too.....I'll never be able to understand how they can send people to the moon and clone dogs and everything but just aren't able to find a cure for cancer

All the best wishes for you and your Mom

You're in our thoughts and prayers,

Charlie

[1stimestar]

I'm so sorry Karen. I wish I were closer. I'd come down and doula YOU. I hope you have a supportive network of friends to help you with some of the every day life things like laundry and a meal for your family you don't have to cook yourself while you are going through all this and working at supporting YOUR family.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by 1stimestar

I'm so sorry Karen. I wish I were closer. I'd come down and doula YOU. I hope you have a supportive network of friends to help you with some of the every day life things like laundry and a meal for your family you don't have to cook yourself while you are going through all this and working at supporting YOUR family.

I have been blessed to have AMAZING friends and family who have made endless phone calls, offering to do everything for me, coming and sitting at the hospital with mom and I... just everything. I'm in awe at how blessed I am. I've actually been trying to do all the household stuff myself though... oddly enough, it's kind of like a release for me. Something that takes my mind off of what is really happening. It's kind of become my therapy.

Denali - I hear you on the inability to cure the cancer. My daughter both broke my heart and made it explode all at the same time last week. We explained to her, in very scientific terms, what is wrong with grandma (as a precursor.. my daughter is freakishly advanced academically and prefers things (especially news) delivered in a very non-emotional, statistical fashion) so we explained it was pancreatic cancer, that xx% of patients survive, xx% of patients do not. She asked a million questions about the function of the pancreas, how grandma's tumor is effecting it, etc. Then she turns to me and she says "well... we will just find a cure for it, since no one else can" To which I smiled at her and I told her "I don't think we'll be able to do that before we lose grandma babe" and she looked at me.... straight in the eye and she said "mom.... *I* am going to find a cure for this cancer when I'm old enough, and even though I won't be able to save my grandma... I *will* save somebody elses grandma"

[mtn.mama]

Hey, there are dozens of extra fresh eggs in this neck of the woods, due to folks being gone for the holidays. PM me if you know someone in SC who is looking, and we can meet up...

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

Then she turns to me and she says "well... we will just find a cure for it, since no one else can" To which I smiled at her and I told her "I don't think we'll be able to do that before we lose grandma babe" and she looked at me.... straight in the eye and she said "mom.... *I* am going to find a cure for this cancer when I'm old enough, and even though I won't be able to save my grandma... I *will* save somebody elses grandma"

My great-grandma died of pancreatic cancer. I was about 10 and not super close to her, but it definitely sensitized me to the search for the cure. I always try to join cancer walks and things for her sake.

[Samanthavv]

Iposted this on breastfeeding challenges, but I thought I'd ask my fellow alaskan mamas for input...

I have no clue what to do.

First, my son is seven months old, almost 8 months. He was completely, and exclusively bereastfed until he was 6 months and some odd weeks and days. Then he started cereal. Did fine at first. Started some foods too. Did fine... He still nurses the majority of the time and only eats real food one or two times a day. But for the last month... He has been screaming 80% of the time. I'm losing my sanity. I can't sit there and stare at my baby in so much pain and not be able to do anything to help him.

Night time, he wont sleep at all and just screams. These blood curdling horrifying screams. He's in pain. And nothing is helping.

I cut out all dairy and it seemed to help for a little but then it went right back up again. I'm going vegan for the next 30 days, just to see if that helps any because honestly, I have no clue whats wrong with him. And anytime I take him to the doctor they just try to shove formula at me....

I don't know what to do except cry...

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

Iposted this on breastfeeding challenges, but I thought I'd ask my fellow alaskan mamas for input...

Have you pulled HIM off all foods and just got back to exclusive nursing for him? I'd be tempted to eliminate his diet first, as he successfully nursed just fine until the introduction of solid foods. So to me (having a daughter who's got food allergies) it sounds like he's reacting to foods that he's eating, not foods you are eating.

I'd try that approach first and see if his symptoms improve. If they do, then you'll know for sure it's his diet and not yours. At his age, he can be fully sustained on breastmilk alone right now. If he doesn't improve, then I'd start taking things out of your diet 1 by 1 (so you know EXACTLY what he's reacting to) or, if you have the ability, take him to the allergy clinic in Anchorage and have him tested. I tried elimination diets on my own for almost a year and ended up pulling my hair out. Nothing I took out made my daughter better. Turns out, she had off the wall allergies and everything I eliminated she was fine with. It was innocuous foods that were the problems (garlic, carrots, pork, rye, etc.) they found all those with a prick and patch test on her. We see Melissa Rathkopf and love her... she's fantastic with kiddos.

[Pinoikoi]

SamanthaVV-

My only advice comes from a personal experience. When youngest ds was about a year, he would have trouble nursing.. he looked forward to me coming home and would run to the couch to nurse, but would pull off and suck in and then go back to nursing.. off/on/off/on the whole time..

turns out he had cavities, and the nursing action was making his teeth hurt! He ended up having dental surgery scheduled (some of the enamel actually fell off before the surgery because there is a wait list in Anchorage for dental surgery facilities) but after his teeth were extracted, he went back to nursing just fine until just past age 2. I felt pretty bad that I hadn't caught the problem earlier. Hope that isn't it.

Anyway- I have been BUSY the past two days! Check out my project! I reupholstered and refinished all my kitchen chairs.

I hope this works!

damage on chairs (before) worn/stained fabric and chipped paint

Check out the monkeys on the new fabric!

I have to admit, I have had the fabric sitting around for quite some time, and I somehow thought the leaves/foliage were greener than they are, but I love it as is!

Before/After

I hope all those links work!

[mtn.mama]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

Iposted this on breastfeeding challenges, but I thought I'd ask my fellow alaskan mamas for input...

Quote:
I have no clue what to do.

First, my son is seven months old, almost 8 months. He was completely, and exclusively bereastfed until he was 6 months and some odd weeks and days. Then he started cereal. Did fine at first. Started some foods too. Did fine... He still nurses the majority of the time and only eats real food one or two times a day. But for the last month... He has been screaming 80% of the time. I'm losing my sanity. I can't sit there and stare at my baby in so much pain and not be able to do anything to help him.

Night time, he wont sleep at all and just screams. These blood curdling horrifying screams. He's in pain. And nothing is helping.

I cut out all dairy and it seemed to help for a little but then it went right back up again. I'm going vegan for the next 30 days, just to see if that helps any because honestly, I have no clue whats wrong with him. And anytime I take him to the doctor they just try to shove formula at me....

I don't know what to do except cry...

I'm sorry you and your babe are having such a hard time. Dairy was a great first step... can i recommend you go off wheat and see if that makes a difference? Its the number two pediatric food intolerance.

IMO, babies shouldn't be receiving any grains directly until after age 2. Their little bodies do not have the enzymes to digest the grains until age 2 or so.

If you want to talk any of this out, give me a call. My daughter was born with dozens of food allergies and we've been through it all. She is 2.5 now, and has thankfully outgrown most of them with intensive structural work, energy work, massive nutrient supplementation and food eliminations.

We have come far far far. And you're going to make it through this. Don't be afraid to check out the MDC allergy forum in Health and Healing. Everyone is kind there and full of BTDT experience and ideas.

Lets get your babe on track. Hey, how's your vitamin D intake? EFAs? B-12? Zinc? I sincerely do not recommend going vegan at this point. You need to get all the nutrients you can right now, for you and your little one.

Lisa

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

SamanthaVV-

My only advice comes from a personal experience. When youngest ds was about a year, he would have trouble nursing.. he looked forward to me coming home and would run to the couch to nurse, but would pull off and suck in and then go back to nursing.. off/on/off/on the whole time..

turns out he had cavities, and the nursing action was making his teeth hurt! He ended up having dental surgery scheduled (some of the enamel actually fell off before the surgery because there is a wait list in Anchorage for dental surgery facilities) but after his teeth were extracted, he went back to nursing just fine until just past age 2. I felt pretty bad that I hadn't caught the problem earlier. Hope that isn't it.

Anyway- I have been BUSY the past two days! Check out my project! I reupholstered and refinished all my kitchen chairs.

I hope this works!

damage on chairs (before) worn/stained fabric and chipped paint

Check out the monkeys on the new fabric!

I have to admit, I have had the fabric sitting around for quite some time, and I somehow thought the leaves/foliage were greener than they are, but I love it as is!

Before/After

I hope all those links work!

The chairs look great!!! Good Job!

[Samanthavv]

Well, he WAS having some issues when he was exclusively nursed. I eliminated dairy and he started doing a LOT better, but he was still having issues. And thats when we started giving him food. My milk didn't seem to bother him as much when we gave him food but it was all downhill from there. :-s

I was planning on going vegan for a month anyways, because of a few reasons (health problems, with myself, for one.) And I thought, if I altered how I went about the change, I might be able to pinpoint whats causing his problems.

I'm in Soldotna. And it's kind of hard to get to and from anchorage, and none of my doctors are taking me seriously. Believe me. I've gone to a few already.

I don't think he's teething (he dosent really have any of the signs) and he's pooping just fine. He's nursing until he's done... I let him nurse as long as he wants usually...

Even at night, in a dark quiet room, he still screams. I feel like pulling my hair out, because it just dosen't stop. I love him so much and I hate seeing him so miserable and not knowing how to fix it...

As far as vitamins... I take prenatals. I eat fairly healthy and pretty balanced. Much more so than my husband does! But, I try to keep balanced. I don't eat much junk. I don't eat any dairy unless its on accident because it makes Danny react even worse than he already is...

By the way... what does BTBD mean???

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

By the way... what does BTBD mean???

Actually it is BTDT. Been There Done That. I think.

[onyxravnos]

Samanthavv - i also would take him off the solids and go back to just nursing. Working with your diet is a good step BUT since stopping milk helped but didn't fix it i would try dropping wheat/grains. I totally would be suspecting gluten / grain allergies.

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

Have you pulled HIM off all foods and just got back to exclusive nursing for him?

that is what i was going to suggest


nak

[Samanthavv]

Okay. So, I've switched back to exclusively nursing him. He's been re-exclusively nursing for two days now. He still screamed like crazy, but I'd say it was slightly less than yesterday... not that it helps much. *sigh* Although, I have noticed his poop is transitioning back to exclusively breastfed baby poop... Which is fine by me, because I use cloth diapers and I prefer the breatmilk poo over the yucky food poo! lol

I'm going to get rid of all the wheat and gluten in my diet. I'm just not sure how. I know there's gluten in a TON of things. I had a boyfriend in high school who was allergic and I could never think of anything we COULD have. So, it was really difficult. Are there any specific ingredients I'm looking for that are gluten/wheat products? I don't really know where to start on this one...

And for going vegan, I'm just a few things away from it with how my diet is now, and I was really heartset on it. Is there anyway to go about it safely?

[mtn.mama]

Transition could take awhile. I know its hard kicking gluten, but you can do it. Its SO worth a try... Meanwhile, pick up some food enzymes, and take them with every meal and in between meals... to make sure your body has the tools to break food down, so hopefully the proteins won't be exiting through the gut wall.

I wouldn't kick out meat and eggs yet... its REALLY hard on your body and your nutritional status just to get rid of milk and gluten. Its a big change, and you and your baby need all the protein and B-vitamins and amino acids you can get right now.

Meat and vegetables is the answer! Don't try to replace your breads and muffins and tortillas and treats with gluten free substitutes, especially the commercial kind. Those are nasty, expensive, full of additives and not good for you. If you must bake, use nuts. There are some awesome cookbooks out there for cooking grain free.

If you go to the allergy forum, there's a thread listed in the resource sticky called grain free meals. It has lots of ideas...

You CAN do this. I'm so excited you're on the path to finding answers for you and your babe. All the trouble and heartache will be worth it.

[roadfamily6now]

it's the last day of 2009!!

Happy New Year's Eve Everyone