Nine for Jesus - Homeschool Blogger

The Drama of Eating

Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:59:00 -0600

I have added a few more foods to my list of allergens. Every day it seems lilke i add a new one. My husband has been very supportive of me and that has helped alot. We have decided on joining Medical Alert for their service since not all my food allergins can fit on one necklace or bracelet. I have been dealing with the fear of eating. I was going all day without eating until 4pm until I was just about passing out. So now I am seeing a therapist to deal with this valid fear. It has been a struggle daily. My Dad in his widom asked me about weight watchers (i am a bit .... ok I am very overweight) so I thought about it and told him I would try a meeting. So I went and instead of feeling like I have to eat all the time I can eat the point amount and not feel so stressed about eating. My Dad is a very smart man. It has been an easier three days and I have lost almost a pound. Now if i can just get all my points eaten. LOL

Defining my Allergies

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:55:00 -0600

It was a rather long journey figuring out what I was allergic to. It all started at the first of the year. I ate a tuna sandwitch and my face started swelling, eyes got puffy my lips started to puff and my tounge started to swell. (btw if this even happens to you go to the hosp don't do as I did) I took a benedryl and st with my epi pen next to me. I should have used the thing... Anyway, after that it seemed everythign I ate I had an allergic reaction. At first my husband and I thought it was just my body calming down after the intial reaction. However, that was not the case because it kept getting worse. So I finially called an allergist that my holistic friend refered me to. That was the worst week of my life. I couldn't take any allergy pills so I had to be very careful about what I ate. Chips and salsa that one day cause me to break out next time wouldn't. The allergist suggested I keep a food journal after making my appointment. So I did and I marked next to the ones I had a reaction to and I wrote down brand names as well.

At appointmet he drew 7 vials of blood for a RAST test on over 40 things. All of my tests came back negative that ment that I needed to a skin test. The Doctor told me to keep a different kind of food journal. If I reacted to it paste or tape the ingrediant list into the journal. SO I did... The result of the next test and my food journal is the list you see below.

What am I allergic to?

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:43:00 -0600

Well hold on I'll grab the list from my wallet since after almost 5 months I still can't name them off.

Food Allergies

Seafood, Banana, Rice

Orange, Raw tomato, Peach

Carrot, Black walnut, Pork

Artifical flavors, Spices

Sorbic acid, Dyes

Natural flavors, Polysorbate 60

Sodium nitrate, Sodium erythropate

Modified food starch, Figs

Unmodified food starch

other names of allergens

Beta carotene Fruit pectin

Citrus acid Vegetable oil

I kind of wish I was my daugther at times she is only allergic to milk and pork.

Preservatives to avoid in foods

What happened in the hospital because of my allergies!

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:39:00 -0600

I made the hospital photo copy my allergy card the first nurse did not want to. I got a liquid trey for dinner with three things that had my allergens in it. I was taken off liquids around lunch time and I asked to speak to the dietitian before lunch. The dietitian fixed my first meal her self and my husband brought me a cooler of food I could snack on. Thirty minutes before the dinner trays came down the hall I got a room mate. They brought me a liquid dinner tray. Again it had two of my food allergies on it. I told the food lady that I could have solids she asked my nurse who said yes I could have solids. Then nurse turns and with out a thought brings me a tray off the cart. I stopped her and said I can’t eat that I have to have a special diet. I said what I needed and the lady who delivered the trays said to give her 20min she would go fix me a salad because the kitchen was closed. Well I got up and used the potty and that is when it hit me. I walked past my room mate and my face swelled my eyes itched. I quick ran out of my room and stood hunched over in the hall. My nurse looked at me and didn't say a word. I politely told her that I as having a reaction to my room mates food tray. She said go back in and sit down I’ll call your doctor. I said no I can't go back in there. Can you help me? She shrugged and walked away. I started bawling. I was itchy all over by this point and my eyes where swollen and my neck I knew was red. I asked very loudly at her back. “Where is the Nurse Manager”? The nurse manager ran into the hall and took one look at me grabbed a chair and sat me down asked me what happened. She got me a cool rag and found me a private room. I can't help but think now if I had gone into anaphylaxis I would be dead. I would have died in the hospital after they saved my life.

The day I was released the lady from the cafeteria came into my room and asked me what I wanted for lunch. I know she took it upon herself to come and ask and I thanked her.

My month of Help me please

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:36:00 -0600

I have felt truly beaten down and trod on this month but ever so closer to God. I wanted to share this with my MOMYs friends my feelings of the past month.
It started at the end of November I sat up talking on momys with I think Tanyab . I felt horriable was starting to get unbareable pain like cramps. I thought its to early for AF but ok. I took some tylenol and grabed a cup of hot tea. pretty soon I couldn't sit up anymore. I got into the tub and filled it with hot water trying to releave the cramps. I could barely get out of the tub. I went and laid down on my bed and grabed my cell phone. I called Brandon who as sleeping down stairs to go get Nick from he kids room. Later that night I ended up in the OR my tube had burst in the middle and at the end of my ovary. I after three days in the Hosp and lots of prayer from my church family, family and people at my Grandmothers wake (she died at the same time my tube burst and my baby died) & my dear homeschool friends and MOMYS I made a quick recovery. A MOMY blessed us with enough er cash to get two weeks of grocerys. My DH put his birthday money from my dad into the gas tank so he could bring me food int he Hospital. By the end of the week I was off pain med and I could walk slowly but I could walk. I continued to be in the church play that they do every Christmas as a mission and outreach. I was one of the main characters in the drama part. The show went on for three days the last being SUnday. Sunday night my Joey throws up we have the stomach flu. It went through every person in our family. I missed the Womens Christmas party at church and those ladies took up a love offering for me and my friend droped it off . It was just enough to get some items so we could make christmas goodies and put some gas into the car. The next week went by and I got some orders for jewlery. Took Maggie out to get her Christmas Dress and woke up the next day with Pnemonia. I have been fighting that for a week now. I can honestly say God has been awsome this week I have been torn down and broken and near death... but I have been lifted up in prayer and surrounded by love. I shall celebrate this Christmas with a thankful heart that God has carried and still does til I can walk.

10 Things I Love about my Large Family!

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 23:57:00 -0600

1. There is always somone willing to hug.

2. Movie night becomes a party even if you don't get out the popcorn.

3. I love to say "Yes, they are ALL mine and have the same father"

4. I am the most popular person in my house besides the candy box.

5. I am known by 10 different names at church. Kierstens mom, Brandons mom, ..... MamaD, and Karen.

6. Cooking for one more is no big deal.

7. I know God loves me one child reminds me everyday.

8. With a little oragnization I can have one big army of workers for any project church or otherwise.

9. Toys pass down, and down, down again.

10. Watching my kids love on each other and stick up for each other.

Top 10 Large family Pet peeves

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 08:49:00 -0500

1. Family size freezer meals = in reality we know that is only enough for half the kids and then if they are not hungry.

2. When you are just small enough to not get the group rate.

3. When you go to the favorite pizza place and they get upset because you didn't make reservations

4. Bread store lady fails to tell you about the punch card until after you have been there 4 times and could have used that 1.00 off twice.

5. Having large bags of clothes left on your porch and getting a ticket for having trash in your yard.

6. Never ending gawking stares it would be better if they just asked!

7. The people who tell their children they wish they where more like my children

8. Family who have 1 to 2 kids and plan meals at expensive resturants and theme park get togethers.

9. Second hand gossip that was about your family and has now returned to your ears.

10. Church rows that are two small for everyone to sit together comfortably.

Whoa Wait a min!!!

Sat, 1 Sep 2007 00:49:00 -0500

Ok I have been away too long. Summer is over for many and neighbor kids have started school again YEAH we have the street back! Alot has happened to me over the few months that I have not been able to blog. I have been consantly sick with allergies. Not the once everyone else has been food allergies that first make my face turns red splotchy then my lips tounge and eyes swell, I get headache then nausea and shakes then hot and cold flashes. All this going on I get lucid and sleepy. Did you think Anaphylaxis? Well yout right! Now what pray tell am I allergic to? Well, pretty much everything people eat in a day. It took two trips to an allergist and we got a few things listed. Took me 3 months to acually go (dumb move on my part). I should have gone the first month of my problems. I am allergic to so much it won't all fit on my Medical Alert tag. It has been a big adjustment not being able to grab just anything to eat. I got to the point where I dreaded food or hated to eat or just didn't eat. I am still battling the not wanting to eat. I think it has been really hard on my kids. My oldest son is frightly sensitive to me and catches me almost in tears in the kitchen. I fix them food that I want to eat and can't. That is really really hard. Well, I will catch up more later right now its 2am and I am going to bed.

The top 10 large family commets that make me ....

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:46:00 -0500

question the human race.

1. Its bad for the inviroment. = Ok this statement is so funny to me. Our little army puts out less garbage then the family of 5 next door and the family of 4 on the other side of us. We wear clothes totally out. We recycle all that can be recycled.

2. Oh your oldest must be glad to go to school. = Well first off I homeschool. Second well she loves her siblings and third I don't require Her to raise them.

3. Ok, does your husband know anything about womens rights? = Ok we all know that it takes two to tango!

4. When do you have ME time? =This coment deserves no coment.

5. Better you then me. = I agree better me then you!

6. Are you going to have anymore? = Hum well ask God not me.

7. Are one of THOSE religous people? = What is that supposed to mean? Is there somthing wrong with God?

8. Are you babysitting? Do you run a daycare? = Um is it thier busines? (Oh no I picked up a few in the veggie isle and I have been taking care of them for a few years now).

9. What about all those extras kids need? = Hum extras I thought that extras where just that extra.

10. How do you feed them ALL? = Well , I cook for starters and not from a bag or box. And usually they use a spoon or a fork with out help.

Allergys

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 15:16:00 -0500

Have you ever thought about those teenagers who can't have Pizza? What about the ones who can't even be around pizza? What type of functions do they go to? How many pizza partys does a church have? How many pizza partys do kids have on a whole? Somtimes I want to grb people by the shoulders and shake them. Kiersten spent most of December, January and March in tears. She missed a number of partys, youth and church things because they had pizza. I don't want people to feel sorry for it just maybe have fried chicken or hotdogs and hamburgers. How hard can that be??? Oh well just a vent thanks for listening lol.