Allergy Update

So Cassie's allergy testing was yesterday. Some of the news was better than I anticipated: her peanut allergy isn't life-threatening and she isn't a candidate for shots (for her tree pollens & mold allergies) b/c of her eczema. The rest of the news was bad beyond my expectations: she is just as allergic to milk as she is to peanuts and she has a life-threatening allergy to tree nuts. We knew she was allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. But to hear her doctor say "A walnut could kill her..." Unless you've been there, you can't possibly imagine the abject fear that strikes into a mother's heart.  Until she is capable of advocating for herself and reading labels, I am what stands between her and an anaphylactic reaction to a seemingly innoculous food, innocently given to her by someone unaware of her allergy. Or a loved one who didn't read a label. Something that simple could kill my kid. I'm a control freak on a good day. At this point, if I could get away with putting her in a bubble to go through the rest of her life, I would. Parents want to protect their children. But I can't put her in a bubble. So we'll learn to manage it as best we can and pray that we never need to use her Epi Pen.

I'm now in the process of learning how to provide her with a diet completely free of dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts. The allergist thinks dairy is the main cause of her eczema. While not life-threatening, it is a constant source of irritation to her. So the obvious way to rid her of that constant irritant is to rid her diet of dairy. I made my first trips to Trader Joes and Whole Foods last night. Trader Joes was disappointing. I did not find the store to be any more tree nut friendly than my local grocery stores. Most of the dairy free stuff was not tree nut safe. Whole Foods was more promising. I bought two types of rice milk (Cassie has already enjoyed the chocolate variety), soy pudding, veggie/vegan cheese, soy yogurt, rice milk yogurt & veggie mac & cheese. I didn't buy a lot of stuff, but I bought enough to sample and figure out what she likes and what is worth the return trip (all 40 miles round trip of it). It is going to be an ongoing process. I have a real level of concern about the effects of soy on her little system. But I have to weigh those concerns against what cow's milk is doing to her body right now. It sucks. I'm doing the best I can with the resources and information I have.

The Calm Before the Storm

Yesterday I visited all three Targets within a 5 mile radius of my house. That might be a record. I knocked out the last bit of shopping for my kids (Cassie, specifically), picked up a bday gift for a friend of Chase, and found a pair of fabulous booties for me! Plus assorted other things: candy canes, bottled water, a white dress on clearance for Cassie for the Christmas play tomorrow at church--she's an angel.

The kids and I sandwiched lunch w/dad yesterday between trips to Target, which was nice. Then we headed home. Cass took a nap and I went on a cooking/baking binge. I made two pies (chocolate ribbon & pumpkin layer), a broccoli cauliflower & cheese casserole, enchiladas for dinner, and a loaf of cranberry bread. One of the pies and the casserole are for a funeral at church today. The other pie and bread are for church tomorrow (we're coffee hosts--I need to make one more thing today but have to buy eggs). Dinner was pretty good, a great way to use up leftovers! I did the Shred (level 3, w/heavier weights), made my third (and final) Target run, then walked Sherman. Today Chase has a birthday party, and I've got that funeral at church to help out with after doing my leg of the bday party carpool.

I am LOVING my new booties. It amazes me how the older I get, the stuff I crave gets simpler and simpler. Since I am perpetually cold from October-April, I live in booties (or super fuzzy socks) at home.The soles in my pair from last year were shot but I was reluctant to spring for a new pair until I saw bright red ones on sale yesterday! I'm so glad I did! Toasty toes make me happy.

On the First Day of Cycle Break...

My QOTD today is courtesy of my Dad, who said "Do they have to fight over EVERYTHING?" as the kids were engaged in a shoving match over a keyboard at his house. Clearly the man has blocked out living with Mikki and me for 18+ years or he would know the answer to that question is, without question, "YES!"

Life, at the moment, is good. Chase is playing at a friend's house. Cass is napping. I'm procrastinating treadmill time. Despite my best efforts, the scale is about 3 lbs heavier than I would like. Jamie and my Dad say it is muscle from the strength training I've been doing. But I don't like the numbers. So I'm stepping up my workout efforts. Yesterday the dog got a walk outside and I did Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown. Today I'm thinking the treadmill alone should do it. I wonder if I could use the laptop/Hulu and catch up on Glee...that would be a good 45-50 minute workout!

I went on a cooking binge yesterday: soup, white chili & pork shoulder. We'll have pulled pork for dinner tonight and I've got leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. Nothing better than hanging in the kitchen by a warm oven when there are frigid temps outside! Have I mentioned lately how much I love my kitchen?

Enough procrastinating. Off w/the jeggings, into some sweats. I bought the coziest cocoon sweater at Target Saturday morning off the clearance rack. I LOVE IT! So does Cassie--there is enough sweater here to wrap her up with me! We had her Christmas "recital" this morning at dance--I'll post pics once I have them uploaded. Remind me of how cute she was today when she's a smartass teenager, would you? B/c I loved being a girl mom and seeing my little elf dance this morning!

'Tis the Season...

Ho...ho...ho! Tis the time of year when I usually post a tongue in cheek review of our year in honor of all the "our lives are so perfect, don't you wish you were us" Christmas letters sent round the world. Yet after the week I've had, reality is so much crazier than anything I could make up! Saturday, Chase had an allergic reaction to Nita's cat that sent him to the ER. Allergy testing on Tuesday confirmed that he is seriously allergic to cats. Fortunately, he isn't allergic to anything else so he can avoid shots so long as he avoids cats! But guess how many holes were poked in his arm to discover this? The next day, Cassie ended up at the doctor. All we needed was a urine sample. Unfortunately her will is as iron-clad as her bladder, so she ended up experiencing a catheter. Much to my surprise (and her doctor's), she didn't have the UTI we suspected. If life were a Jeopardy game, I'd have pointless invasive medical procedures for $2000, Alex. Needless to say, I'm batting about 0 with my Mother's Intuition right now.

From what I've seen of him, Jamie is well. He got back from a week of hunting in Kansas on Sunday night and has been playing catch up in the office ever since. His one "early" night this week, I walked the dog for an hour (several stuffed animals in our residence are now missing their eyeballs as a direct result of his lack of walks over the last 10 freezing cold days) and while I was gone, Chase deleted my most recent (unwatched) episode of Glee from the DVR. While usually I appreciate signs of my indispensibility around the house, this was NOT so appreciated! We may be coming soon to an episode of Snapped near you!

On food allergies...

A few weeks ago, an old friend from my elementary school days updated his status with a rant about how ridiculous all the "peanut free" stuff is these days. A few years ago, I probably would have agreed with him. I love peanut butter and haven't met a nut I don't like. Nutella? Heaven in a jar, folks. I remember the seeing the "peanut free classroom" sign  on Chase's kindy door and feeling really sorry for that kid and her mother! Life without peanut butter? I couldn't imagine! Until it was MY KID with the allergy...

At Cassie's 2 month well child check, I pointed out a mild rash all over her body to the pediatrician. She said it was eczema, likely an allergy to the scented baby wash and Tide I was using, and recommended that I switch to something free and clear. That was easy enough. But several months later, when she was crusing around the kitchen, she grabbed a plastic spoon w/peanut butter on it and went to town. She promptly broke out in a rash. I mentioned it to the ped at her 1 year appointment and she suggested allergy testing. Cassie had a blood test and all was negative. Six weeks later, following a family funeral, she grabbed a peanut butter cookie and after a few bites, large red welts broke out on her face. I snatched the cookie away, my cousin the RN said, "PEANUT ALLERGY!" and after I showed the ped my hastily snapped cell phone photos of Cassie's face, she agreed. We discovered her tree nut allergy after Jamie let her eat Nutella out of the jar...

We've been lucky. Thus far, her reactions tend to be rashy vs anaphylactic. But allergies are a funny, unpredictable thing and we never know if the next reaction will be anaphylactic. Which is why I tend to be something of a food nazi with my daughter. It is hard enough to try to explain to a toddler/preschooler why their snack/dessert/candy/treat/whatever is different than every one else's. But I can do that. What drives me absolutely batshit crazy is when virtual strangers hear about her allergy and start offering unsolicted advice like, "My mother's best friend's third cousin twice removed's sister in law had a kid with that allergy and she just gave him enough to build up his tolerance. He eats peanut butter every day now." Truly I tell you that it takes every iota of self-control I have not say, "Really? Well why don't you play a game of Russian Roulette with your toddler and let me know how that goes!" Because seriously? That's what I'd be doing if I just gave her "a little" every day. Immunotherapy is not something to screw around with, nor is it effective in treating food allergies. The mother's best friend's third cousin twice removed's sister in law's kid notwithstanding, of course.

My other pet peeve? Well meaning people who give her candy w/o my permission. The kid has a food allergy. If the label says "may contain peanuts or tree nuts or processed on equipment that processes peanuts/tree nuts" please don't feed it to my daughter. I will never forget when my sister-in-law made brownies with M&Ms in them and then was surprised when Cassie reacted to the M&Ms. Read the label, or don't give it to my kid. And if you know you're feeding my kid, please provide a safe alternative for her to eat. It sucks enough that half her Halloween candy disappears the minute she empties her sack and that she'll never know the joy of a fluffernutter sammie...

And to the assholes who think their kids have a fundamental right to PB&Js...I don't see that in the Constitution/Bill of Rights. I do see a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...in there. My kid and all the other peanut/tree nut allergic kids in the lunchroom have a right to keep on breathing in that lunchroom. I think you know where you can put that PB&J...

Tis the Season

My sister the overachiever is writing something she is thankful for every day on her blog. While I think that's nice (and am anxiously awaiting my specific entry-no, that's not sarcasm, either), I'm not that dedicated or ambitious. But I am perfectly capable of counting many of my blessings in ONE post! This isn't all-inclusive, think of it as a Cliff Notes version of my gratefulness!

1.  I'm grateful to God for all the many blessings he has bestowed upon me. Life isn't always easy, but God is good all the time.

2. I'm thankful for Jamie. I don't know too many other people lucky enough to meet their soulmate at the age of 18, but I did and will be forever grateful that he's put up with me for almost half of my life! He is the calm in the eye of the storm (yeah, that's me--force of nature is being kind, I think). He is such a hard worker and awesome provider. And he thinks Tony Parker and Tiger Woods were jackasses for cheating on their wives. I'm a lucky, lucky woman to be married to him. And I know it.

3. I'm thankful for my children. Motherhood did not come easily to me, but I think my struggle with infertility makes me appreciate my children that much more. Chase and 'Cassie are the greatest gifts of my life and if I've done nothing else, to be their mother is enough.

4. I'm grateful that my Dad and Mikki are more than my dad and my sister, they're also my friends. That's a rare gift and I treasure it very much.

5. I'm thankful for my friends--who are the family I've gotten to chose.

6. I'm thankful for my volunteer work. I learn so much more from it than I actually give...

7. I'm thankful for Sherman. He reminds me daily of the virtues of gentleness and patience.

8. I'm thankful for Diet Coke. No, really. I'm pretty sure it runs through my blood.

9. I'm thankful that I'm relatively healthy and able to manuever around w/o assistance. Everything but my thyroid works and I'm okay w/that.

Life is good. And I am grateful.

The Kitchen of My Dreams (I guess I'm officially a grown up since I now dream of things like kitchens...)

The kitchen is FINALLY finished! While most of the decisions were relatively easy (the granite, the faucet, the backsplash), it took me DAYS to find the sink I wanted. But the final result was worth it all!

Because we've replaced every appliance but the refridgerator since we moved in, had the floors refinished last year, and the cabinets were in good shape, it was a relatively easy reno. Still, living without running water for three days in the kitchen completely sucked. I'm so glad to be finished. I'm also thrilled that all the things Jamie questioned: namely the tile backsplash (he wanted granite) and white oversized single basin sink (why not a double stainless bowl?) are among his favorite features! The sink IS amazing. I'm so looking forward to holiday entertaining now...

This morning this kids were particularly funny. Cassie came into my bed for a snuggle and some Dora watching. When Chase made his way in, she popped out with "hey, duuuuuude." Chase and I cracked up. A bit later Chase asked me if he and Cassie would still get presents when the Santa gig was up for her. I said yes. Then he asked if he would have to buy his kids presents when he was grown up. I said yes again. He said, "Man! I hope I get suckers who like $30 presents."Seriously. This from the kid who wants about a million dollars worth of Legos...

Cassie is demanding "noodles" for dinner. Last night I found pumpkin spice pudding at Schnucks. I mixed a box with 1 C of skim and 1 C of lite cool whip. Chilled & served w/more cool whip, it was a nice alternative to pumpkin pie! I really am cooking more and stressing less. The granite hides far more than the hideous white laminate and the tile is so much easier to clean than drywall. I am a happy, happy mom!