The last few posts were a little dark. The last year has been so turbulent. I felt like I was literally in a downward spiral. A Facebook friend with some strangely insightful posts actually helped pull me out of it a little.....along with tons of support from friends and family. I am thankful to have them around to pick up the pieces as I fall. We all need that at some point in time. I am still picking up the pieces and finding my way back to peace and happiness, but I am definitely a lot closer than even a few weeks ago.
It is always darkest before the dawn.
Don't depend too much on anyone in this world. Even your shadow leaves you when you're in darkness.
Two quotes I cannot take credit for, but have certainly helped me out.
School is back in session so my 6 year old is off to first grade. I am amazed by how quickly time goes by. I look at him on a daily basis and thank God for the blessing my husband and I received. On my "not so good" days or when I am researching information for my health, I am constantly in aw of the miracle that is my son. There is no rhyme or reason, especially not scientific, that he is on this planet.......and yet somehow, he is here and thriving.
Yesterday, my wonderful little six year old came home with a rash on his belly and chest. He has never been a "sickly" child. He had RSV as a baby due to an outbreak in our city, but was treated at home and pulled through fabulously. He had tubes in both ears around 18 months, but that is relatively common. Rarely does he have a cold or the flu, and certainly never any skin issues. Due to my health, we use hypoallergenic everything in our household. I can't think of anything that would cause this rash.
Autoimmune diseases are hereditary. With thyroid disease and diabetes, I was told during pregnancy that he had no more than a 4% greater chance than the rest of the population of developing either of them. With Celiac disease it is recommended that all immediate family be screened after a diagnosis is confirmed. I have never had my son screened for any of these. I take him in for check ups regularly. His doctors know of my health history. I put my trust in the doctors until I have reason to feel otherwise.
At this point, I cannot help but worry about Celiac Disease for my son. He is a very picky eater as it is. I try to feed him as healthy as possible with his limited palate, even introducing nutrition shakes to supplement his dislikes. Going gluten free for this six year old will be a major challenge.
My sister and I have a mutual feeling about these types of situations. Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. Both of us were diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of 20. We are three years apart. Our father had Type I diabetes for 30 years before succumbing to the complications. Our brains are hardwired to fear. So, as I sit here planning how to deal with this if my gut is right, I simultaneously praying for something mundane.
I am thankful that I am embarking on this journey before my son faces it. My hope is that he will never deal with any of the health problems I have, but I constantly prepare for the day where I will need to walk him through some of it. Today happened to be a day that I know for sure God is carrying me through my fear.
I am anxiously awaiting the school bell's ring this afternoon to take my little man to his doctor. To pass the time while he is at school, it is usual for me to get errands and chores done. I went to our local health food store today to get my staple vegan/ gluten free foods. I hung around the freezer a little longer and looked yet again at this vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream. Mint chocolate chip ice cream used to be my favorite.
As a child, my family and I would go to Baskin-Robbins and each pick out a flavor for them to pack in 1/2 gallon tubs. I remember my mom getting chocolate, my sister would get peanut butter chocolate, and I would get mint chocolate chip. I also remember plenty of arguments with my mom. "You're not supposed to eat the whole thing in one sitting!"
After 4 years of systematically taking things out of my diet, I have been left with very little. Especially considering I live in a small town in south eastern New Mexico where healthy eating is not on any one's radar. The local grocery stores rarely have what I need. We have this tiny little health food store that has very limited options. You must be creative. Not today. I grabbed this ice cream. NadaMoo Lotta Mint Chip. http://www.nadamoo.com/
After eating my usual lunch (same thing everyday to prevent symptoms) I grab a spoon and the pint of ice cream. I scraped under the lid first to feel the texture. I wasn't excited. The texture felt just like any other vegan/ gluten free ice cream. Uh-oh. First bite.......HEAVEN. I have to say it is better than any other brand I remember. I only had a few bites to prevent an upset belly later. I have to be very gentle on my system. But those few bites satisfied my sweet tooth, satisfied my ice cream craving, and didn't leave me wanting more. It has been nearly two hours and I am still feeling pretty well. This is a good sign.
What a relief! Not over a month ago, an alert on Facebook lead me to find out that Haribo gummy bears were gluten free. I rushed out to get them. About a year ago, Red Brick Pizza opened up in a nearby town. They serve gluten free dairy free pizza. A lot of people with Celiac Disease also have some sort of sensitivity to dairy whether it be lactose or casein or both. So, I evaluate my options and start to realize I am coming into a pretty good situation.
For most Celiac Disease sufferers fruits and vegetables are free foods. Meats are also generally good. Patients do need to be conscious of marinades and spices, but for the most part this is a safe food. Coconut, Almond, and Soy milk are all very accessible these days even at Wal-Mart. Frito-Lays, Hormel, Kraft, as well as many other companies are now listing gluten free products on their websites and on packaging. Not to mention the surge of more gluten free companies like Glutino and Pamela's in small selection in many stores. All you need is creativity and a willingness to change your habits.
As I have gone through these past few years, educating myself on every diagnosis and every treatment, I have learned so much (a blessing in itself). Being a new mother through a lot of it was actually beneficial. It keep my mind on what is important while giving me the will to change and fight. What you eat really does affect so much. The saying, "You are what you eat." is true.
Veganism is very difficult to follow, but is one of the healthiest ways to live. That means no animal products or by products consumed at all. Dairy in itself is very allergenic as well as inflammatory. Removing dairy from your diet works wonders. Gluten has been tied to autism, ADHD/ADD, and behavior problems in children. Many studies as well as personal stories report drastic changes for the positive just by eliminating gluten from your child's diet.
Now, the time is getting closer and closer for me to go pick up my son and take him to his doctor. No matter what the doctor's opinion on this mysterious rash is, I will request screening for Celiac Disease. I am confident, should the test come back positive, we will be able to help this picky eater learn new habits. I am at peace knowing I already have the knowledge to face this. And on a final note, I am hoping the rash is a minor irritation and the screening comes back negative. This has certainly made me reevaluate my own "difficult" situation. With so much good coming from something so difficult........is it really all that bad? or just a bumpier road to bliss?
I believe the latter more and more everyday.
It is all about how you react to a situation. Knowledge empowers the reaction.
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